Musashi Masamune

The Musashi Masamune was the signature tachi of the legendary Japanese ronin Miyamoto Musashi who lived in the 17th century. Musashi used it throughout the Tokugawa shogunate, most famously in his record of 61 undefeated duels with other contemporary swordsmasters, earning him the honorary title of kensei (剣聖), or "sword saint".

After his death, the blade passed to the Saigo family, who kept it as a family heirloom. By the time of the Boshin War, Saigo Kayano was the owner of the blade but his incompetence in battle led to him being killed. The Masamune was later claimed by Matsudaira Katamori after Japanese Assassins Shiba Atsuko and Nakano Takeko protected it from falling into the hand of British Templar William Lloyd, who was tasked with stealing the blade for Emperor Meiji. During the Battle of Aizu, Lloyd finally took possession of the blade, but he was later killed by Ibuka and the sword was brought back to the Assassins.

Behind the scenes

The Musashi Masamune is a real life tachi given to the Tokugawa family by the clan's Kishū Domain. When the shogunate ended in the mid-19th century under the Bakumatsu (幕末) period, Tokugawa Iesato gifted the blade to samurai Yamaoka Tesshū, the former bodyguard of the last shōgun Tokugawa Yoshinobu, for his role in facilitating the Boshin War's peace talks between statemen Katsu Kaishū and Saigō Takamori. However, Tesshū turned down the honor and passed the blade to statesman Iwakura Tomomi.

The sword continued exchanging hands until it reached the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai (日本美術刀剣保存協会) foundation in 2000, where it is currently kept. Although its full history remains unknown—some stories hold that the weapon was named for Musashi Province that contains Tokyo rather than for the swordsmaster's ownership—it bears most of the metallurgical trademarks associated with the famed swordsmith Gorō Nyūdō Masamune. Specifically, it is most similar with blades made in his later career that show a distinct style change, transitioning from the 12th to 13th century Kamakura period designs to those from the subsequent 14th century Nanboku-chō period.

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Fragments – The Blade of Aizu