Seven-Branched Sword
Encyclopedia
The Seven-Branched Sword (七支刀), also known as the Seven-Pronged Sword, the Seven-Branched Knife, the Seven-Pronged Spear, Nanatsusaya no Tachi in Nihon shoki
, Chiljido in Korea
is a 74.9 cm long iron sword
with six branch-like protrusions along the central blade originally made in Baekje
Korea
, designated one of the National Treasures of Japan
. The original sword is currently housed in the Isonokami Shrine
in Nara Prefecture
of Japan
and not shown to the public. Replicas are displayed throughout the country and in South Korea
. An inscription on the side of the blade is an important source depicting the relationships between the East Asian countries of the period.
The sword has been stored in the Isonokami Shrine since ancient times. The inscription on the blade had been hidden by rust and was rediscovered in 1870s by Masatomo Kan, a Shinto priest at the shrine. There is a two-sided inscription on the sword which is inlaid in gold. Hoshino first indicated the sword was mentioned in the old Japanese history book Nihon Shoki
in 1892. Many scholars have engaged in study to determine the interpretation of the vague inscription. Murayama published the closeup pictures taken with X-ray
in 1996.
In English; and presented a seven-branched sword and a seven-little-one-mirror, with various other objects of great value. They addressed the Empress, saying :-"West of thy servants' country there is a river-source which issues from Mount Cholsan in Kong-na. It is distant seven days' journey. It need not be approached, but one should drink of this water, and so having gotten the iron of this mountain, wait upon the sage Court for all ages."
In original Chinese characters:
Characters in parentheses are ambiguous. Characters represented with black blocks are entirely unreadable.
In English:
of the Jin Dynasty)", but since the second letter is ambiguous. Taiwa 4 corresponds to year 369 CE. Kim Sok Hyong, a North Korean scholar proposed a theory that the character refers to a local era name of Baekje, the theory is challenged since no other archaeological discovery reveals the existence of Baekje's unique era name.
Hong Sung-Hwa, a scholar of Korea University, says "十(一)月十六日(the sixteenth day of the eleventh month)" is in 408, because if the 6th, November is 日干支(日干支 is a day by the sexagenary cycle) of 丙午 in 408, the year is the 4 years by King Jun-ji(腆支王) in Baek-je. So we can estimate that Baek-je has era name autonomously(Goguryeo and Silla had their era name). In 409, Wei's envoy visited Baek-je, and King Jun-ji extended hospitality to him, so that sword was formed by 408.
Middle of the first side: The letters show the sword was made of steel and can repel the enemy. The following letters are the most controversial part of the inscription. Kim notes that the sword uses the term "候王" translated as "enfeoffed lord," and claimed Wa king was subservient to the Baekje ruler.
The majority of the Japanese scholars do not agree with Kim's theory. They point out the meaning of the term "候王" was varied in the different periods. After the Han Dynasty
, the term was used fluently and always just as a honorific
.
End of the first side: Although four of the five last letters are undecodable, the last letter indicates that the previous letters were either the name of author or a prayer phrase such as "永年大吉祥"(Have Great Fortunes Forever"). In both cases, the phrase should generally indicate the end of inscription, and not synchronized with the fact that inscription is continued to the other side. There is also a theory that the second side is written by different person, or at different time.
11th and 13th letter on the second side, and who presented the sword: 11th to 13th letters seem to be decodable to "王世子"(Crown Prince of King), and some scholars regard that it was presented from the Crown Prince of Baekje, eventually ascended as King Geungusu
. However, as it includes ambiguous letters, it is not entirely clear who of Baekje presented the sword.
17th letter on the second side: The letter is regarded to be either "音"(Sound) or "晉"(Jin Dynasty). Former decoding indicates that phrase "奇生聖音" has a Buddhism
or Taoism
nuance, that presenter has "lived under august(holy) sounds". Other scholars indicates that the phrase means "born coincidentally on august (holy) Jin Dynasty".
Hong Sung-hwa, a scholar of Korea University, says The Buddism was passed down in 384, in Baek-je, so that sword cannot be make in 369.
