Sakamoto Ryoma's Sword
The blade of a low-ranking samurai who helped shape the Meiji Restoration.
via Wikipedia: Sakamoto Ryōma · see source
Sakamoto Ryōma's sword is a blade carried by the historical figure Sakamoto Ryōma, a Japanese samurai and influential figure of the Bakumatsu period. The blade is known only through his documented skill and the historical record of his life.
Quick Facts
- Wielder
- Sakamoto Ryōma
- Affiliation
- Tosa Domain
Lore & Background
Sakamoto Ryōma began training in fencing at age 14 after being bullied at school, studying the Oguri-ryū style. In 1853, he traveled to Edo to train at the famous Hokushin Ittō-ryū Hyōhō Chiba-Dōjō, led by Headmaster Chiba Sadakichi Masamichi. Sakamoto received a scroll declaring his mastery and became a shihan (master instructor) at the dojo, teaching kenjutsu alongside Chiba Jūtarō Kazutane. By adulthood, he was by all accounts a master swordsman.
Reader's Guide
It states that he was a master swordsman trained in the Hokushin Ittō-ryū style, having received a scroll of mastery and taught kenjutsu at the Chiba-Dōjō. The blade itself is not described in terms of balance, sharpness, or special abilities.
Did You Know?
- During the Teradaya assassination attempt in March 1866, Sakamoto used a Smith and Wesson revolver, not his sword, to fight off attackers.
- Sakamoto was assassinated on 10 December 1867 at the Ōmiya Inn in Kyoto at age 31.
- He used the alias 'Saitani Umetarō' while working against the Tokugawa shogunate.
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