Yawarakai-Te (柔らかい手, ”Tender Hands"),
is a sword made by the legendary Gorō Nyūdō Masamune circa 1264-1343, who is recognized as one of Japan’s greatest swordsmiths. Also a priest he named the sword:
Yawarakai-Te, meaning ”Tender Hands"),
What do we make of a sword named “Tender Hands”?
Photo credit Wiki commons
The legend begins with a swordsmith named Muramasa, a challenger to Masamune, the greatest sword maker in Japan. Accepting the challenge the two master swordsmiths worked without letting up to see who would make the finer sword.
After months the swords were to be tested by suspending them in a small creek, the cutting edges facing upstream.
Muramasa’s sword: (Juuchi Yosamu 十千夜寒, "10,000 Cold Nights") cut through passing leaves, fish, everything floating down the stream, “even the very air that blew on it.”
Masamune, highly impressed with Muramasa’s work lowered his sword into the current. Patiently they watched Yawarakai-Te (柔らかい手, "Tender Hands")... only leaves were cut. Later, a fish swam up, the air hissed as the fish floated by the blade. As the shadows lengthened, Masamune smile, pulled his sword from the stream, dried and sheathed it.
Impatient, Muramasa scoffed at his master’s lack of skill in the making of his sword heckling Muramasa for his sword’s inability to cut anything but leaves.
One of the monks witnessing the challenge walked over, bowed to the two sword masters and described what he saw to the other monks.
“The first of the swords was by all accounts a fine sword, however it is a blood thirsty blade which does not descriminate as to who or what it will cut. It may just as well be cutting down butterflies or severing heads. The second was by far the finer of the two, as it does not needlessly cut that which is innocent and undeserving.”
When the legends of Gassan Sadatoshi’s sword making are written, they will end with what he said to me in 2015:
“Swords are not for fighting.”
... and you’ll hear the sound of air hissing by the blade
When I visited Gassan Sadatoshi he invided our group to sit with him for tea. We had a wonderful chat during which I began to know his purpose in life.
Click on the video below, sit with us for tea in Gassan Sadatoshi’s home.
Yawarakai-Te, meaning ”Tender Hands"