18th to 22nd letter on the second side, and the presentee: The phrase, "爲倭王旨造", is translated in various ways through different interpretations of the 22nd letter "旨".
Taking it a personal name leads to the Baekje-centric idea that Baekje's presenter boldly writes the name of the King of Wa, and thus regards him lower. By Taking it "order" leads to the Japan-centric idea that Baekje presented the sword because the King of Wa ordered him to do so. Therefore, the interpretation tend to be controversial. Ueda Masaaki (quoted by Saeki, 1977) is rather an exception among Japanese historians because he “has maintained that the Seven-branched sword was ‘bestowed’ on the Wa ruler by the king of Paekche.” Ueda “based his interpretation on the argument that the term ‘koo’ [howang] appearing in the inscription denotes a ruler in vassalage to the Paekche king and that the inscription is written in the commanding tone of a superior addressing an inferior, exemplified by the sentence reading ‘Hand down [this sword] to [your] posterity." However, Saeki (1977) argues that one
can not interpret the inscription to mean either “to bestow” the sword on the King in vassalage or “to respectfully present” to the emperor, as many Japanese scholars have maintained since the Meiji period. Saeki seems to be inclined to take Hirano’s argument that the inscription simply indicates the fact there was a respectful and sincere relationship between the rulers of
Paekche and Wa.
Yet another theory claimed by Kōsaku Hamada
of Kyushu University theorizes that the original seven-branched sword was created by Eastern Jin in 369 (泰和四年) for a vassal lord with the first inscription. In 372, King Geunchogo of Baekje sent an embassy to arrive at the court of Eastern Jin in 372, and then a Jin envoy was sent to the Paekche court, granting the title of “General Stabilizing the East and Governor of Le-lang" (鎭東將軍). The sword was given to the king around this time. The king of Baekje ordered the creation of a replica of the sword with the second inscription and sent it to Wa for an alliance as peers under Eastern Jin. Thus no vassalage relationships are involved between Baekje and Wa. He claims that this explains the commanding tone of the first inscription and the respect paid to Jin (owes his life to august Jin) in the second inscription.
While the inscription of the sword is controversial and is used by many nationalists to support their own agendas, the sword does prove, at the very least, that there were very close ties between the Baekje
and the Wa
, and the opening of the friendship relations between two countries probably date to the year 372.
In connection with the date of making, Hong Sung-Hwa, a scholar of Korea University, says in 396-409, Baek-je came under attack by Goguryeo, so Baek-je needed to alliance Wei, King Jun-ji of Baek-je gave King of Wei the sword.
.
The sword's peculiar design - with the tip of the blade counting as the 'seventh' branch, is indicative of contemporary Korean tree-motifs. Other examples of this motif include the Baekje Crown
and the Silla Crown. If the weapon had indeed been produced in Korea it would have represented one of the prime artistic accomplishments of Baekje swordsmithery
Nihon Shoki
The , sometimes translated as The Chronicles of Japan, is the second oldest book of classical Japanese history. It is more elaborate and detailed than the Kojiki, the oldest, and has proven to be an important tool for historians and archaeologists as it includes the most complete extant historical...
, Chiljido in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
is a 74.9 cm long iron sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
with six branch-like protrusions along the central blade originally made in Baekje
Baekje
Baekje or Paekche was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, designated one of the National Treasures of Japan
National treasures of Japan
National Treasures are the most precious of Japan's Tangible Cultural Properties, as determined and designated by the Agency for Cultural Affairs...
. The original sword is currently housed in the Isonokami Shrine
Isonokami Shrine
is a Shinto shrine located in the hills of Tenri in Nara prefecture, Japan. It is one of the oldest extant Shinto shrines in Japan and has housed several significant artifacts....
in Nara Prefecture
Nara Prefecture
is a prefecture in the Kansai region on Honshū Island, Japan. The capital is the city of Nara.-History:The present-day Nara Prefecture was created in 1887, making it independent of Osaka Prefecture....
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and not shown to the public. Replicas are displayed throughout the country and in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. An inscription on the side of the blade is an important source depicting the relationships between the East Asian countries of the period.
