Other Famous SwordsŌdachiImportant Cultural Property (original lost; replica exists)

蛍丸

Hotarumaru

Aussi connu sous le nom de: Firefly Blade

Forgeron

Kunimura (attributed)

Époque

Late Kamakura period (late 13th – early 14th century)

Type

Ōdachi

Classement

Important Cultural Property (original lost; replica exists)

Lieu de conservation

Aso Shrine, Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture

Description

Hotarumaru is a legendary ōdachi (great sword) that was the treasured heirloom of the Aso clan, hereditary chief priests of Aso Shrine in Higo Province (Kumamoto). Attributed to the smith Kunimura, it is believed to date from the late Kamakura period. The sword is renowned for a famous legend: after its blade was damaged in battle, countless fireflies gathered around it overnight and repaired the nicked edge with their light — hence the name Hotarumaru, 'Firefly Blade.' It was used in battle during the turbulent Nanboku-chō period when the Aso clan sided with the Southern Court. The original is believed to have been lost or destroyed during the chaos of World War II, but a replica was later crafted and dedicated to Aso Shrine. Hotarumaru gained a new generation of admirers through the game Touken Ranbu, which brought pilgrims to Aso Shrine from across Japan.

Légendes et récits

The legend of Hotarumaru centers on a miraculous event following a fierce battle in the Nanboku-chō period. The great sword's blade was badly nicked and damaged from combat. Its owner, a warrior of the Aso clan, mourned the damage to his clan's sacred heirloom. That night, as darkness fell over the Aso plain, countless fireflies rose from the fields and gathered around the wounded blade. By dawn, their soft blue-white light had healed the nicks, and the sword's edge was restored to its original brilliance. The warriors who witnessed this miracle called the sword Hotarumaru — 'Firefly Blade' — from that day forward. In Japanese tradition, firefly light is associated with the spirits of the dead and the boundary between the living and spiritual worlds. The pairing of firefly light with a warrior's sword resonates deeply with Japanese spiritual sensibility — suggesting the blade was under divine protection, a vessel for spiritual forces beyond the merely human. After the original was lost during World War II, the legend lives on through a replica dedicated at Aso Shrine, and through the many pilgrims who come each year seeking the firefly sword of old Higo.