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"侍 ～もののふの美の系譜～ The Exhibition of SAMURAI" opened at the Fukuoka City Museum on Saturday 7th September. This special exhibit has been generating a lot of interest among fans of katana swords! Approximately 150 pieces of armour and katana from renowned museums/shrines all over Japan will be on display during this two month long event. Approximately 60% of the exhibits are classified as national treasures and important cultural properties! Horimoto Kazushige, the individual who curated this independently organised exhibition, proudly told us that "This is a great chance to see how armour and katana used in battle evolved from the Heian period through to Momoyama." Visitors are sure to be impressed by everything from the special collaboration with the popular app. "刀剣乱舞-ONLINE-" (Touken Ranbu -ONLINE-) to the "大典太" (Ōtenta) display, which is being shown in Kyushu for the first time. So much time and effort went into organizing this large scale event!

A total of eight katana featured in the "Touken Ranbu" is exhibited! The display includes the 大典太 (Ōtenta), 骨喰藤四郎 (Honebami Toshirou), 博多藤四郎 (Hakata Toshirou), 五虎退 (Gokotai), 物吉貞宗 (Monoyoshi Sadamune), 江雪左文字 (Kosetsu Samoji), 義元左文字 (Yoshimoto Samoji), and 圧切長谷部 (Heshikiri-Hasebe). The 日本号 (Nihon-go) is also on display in the Fukuoka City Museum's permanent exhibition room!

The katana swords are displayed under beautiful lighting! It is easy to forget that these items are over hundreds of years old! There is not much distance between the katana and the glass cases that they sit inside, so visitors can see the unique blade patterns known as "刃文" (Hamon / lit.: tempering pattern) up close! It is hard to describe the beauty of the designs in words... They are sure to give you goosebumps! All the swords on display have a long, distinguished history. The magical atmosphere inside the venue gives you the feeling that all the historical "Touken Danshi" (lit.: sword men) tales might have some grounding in reality! The event really underlines why so many people have fallen for the charming appeal of "Touken Ranbu." You can even interact with "real figure (katana)" of the characters!

During the Heian and Kamakura period, large armour would have been used by samurai trying to shoot down their enemies with arrows while on horseback. The lightweight armour, which was used by warriors battling on foot, and unique pieces from the Momoyama period are well worth checking out! Seeing the actual equipment that was once used in battle is sure to inspire you to want to find-out more about the world of "Touken Danshi!"


You could say that the designs reveal a little bit about the samurai's character and taste!

This special exhibition gives you a sense of the aesthetics that were appreciated during the time of the samurai. It also provides unique insight into how katana and armour adapted according to the battle methods of the times. The exhibit is running at the Fukuoka City Museum until Monday 4th November 2019. A visit is sure to provide you with the chance to experience the world of Japanese katana and amour from a completely new perspective!