Appearance
The blade of the sword is 65.5 cm and the tang is 9.4 cm long. There is no hole on the tang to fasten the sword with a hilt. The sword is broken at the top of the tang. Analysis of the broken surface shows the material of the sword is forged mild steel. The sword was obviously made for a ceremonial purpose.The sword has been stored in the Isonokami Shrine since ancient times. The inscription on the blade had been hidden by rust and was rediscovered in 1870s by Masatomo Kan, a Shinto priest at the shrine. There is a two-sided inscription on the sword which is inlaid in gold. Hoshino first indicated the sword was mentioned in the old Japanese history book Nihon Shoki
Nihon Shoki
The , sometimes translated as The Chronicles of Japan, is the second oldest book of classical Japanese history. It is more elaborate and detailed than the Kojiki, the oldest, and has proven to be an important tool for historians and archaeologists as it includes the most complete extant historical...
in 1892. Many scholars have engaged in study to determine the interpretation of the vague inscription. Murayama published the closeup pictures taken with X-ray
X-ray
X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...
in 1996.
Description in Nihon shoki
The sword is mentioned in the biography of Empress Jingū, a legendary Japanese empress in the ancient era. The following is the original Chinese text;- 則獻七枝刀一口 七子鏡一面及種種重寶 仍啟曰 臣國以西有水 源出自谷那鐵山 其邈七日行之不及 當飲是水 便取是山鐵以永奉聖朝
In English; and presented a seven-branched sword and a seven-little-one-mirror, with various other objects of great value. They addressed the Empress, saying :-"West of thy servants' country there is a river-source which issues from Mount Cholsan in Kong-na. It is distant seven days' journey. It need not be approached, but one should drink of this water, and so having gotten the iron of this mountain, wait upon the sage Court for all ages."
Inscription on the sword
The inscription states:In original Chinese characters:
- First Side: 泰■四年十(一)月十六日丙午正陽造百錬(銕)七支刀(出)辟百兵宜供供候王■■■■ (作 or 祥)
- Second Side: 先世以來未有此刀百濟王世(子)奇生聖音故爲倭王旨造傳示後世
Characters in parentheses are ambiguous. Characters represented with black blocks are entirely unreadable.
In English:
- First Side: "At noon on the sixteenth day of the eleventh month [May], fourth year of ■, the sword was made of 100 times hardened steel. Using the sword repels 100 enemy soldiers [Appropriate for the polite duke king] It is sent [bestowed] to the king of a vassal state. (Manufactured by or good fortune to...) [ ]"
- Second Side: "Never before has there been such a blade. The crown prince of BaekjeBaekjeBaekje or Paekche was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
's king, who lives under august sounds, had this sword made for King of WaFive kings of WaThe five kings of Wa are kings of ancient Japan who sent envoys to China during the 5th century to strengthen the legitimacy of their claims to power by gaining the recognition of the Chinese emperor. Details about them are unknown...
[or the king of vassal state] in the hope that it might be passed on to later generations."
Interpretation of the inscription
2nd Letter on the first side, and when the sword was made: The first four letters are generally decoded as "4th year of Taiwa (the Chinese eraChinese era name
A Chinese era name is the regnal year, reign period, or regnal title used when traditionally numbering years in an emperor's reign and naming certain Chinese rulers . Some emperors have several era names, one after another, where each beginning of a new era resets the numbering of the year back...
of the Jin Dynasty)", but since the second letter is ambiguous. Taiwa 4 corresponds to year 369 CE. Kim Sok Hyong, a North Korean scholar proposed a theory that the character refers to a local era name of Baekje, the theory is challenged since no other archaeological discovery reveals the existence of Baekje's unique era name.
Hong Sung-Hwa, a scholar of Korea University, says "十(一)月十六日(the sixteenth day of the eleventh month)" is in 408, because if the 6th, November is 日干支(日干支 is a day by the sexagenary cycle) of 丙午 in 408, the year is the 4 years by King Jun-ji(腆支王) in Baek-je. So we can estimate that Baek-je has era name autonomously(Goguryeo and Silla had their era name). In 409, Wei's envoy visited Baek-je, and King Jun-ji extended hospitality to him, so that sword was formed by 408.
