Gold Ground Mother-of-Pearl Inlay Tweezers-Shaped Sword

Kinji Raden Kenukigata Tachi: The Golden Sword of Kasuga Taisha

Deep within the ancient forests of Nara, at one of Japan's most venerated Shinto shrines, rests a sword so extraordinary that it has been called "the National Treasure among National Treasures." The Kinji Raden Kenukigata Tachi (金地螺鈿毛抜形太刀), a Heian-period ceremonial sword housed at Kasuga Taisha Shrine, is a masterpiece where metalwork, lacquerwork, and mother-of-pearl inlay converge in a single, breathtaking object. Its scabbard is decorated not with heroic warriors or fierce dragons, but with something far more charming: a cat chasing sparrows through a bamboo grove, rendered in glimmering shell and colored glass. For travelers drawn to the refined aesthetics of Heian-period court culture, encountering this sword is an unforgettable experience.

A Sword from the Heian Court

The Kinji Raden Kenukigata Tachi was crafted in the twelfth century, during the late Heian period when Japanese aristocratic culture reached one of its most refined peaks. It is the oldest surviving example of the kenukigata tachi (毛抜形太刀), a sword style that took shape in the middle Heian era. The name "kenukigata" literally means "tweezer-shaped," referring to the distinctive openwork cut through the iron hilt, whose slender, elongated slit resembles ancient Japanese tweezers.

Unlike later samurai swords, the kenukigata tachi was originally carried by efu (衛府) officials — court guardsmen who protected the imperial palace — and by Heian aristocrats when traveling outside the capital. The form is sometimes referred to as efu-dachi or no-dachi in old records and ceremonial texts. Yet the Kinji Raden Kenukigata Tachi was never meant for combat. It was created as a sacred offering for the gods and was reportedly once kept within the second of Kasuga Taisha's four main sanctuaries before being transferred for conservation.

The question of who commissioned this treasure remains one of the most captivating mysteries surrounding the sword. While no document definitively names the donor, scholars have long pointed to Fujiwara no Yorinaga (1120–1156), a powerful head of the Fujiwara regent family whose ties to Kasuga Taisha were deep. Yorinaga famously kept a diary known as the Taiki, and one entry from 1142 describes his devoted care for a beloved cat — an evocative detail given the feline motif that adorns the sword's scabbard.

Why This Sword Is a National Treasure

The Kinji Raden Kenukigata Tachi was designated a National Treasure of Japan on June 9, 1951. Its value rests not on a single quality but on the rare combination of several. First is its survival itself: it is one of only three complete Heian-period swords of this kind to have come down to us, making it an irreplaceable witness to the craftsmanship of a vanished age. It is considered a formative prototype in the evolution of the Japanese long sword that samurai would later carry into battle.

Second is the astonishing quality of its materials and techniques. Recent scientific analyses — conducted in preparation for the restoration completed during the 2016 Shikinen Zōtai (the shrine's twenty-year grand renewal) — confirmed that the metal fittings of the hilt, guard, and scabbard mounts are crafted from nearly pure gold. Few objects in Japan can claim such lavish use of precious metal in a single work, earning the sword its popular nickname, "the Golden Sword" (黄金の太刀).

Third is the pictorial brilliance of its decoration. The scabbard combines kin-ikakeji (金沃懸地) — a luxurious lacquer technique in which gold powder is sprinkled onto the wet lacquer ground — with raden (螺鈿), inlaid fragments of iridescent nightshell shell (夜光貝), and accents of green and white glass. In the official cultural property records, this work is described as an exceptionally lavish and sophisticated creation that achieves painterly expression through varied materials and techniques, and it holds extraordinary value in the history of Japanese lacquer craft as well as in the history of sword fittings.

Highlights to Look For

Even visitors who have admired many Japanese swords find the Kinji Raden Kenukigata Tachi memorable for reasons that set it apart from almost every other blade.

Seeing the Sword in Person

The Kinji Raden Kenukigata Tachi is preserved at the Kasuga Taisha Kokuhoden (the Kasuga Taisha Museum), a modern museum building on the shrine grounds dedicated to the shrine's collection. Because the sword is among the most fragile and sacred objects in the shrine's holdings, it is not on permanent display; viewings are limited to special exhibitions organized periodically throughout the year. Checking the museum's exhibition schedule on the official Kasuga Taisha website before planning a visit is strongly recommended.

Even when the original sword is not on view, visitors to the museum will encounter an extraordinary collection. Kasuga Taisha is often called "the Shōsōin of the Heian period," as it preserves an exceptional wealth of twelfth-century decorative arts donated by aristocratic worshippers. The museum also houses other National Treasure swords, magnificent suits of ōyoroi armor, sacred mirrors, lacquerware, and the National Treasure dadaiko — massive drums used in the shrine's bugaku court dance performances. The installation space called Kamigaki, a dim corridor of light and water, prepares visitors for the reverent atmosphere of the galleries beyond.

Kasuga Taisha itself, founded in the eighth century, is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list as part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara. The vermilion-pillared main sanctuary, the thousands of stone and bronze lanterns lining the approach paths, and the tame sika deer who wander freely through the surrounding forest all enhance the experience of encountering the sword's world.

Exploring the Surrounding Area

The shrine sits at the eastern edge of Nara Park, one of Japan's most beloved historical landscapes. Within easy walking distance are several World Heritage sites and other cultural gems. Tōdai-ji Temple, home to the colossal bronze Great Buddha, lies roughly fifteen minutes away on foot. Kōfuku-ji Temple, with its iconic five-story pagoda, stands nearby along the main avenue. The Nara National Museum hosts distinguished exhibitions of Buddhist art and occasionally displays treasures from Kasuga Taisha itself, and has in past years featured the Kinji Raden Kenukigata Tachi in special shows such as "All About Kasuga Taisha Shrine." To the south of the shrine, the Man'yō Botanical Garden gathers plants mentioned in the eighth-century poetry anthology Man'yōshū, making a quiet and fragrant addition to a day spent exploring.