Tohoku mystery

Image of the excavation of the Warabite sword

The missing link in the birth of the Japanese sword? What is the "Warabito" wielded by the Emishi? [Part 2]

Warabite swords flourished mainly in the Tohoku region, but as mentioned at the beginning, they have also been discovered in other areas.

As already mentioned, the oldest type of warabite sword comes from the Chubu and Kanto regions, so in this section we will look at examples that have been passed down and excavated in western Japan in particular.

Warabite swords in Western Japan

The number itself is extremely small, said to account for only about 5% of the nearly 300 warabi-te swords currently identified, but it is an important topic as it provides a premise for the question of why they are being found in places so far away from Tohoku.

Below are examples from Nara, Tottori, Tokushima, Ehime, and Kagoshima.

Nara's Warabi-te sword

Nara, or Yamato, was the seat of royal power in ancient times and an important region that could be called the former capital. In Nara, the famous Shosoin Repository has preserved the Warabite sword as an imperial treasure.

Imitation Kurosaku Yokoto (Shosoin Imperial Treasure) Source: ColBase (National Institutes for Cultural Heritage Collection Integrated Search System)
Imitation Kurosaku Yokoto (Shosoin Imperial Treasure) Source: ColBase (National Institutes for Cultural Heritage Collection Integrated Search System)

This is the "Kurotsukurinotachi" and is known as a rare example that remains in almost perfect condition.

The blade is approximately 47cm long, and the sheath is reinforced with metal fittings, giving it a sturdy and sturdy construction that exudes the "beauty of utility." The blade is also the "double-edged" style mentioned earlier, which means that although it is a sword, the tip is a sword, a characteristic shape of the Warabite swords of western Japan.

The details of why this sword came to be kept in Shosoin are unknown, but it is thought that the strength of the Emishi and the existence of the warabi-te swords they favored were well known to the Imperial Court during the 38-year war in the Tohoku region.

It is not clear which swordsmith forged the original Kurosaku Yokoto, but an elaborate replica was produced in 1875.

Shosoin <Information>

Google Map

Shimane's Warabite sword

In Shimane Prefecture, a fern-shaped sword was excavated from the Kosaka Kofun in Umaki-cho, Izumo City.

This is a circular tumulus with a diameter of about 15m and a horizontal stone chamber. It is thought to have been built around the end of the 6th century, but what is notable is that a stone coffin for storing cremated remains was installed at a later date.

The Warabite sword, which was found along with the stone coffin, suggests that it was buried with deceased during the Nara period, and the site is attracting attention as a very interesting archaeological site, including the type of burial system used.

Kosaka Tomb <Information>

  • Name: Kosaka Tomb
  • Address: Umakicho, Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture, 693-0212
  • Phone number: -
  • Official URL: -

Google Map

Tokushima's Warabite sword

It is said to have been excavated near the Nishinomiya Kofun ruins in Kamojima-cho, Yoshinogawa City, Tokushima Prefecture. It was buried with the remains of a former kofun, but there are no traces of it now, and the Warabite sword is currently housed in the Tokyo National Museum.

This is a valuable historical document that proves that warabi-te swords were brought to Shikoku Island, even within western Japan.

Nishinomiya Kofun <Information>

  • Name: Nishinomiya Kofun
  • Address: Kamojimacho, Yoshinogawa City, Tokushima Prefecture, 776-0031
  • Phone number: -
  • Official URL: -

Google Map

Warabite sword from Ehime

In Ehime Prefecture, one sword was reported to have been discovered about 150 meters from the entrance to the Akashiji Temple approach in Seiyo City.

Part of the wooden scabbard, the tsuba (guard), the scabbard opening fittings, and the fern-shaped handle have holes for threading a string to prevent them from falling off, and metal fittings for reinforcing and decorating the surrounding area have also been found, making this an important historical document for learning about the finer parts.

It is thought to date to the end of the 7th century and is a valuable example of a warabi-te sword from Shikoku Island.

Akashiji Temple <Information>

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Yamaguchi's Warabite sword

In Yamaguchi Prefecture, it was excavated from one of the Jikonbo Tomb Group (Tomb No. 56) on the remote island of Mishima, located about 46 km off the coast of Hagi City.

This site is a cluster of 200 stone mounds built between the late 7th century and the early 10th century, and it has been pointed out that they played a role in the defense of remote islands, particularly during a time of heightened military tensions with the Korean Peninsula.

This is an important example of a Warabite sword discovered in the unique location of a remote island in western Japan.

Mishima Gikombo Burial Mounds <Information>

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Warabite sword from Kumamoto

One sword was excavated from Kumamoto Prefecture near the Omura Cave Tombs in Shiromoto-cho, Hitoyoshi City.

The tunnel tombs themselves are believed to have been built between the 6th and 7th centuries, but the circumstances under which the Warabite sword itself was excavated are unclear.

However, since southern Kyushu was home to powerful indigenous tribes known as Kumaso and Hayato, the discovery of the Warabite sword in this region is suggestive.

Omura Cave Group <Information>

Google Map

Warabite sword from Kagoshima

In Kagoshima Prefecture, excavations have been confirmed from the Yokoma underground tunnel tombs in Kimotsuki Town, Kimotsuki District.

It is believed to have been constructed around the 7th century, and is an example of the underground tunnel tomb system that is characteristic of this region.