Middle of the first side: The letters show the sword was made of steel and can repel the enemy. The following letters are the most controversial part of the inscription. Kim notes that the sword uses the term "候王" translated as "enfeoffed lord," and claimed Wa king was subservient to the Baekje ruler.
The majority of the Japanese scholars do not agree with Kim's theory. They point out the meaning of the term "候王" was varied in the different periods. After the Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
, the term was used fluently and always just as a honorific
Honorific
An honorific is a word or expression with connotations conveying esteem or respect when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term is used not quite correctly to refer to an honorary title...
.
End of the first side: Although four of the five last letters are undecodable, the last letter indicates that the previous letters were either the name of author or a prayer phrase such as "永年大吉祥"(Have Great Fortunes Forever"). In both cases, the phrase should generally indicate the end of inscription, and not synchronized with the fact that inscription is continued to the other side. There is also a theory that the second side is written by different person, or at different time.
11th and 13th letter on the second side, and who presented the sword: 11th to 13th letters seem to be decodable to "王世子"(Crown Prince of King), and some scholars regard that it was presented from the Crown Prince of Baekje, eventually ascended as King Geungusu
Geungusu of Baekje
Geungusu of Baekje was the 14th king of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Geungusu was the eldest son of the 13th king Geunchogo, and father to the 15th king Chimnyu and the 16th king Jinsa.- Background and rise to the throne :...
. However, as it includes ambiguous letters, it is not entirely clear who of Baekje presented the sword.
17th letter on the second side: The letter is regarded to be either "音"(Sound) or "晉"(Jin Dynasty). Former decoding indicates that phrase "奇生聖音" has a Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
or Taoism
Taoism
Taoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao , which is the mechanism of everything that exists...
nuance, that presenter has "lived under august(holy) sounds". Other scholars indicates that the phrase means "born coincidentally on august (holy) Jin Dynasty".
Hong Sung-hwa, a scholar of Korea University, says The Buddism was passed down in 384, in Baek-je, so that sword cannot be make in 369.
18th to 22nd letter on the second side, and the presentee: The phrase, "爲倭王旨造", is translated in various ways through different interpretations of the 22nd letter "旨".
- "旨" as a personal name: Regarding the letter as a personal name. Thus translates the phrase as following. "For Shi, the King of Wa, made (the sword)".
- "旨" as "order": Translates "for the order of King of Wa, made (the sword)".
- "旨" as "deliberately": Translates "for King of Wa, deliberately made (the sword)".
- "旨" as "first": Interpreting the letter as abbreviation of "嘗". Translates "for the first time, made (the sword) for King of Wa".
Taking it a personal name leads to the Baekje-centric idea that Baekje's presenter boldly writes the name of the King of Wa, and thus regards him lower. By Taking it "order" leads to the Japan-centric idea that Baekje presented the sword because the King of Wa ordered him to do so. Therefore, the interpretation tend to be controversial. Ueda Masaaki (quoted by Saeki, 1977) is rather an exception among Japanese historians because he “has maintained that the Seven-branched sword was ‘bestowed’ on the Wa ruler by the king of Paekche.” Ueda “based his interpretation on the argument that the term ‘koo’ [howang] appearing in the inscription denotes a ruler in vassalage to the Paekche king and that the inscription is written in the commanding tone of a superior addressing an inferior, exemplified by the sentence reading ‘Hand down [this sword] to [your] posterity." However, Saeki (1977) argues that one
can not interpret the inscription to mean either “to bestow” the sword on the King in vassalage or “to respectfully present” to the emperor, as many Japanese scholars have maintained since the Meiji period. Saeki seems to be inclined to take Hirano’s argument that the inscription simply indicates the fact there was a respectful and sincere relationship between the rulers of
Paekche and Wa.
