Taken in Anger Taken in Anger

The Legend of the Japanese Muramasa Swords

The legend talks about how Muramasa was a famous Japanese blacksmith and fencer. He lived in Japan during the Muromachi period, i.e. during the 16th century and was prominent for founding an armory school (forge) which he named after himself. Muramasa's swords were known because of their high-quality and their unusual sharpness, which made them famous among sword fighters. According to the legend, Muramasa was a whole dynasty of blacksmiths because historians distinguish several masters who used this name.

The first was Senji Muramasa whose work was known as early as 1460. The legend says that the sword fighter and blacksmith Muramasa constantly prayed to the gods so that they would give his swords the strongest destructive powers. The legend says that the gods heard the master and gifted his swords a special sharpness and quality as well as properties of bloodthirsty demons. According to this, the Muramasa swords are cursed and their owners become crazed with an insane desire for blood. If the sword is not used, but kept as a decoration, it can defy its master and force him to kill himself so that it could find a more appropriate warrior as his owner after the first one is dead. So, according to the legend, the sword must always be fed with blood and, if the owner is not using it, he would die. The curse begins with Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (his grandfather was killed by the sword and his father and himself were gravely injured). According to one legend, even his wife and son were killed by the sword. Because of this curse, the Muramasa swords were prohibited in Japan during a period of time although they were highly regarded among sword fighters.