Amakuni – Legendary Japanese Blacksmith And Father Of The Samurai Sword

A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com - Ancient records confirm more than 33,000 smiths up to the beginning of the modern era.

Japanese weapon history goes long back in time. Still, the mythical turning point in this history took place about 700 AD when a legendary Japanese sword maker Amakuni Yasutsuna, designed the first single-edged, curved sword known as ‘tachi’ during the Asuka period, an important historical period in the history of Japanese fine-arts and architecture, associated with the arrival of Buddhism to Japan from China.

Legend Tells About Amakuni The Great Smith

An ancient legend confirms Amakuni as the Father of the Samurai Sword.

Amakuni and his son, Amakura, were the prominent smiths who led a team of armorers employed by Emperor Mommu (683–707) to make swords for his army of warriors. Later, his son, Amakura, continued his father’s great work.

Amakuni Yasutsuna was a legendary Japanese sword maker. Credit: Stock photo

One day, Amakuni and his son Amakura, stood at the door of their workshop, looking at the imperial warriors returning from the battle. Despite the efforts and achievements of the armorer, the emperor only passed by but did not give Amakuni any sign of appreciation as he had done before.

Amakuni suddenly noticed that almost half of the warriors were returning from the battlefield with broken swords.

He suddenly realized that his weapons were useless. His disappointment overwhelmed him so much that he just collected the remains of the swords to learn the reasons for their destruction.

Seven Days And Seven Nights Without Eating And Drinking

Was their design flawed? It took time for him to figure it out. He did not eat and drink water for seven days and nights, studying a better way to make swords.

According to the legend, he finally found an ingenious solution to his problem in a dream. He realized that he must cover a soft steel core in a harder one, and create a curved edge of the weapon, which is more suitable to cuts and much more resistant to shocks than the previous straight one. His straight swords were not properly forged; they were not enough protected against hard objects or maybe even the warriors’ suits and armor were not safe enough.

"If they intend to use our swords in battle, I will try to create one that will not break," Amakuni promised himself and so he did.

Both blacksmiths – father and son – “sealed themselves away in the forge, and prayed feverishly to the Shinto gods for inspiration,” writes Lawrence Winkler in his book “Samurai Road”.

Amakuni Yasutsuna found the solution to his problem in a dream. Credit: Stock photo

“On the seventh night, the divine Kami came to them in a dream – a glowing image of a single-edged, slightly curved blade… As soon as the first rays of the sun infiltrated the forge, each knowing without a word exactly what they must do, they set about creating the sword revealed to them...”

Hard Work To Make Better Swords

Thirty-one days, Amakuni and his son worked very hard. The best iron ore was melted into the finest steel and one day, their new - curved, single-edged sword - was ready. An almost impossible task was accomplished. Like Ilmarinen, the divine master smith and a wonder-making craftsman who created a magical Sampo, Amakuni made Kogarasu Maru (Kogarasumaru ) or “Little Crow”, the first curved NipponTo, now in the Imperial Household Collection.

It was the first katana weapon later used by the samurai of ancient and feudal Japan. Amakuni, a skilled and ambitious master of swords, reminds me of the famous Greek Hephaestus. As previously mentioned on AncientPages, Hephaestus was the one who made weapons, which “no blow could break”.

Naturally, we must not forget that ancient myths and legends are filled with stories describing many extraordinary craftsmen, such as, for example, Wayland the Smith, patron of blacksmiths.

Fine Test For Amakuni’s Swords

The next spring came, and another war began, and also this time, the warriors were passing by his workshop. This time, all his swords were still intact and looked perfect.

The Katana  was the ‘Soul Of The Samurai’ - read more

When the emperor passed the swordsmith’s house, he smiled and showed his appreciation.

“You are an expert sword maker. None of the swords you made failed in this battle,” he said.

Nobody knows when Amakuni died but one legend has it that he was not only a happy and respected master of the swords but also became immortal from a large amount of bloodshed from the blades he created.

Written by – A. Sutherland  - AncientPages.com Senior Staff Writer

Updated on August 31, 2024

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