Yet another theory claimed by Kōsaku Hamada
Kōsaku Hamada
, also known as Seiryō Hamada, was a Japanese academic, archaeologist, author and President of Kyoto University.-Early life:Hamada was born in Osaka...
of Kyushu University theorizes that the original seven-branched sword was created by Eastern Jin in 369 (泰和四年) for a vassal lord with the first inscription. In 372, King Geunchogo of Baekje sent an embassy to arrive at the court of Eastern Jin in 372, and then a Jin envoy was sent to the Paekche court, granting the title of “General Stabilizing the East and Governor of Le-lang" (鎭東將軍). The sword was given to the king around this time. The king of Baekje ordered the creation of a replica of the sword with the second inscription and sent it to Wa for an alliance as peers under Eastern Jin. Thus no vassalage relationships are involved between Baekje and Wa. He claims that this explains the commanding tone of the first inscription and the respect paid to Jin (owes his life to august Jin) in the second inscription.
While the inscription of the sword is controversial and is used by many nationalists to support their own agendas, the sword does prove, at the very least, that there were very close ties between the Baekje
Baekje
Baekje or Paekche was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
and the Wa
Wa (Japan)
Japanese is the oldest recorded name of Japan. Chinese, Korean, and Japanese scribes regularly wrote Wa or Yamato "Japan" with the Chinese character 倭 until the 8th century, when the Japanese found fault with it, replacing it with 和 "harmony, peace, balance".- Historical references :The earliest...
, and the opening of the friendship relations between two countries probably date to the year 372.
In connection with the date of making, Hong Sung-Hwa, a scholar of Korea University, says in 396-409, Baek-je came under attack by Goguryeo, so Baek-je needed to alliance Wei, King Jun-ji of Baek-je gave King of Wei the sword.
Origins
Analysis and archeology have suggested that the sword's origins lie in KoreaKorea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
.
The sword's peculiar design - with the tip of the blade counting as the 'seventh' branch, is indicative of contemporary Korean tree-motifs. Other examples of this motif include the Baekje Crown
Crown of Baekje
The Crown of Baekje refers to several artifacts excavated that are believed to be the royal headgear of the kings, queens, and nobility of the Baekje Kingdom. Some of the crowns follow the same tradition as Silla crowns in that they share the tree-motif and the hints of shamanistic traditions...
and the Silla Crown. If the weapon had indeed been produced in Korea it would have represented one of the prime artistic accomplishments of Baekje swordsmithery
Anime/Manga
- In the manga and anime series Angel SanctuaryAngel Sanctuaryis a shōjo manga series written and illustrated by Kaori Yuki. Originally serialized in Hana to Yume from February 1995 to February 2001, the chapters were collected and published in twenty tankōbon volumes by Hakusensha; the first volume was released in 1997 and the final volume was published in...
, the main character Setsuna attains a magical diamond pendant which he can transform into a Seven-Branched sword at will. - In the manga and anime series BleachBleach (manga)is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Noriaki "Tite" Kubo. Bleach follows the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki after he obtains the powers of a —a death personification similar to the Grim Reaper—from another Soul Reaper, Rukia Kuchiki...
the Shikai of the character Momo Hinamori takes the form of a seven branched sword named Tobiume. - In the latter chapters of the manga Ga-Rei, the reincarnated Isayama Yomi wields a seven-branched sword (previously her weapon was a katana, the Shishi-O).
Video games
- A seven branched sword appears in the video games Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
, Samurai Warriors 2Samurai Warriors 2is a sequel to the original Samurai Warriors, created by Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360, and received a port to Microsoft Windows in 2008....
and Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
by Koei. It also goes by other names such as seven spirits. It is wielded by the famous Japanese warlord, Uesugi KenshinUesugi Kenshinwas a daimyo who ruled Echigo province in the Sengoku period of Japan.He was one of the most powerful lords of the Sengoku period. While chiefly remembered for his prowess on the battlefield, Kenshin is also regarded as an extremely skillful administrator who fostered the growth of local industries...
. - A seven branched sword also appears in the third installment of the Ace Attorney series as a major clue.
- A red seven-branched sword called "Kaleidoscope" appears in the Soulcalibur II, Soulcalibur III and Soulcalibur IVSoulcalibur IVis the fourth installment in Namco's Soul series of fighting games. The game was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on July 29, 2008, in North America, on July 31, 2008, in Japan, Europe, and Australia, and on August 1, 2008, in the United Kingdom and New Zealand.The game is notable for...
video games as an alternate weapon for Isabella "Ivy" Valentine. It appears as a whip sword, and each branch can separated from the rest connected with just a magical cord/energy. Siegfried in Soul Blade also has a green version of the sword called Seven Branch Blade. - In the game Xbox game Ninja Gaiden, there is a big Seven-Branched Sword called the Dark Dragon Blade. It's a big sword with red and black blade and a golden hilt.
