Emperor Gotoba and the Gobankaji
Paul Martin (Japanese Sword Specialist)

Hyakunin isshu no uchi. Gotoba no In. Utagawa Kuniyoshi ga
by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861).

The Emperor Gotoba is said to have been a master of many things; poetry, kemari, martial
arts, equestrianism, and so forth. However, it is recorded in the Masu Kagami (14th C.) that
he was also a connoisseur of Japanese swords.

Kiku-Gosaku. Ishihara Showa period, Emperor Gotoba Museum.

Although there is no contemporary documented evidence to substantiate whether Gotoba
actually ever took part in sword making or not, the story that he invited some of the greatest
swordsmiths in the land to make sword with him in monthly rotation at the imperial palacein Kyoto is a firmly embedded in Japanese sword lore. The smiths who are said to haveworked with the emperor became known collectively as the Gobankaji.
Swords attributed to having been made by Emperor Gotoba are referred to as either,Kiku-gosaku, Gyo-saku, or Gosho-yaki (quenched), which roughly translates to, Made (orquenched) by Imperial Hand. Swords said to have been made, or at least quenched, byEmperor Gotoba bear a hairline engraving of a chrysanthemum under the retaining collar(habaki) at the base of the blade. About twelve known examples of these swords survive
today. However, in some cases, due to adjustments made to the blades by later owners, theengraving is now further in the tang, and some of them have lost the hairline engraving
altogether. Most of the extant chrysanthemum engravings have 16-petals, while anothertwo examples have 24-petals. The engraving is claimed to be the origins of the use of thechrysanthemum as the imperial crest.
According to the sword compendium, Kanchi-in bon Mei-zukushi (1423), the members of theoriginal Gobankaji were,First and Second Months
Norimune of the Ichimonji school, Bizen province
Sadatsugu of the Aoe school, Bitchu province
Third and fourth months,
Nobufas of Bizen province
Kuniyasu of Yamashiro province
Fifth and Sixth Months:
Tsunetsugu of the Aoe school, Bitchu Province.
Kunitomo of the Awataguchi school, Yamashiro province.
Seventh and eighth months:
Muneyoshi of the Ichimonji school, Bizen province.
Tsuguie of the Aoe school, Bitchu province.
Ninth and tenth months:
Sukemune and Yukikuni, both of the Ichimonji school, Bizen province
Eleventh and twelfth months:
Sukenari and Sukechika, both of the Ichimonji school, Bizen province.

Following Gotoba’s swift defeat in the Jokyu-no-Ran, he was exiled for the remainder of hislife to the Oki Islands (Okinoshima). However, it is said that, in order to make him more
comfortable, the Hojo regent, Yoshitoki, sent swordsmiths in bi-monthly rotation to theisland so that Gotoba could continue to pursue his sword making. These swordsmiths
became known as the Oki Gobankaji.
According to the sword compendium, Koto Mei-zukushi Taizen (1791) the swordsmiths sent
to Oki Island were,First and Second Months
Norikuni of the Awataguchi school, Yamashiro province
Third and fourth months,
Kagekuni of the Awataguchi school, Yamashiro province
Fifth and Sixth Months:
Kunitsuna of the Awataguchi school, Yamashiro province
Seventh and eighth months:
Muneyoshi of the Fukuoka Ichimonji school, Bizen province.
Ninth and tenth months:
Nobumasa of the Fukuoka Ichimonji school, Bizen provinceEleventh and twelfth months:
Sukenori of the Ichimonji school, Bizen province.

Sword Compendium, Koto Mei-zukushi Taizen (1791) listing the Oki Gobankaji.

The Emperor Gotoba Museum and the nearby Murakami former residence house many
artifacts from Gotoba’s time on the island. Both are in close proximity to the former site ofGenpukuji temple, and the site of his funeral pyre, which has become a sacred site. Amongthe objects in the Emperor Gotoba Museum, there is a sword signed, Sukemitsu, that wasbestowed by Gotoba upon the Kajiya family along with a set of bellows (fuigo) used forsword making. As the fuigo is in disrepair, it is kept in a bespoke wooden box bearing alengthy inscription that states it was used by the emperor himself when taking part in sword
making on the island.

Modern Groups of Gobankaji
In 1939, in commemoration of the 750th anniversary of Emperor Gotoba’s death, Oki Shrine
was constructed close to his grave, and he was enshrined as the residing divinity. Emperor
Gotoba’s influence on Japanese sword making is so great, that a contemporary Gobankaji
were formed as part of the festivities. The group of swordsmiths known as the Showa(1936-1989) Gobankaji forged twenty-five swords in his honor. Ten swords were devoted toOki shrine, while the other fifteen where devoted to Minase shrine in Osaka. Then, in 1974,
Living National Treasure smith, Gassan Sadaichi, along with his son, Sadatoshi, came to Oki
island to forge swords in front of Oki shrine in honor of Emperor Gotoba’s legacy to sword
making.

Cover of the Showa Gobankaji Catalogue (1941)

Emperor Gotaba’s influence, on not only sword making, but also in other areas of Japaneseculture is immense. On this occasion, the 800th anniversary of his arrival on the island, weare hoping to form another modern Gobankaji from the current generation of greatest
swordsmiths in the land. We hope to keep Emperor Gotoba’s legacy and spirit alive by
maintaining the traditions of the past, preserving them and passing them on for theeducation and enjoyment of future generations.
For further information on Japanese swords, please see the links.
The Japanese Sword (You-Tube Channel)
The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Sword Culture (NBSK)The Japanese Sword Museum

Author:Paul Martin (Japanese Sword Specialist)
Paul Martin is a former curator in the Japanese section at the British Museum, London. Heholds an M.A. in Asian Studies (Japan) from the University of Berkeley, California, and has
resided in Japan working as a Japanese sword specialist for over fifteen years. A two-timewinner of the sword appraisal contest in Tokyo, he is also a trustee of the Society for thePromotion of Japanese Sword Culture (NBSK), and a recognized specialist by the Ministry ofLand Infrastructure, Tourism and Transport. He has his own column on Japan-Forward(Sankei Shinbun), and has published several books and DVDs on Japanese swords.