Since the deceased was buried in a grave with a cultural background that is clearly different from that of the Emishi, this is also an interesting case, including its connection to local customs.

Yokoma underground type horizontal cave tomb group <Information>

Google Map

The distribution of Warabite swords, the relocation of Emishi, and "prisoners of war"

The warabi-te sword is believed to be the most commonly used sword by the Emishi, and although examples are few, they have been discovered all over the country.

What does this mean?

When considering this topic, one thing that cannot be avoided is the issue of forced migration due to the relationship between the Emishi and Yamato.

The Emishi put up strong resistance to Yamato's expansion into control of the Tohoku region, but eventually more and more of them began to accept being under its control.

This also meant that they would be incorporated into the Yamato ruling system, and one of these policies was to forcibly relocate Emishi to various parts of the country, a process known as "transfer."

The groups transferred varied in size, but one of the purposes is thought to have been to weaken the power of the Emishi groups in the Tohoku region by dividing them, or to use the strong Emishi as military forces such as defenders.

It has been pointed out that these background factors are inseparable from the fact that warabi-te swords have been excavated widely throughout western Japan.

In other words, it is believed that Emishi who used warabi-te swords were forced to relocate for military purposes, and that they ended their lives in their post, with their favorite weapons being buried with them.

Although the shape of the Warabite sword itself indicates that it is not necessarily the same type as those used in the Tohoku region, its connection with the relocated Emishi is a point of interest.

In particular, the Jikonbo Kofun Group, built on the aforementioned remote island of Mishima in Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, reveals the presence of warriors tasked with defending the remote island against threats from overseas.

One of them was a wielder of the Warabite sword, and it is particularly moving to think that he may have been an Emishi warrior who had been transferred there.

summary

We have looked at the Warabite sword , a unique ancient weapon often referred to as

In the Tohoku region, which is blessed with raw iron materials, these swords were wielded by Emishi warriors who opposed the expanding power of Yamato, and they had a major influence on the creation of weapons that would later occupy an important position in Japanese history.

This is the Japanese sword, and it is now believed that the missing link that leads to the generation of the curvature, which has long been a mystery, can be found in the evolved form of the Warabite sword.

Although it is a tool created against the sad backdrop of war, it also represents a new chemical reaction between people, technology, and culture.

The Warabite sword teaches us that the long period of conflict known as the Thirty-Eight Years' War cannot be reduced to a simple scenario of Emishi versus Yamato, but can also be approached in the context of more dynamic international relations.

<Main references>

  • Hideo Akanuma, "Ancient and Medieval Iron and Ironware Production and Distribution in the Northern Tohoku Region - An Interdisciplinary Study of Archaeology and Natural Sciences - (Summary)," Abstract of Doctoral Dissertation, Waseda University, 1992 <Link: PDF file >
  • Nobuo Takahashi, "Warabi Teto," Materia, Vol. 34, No. 10, Japan Institute of Metals, 1995 (Link: PDF file )
  • Hideo Akanuma and Masaru Kumagai, "Metallic Archaeological Analysis of the Damaged Warabite Sword in the Collection of Rikuzentakata City Museum," Iwate Prefectural Museum Research Report No. 30, Iwate Prefectural Museum, 2013 (Link: PDF file )

【Series: The missing link in the birth of the Japanese sword? What is the "Warabito" wielded by the Emishi?

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT
The missing link in the birth of the Japanese sword? What is the "Warabito" wielded by the Emishi? [Part 1]
https://jp.neft.asia/archives/44354
First, the "Emishi," a people primarily from the ancient Tohoku region, lived under a different order from the Yamato royal authority. They excelled in horseback archery and were brave, and were revered, said to have the strength of a hundred soldiers. This can be inferred from the fact that they were used in Yamato names such as "Soga no Emishi" and "Saeki no Imae-hito." However, in order to expand its territory, Yamato had been conducting military operations since ancient times to bring the Emishi under its influence. Large-scale conflicts, particularly from the late Nara period to the early Heian period...
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Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT
The missing link in the birth of the Japanese sword? What is the "Warabito" wielded by the Emishi? [Part 2]
https://jp.neft.asia/archives/44356
What materials were Warabite swords made from? Next, let's look at what materials Warabite swords were made from. Warabite sword (excavated from the Ishimori Ruins, Higashinekami-Nakamura, Rokugo, Misato Town, Akita Prefecture) Source: ColBase (National Institutes for Cultural Heritage Integrated Collection Search System) It goes without saying that an iron sword is forged from iron, but even when we say "iron," there are many different raw materials. The two that come to mind first are iron sand and iron ore. It is well known that refined iron sand is still used today as a material for Japanese swords, known as "tamahagane." Iron ore is also a common raw material for iron...
read more
Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT
The missing link in the birth of the Japanese sword? What is the "Warabito" wielded by the Emishi? [Part 2]
https://jp.neft.asia/archives/44358
Warabite swords flourished mainly in the Tohoku region, but as mentioned at the beginning, examples have also been discovered in other regions. As already mentioned, the oldest types of warabite swords are found in the Chubu and Kanto regions. In this section, we will look specifically at examples handed down and excavated in Western Japan. The number of warabite swords in Western Japan is extremely small, accounting for only about 5% of the nearly 300 warabite swords currently known. However, this is an important topic as it provides a premise for the question of why they are being found in places far from Tohoku. Below are examples from Nara, Tottori, Tokushima, Ehime, and Kagoshima. Warabite swords in Nara...

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