- In the game Dark CloudDark Cloudis a role-playing video game for the PlayStation 2 video game console. It was developed by Level-5 and published by Sony Computer Entertainment in 2000 and 2001 in Japan and American/PAL regions respectively. The gameplay of Dark Cloud combines action role-playing with elements of city-building...
for the PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, the Seven-Branch Sword is an upgradable choice from the Dusack sword. - In the Xbox360/PS3 game Eternal SonataEternal Sonatais an original role-playing video game created by Tri-Crescendo. The Xbox 360 version of the game was released on June 14, 2007 in Japan, September 17, 2007 in North America, and October 19, 2007 in Europe...
its the best sword for Allegretto - Takes the form of a weapon named "Nanatsusayanotachi" in the MMORPG, Final Fantasy XIFinal Fantasy XI, also known as Final Fantasy XI Online, is a MMORPG developed and published by Square as part of the Final Fantasy series. It was released in Japan on Sony's PlayStation 2 on May 16, 2002, and was released for Microsoft's Windows-based personal computers in November 2002...
. - Many swords similar to the seven-branched appears in the video game ŌkamiOkamiis an action-adventure video game developed by Clover Studio and published by Capcom. It was released for Sony's PlayStation 2 video game console in 2006 in Japan and North America, and 2007 in Europe and Australia...
. - In the game Castlevania: Curse of DarknessCastlevania: Curse of DarknessCastlevania: Curse of Darkness, known in Japan as , is a console video game developed by Konami for the Xbox and PlayStation 2. Despite that it was released for Xbox and PlayStation 2, Japan was only able to see a PlayStation 2 release. However, An Xbox version was released in Asia under the...
, the main character Hector can create a seven-branched sword called the 7-Bladed Sword, a necessity to create the game's strongest (and hardest-to-make) one-handed sword, the Laser Sword. - In the NESNes-Localities:In Norway:* Nes, Akershus, a municipality in the county of Akershus in Norway* Nes, Buskerud, a municipality in the county of Buskerud in Norway* Nes, Hedmark, a former municipality in the county of Hedmark in Norway...
game Demon SwordDemon Swordis an action video game developed by Taito in 1989 for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The caption on the box says to "Release the Power". This is consistent with the game's method of powering up the character's abilities.-Comparison to other media:...
, the protagonist uses a weapon very similar to the Seven-Branched Sword called the Demon Sword. - In Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations the seven branched sword shows up in case 2 and case 5. It is called the Shichishito.
Other
- In the Korean manhwa Legend, seven of the main characters form the blades of a seven-bladed sword
See also
- History of JapanHistory of JapanThe history of Japan encompasses the history of the islands of Japan and the Japanese people, spanning the ancient history of the region to the modern history of Japan as a nation state. Following the last ice age, around 12,000 BC, the rich ecosystem of the Japanese Archipelago fostered human...
- History of KoreaHistory of KoreaThe Korean Peninsula was inhabited from the Lower Paleolithic about 400,000-500,000 years ago. Archeological evidence indicates that the presence of modern humans in northeast Asia dates to 39,000 years ago. The earliest known Korean pottery dates to around 8000 BC, and the Neolithic period began...
- Japanese swords
- Korean swordKorean swordFor much of Korea's history, swords were created for an individual user; thus, most Korean swords were different and did not follow a set standard model....
s - Gwanggaeto SteleGwanggaeto SteleThe stele of King Gwanggaeto of Goguryeo was erected in 414 by King Jangsu as a memorial to his deceased father. It is one of the major primary sources extant for the history of Goguryeo, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and supplies invaluable historical detail on his reign as well as insights...
- AmenohibokoAmenohibokowas a legendary prince of Silla who settled in Japan during the era of Emperor Suinin, around the 3rd or 4th century and he lived in Tajima Province. And his descendant is Tajima Clan...
- List of National Treasures of Japan (archaeological materials)