Sword with Three-pronged Vajra Hilt

[blade] iron, forged, ryō-shinogi-zukuri; [hilt] copper, cast, gilded · Kamakura period · 13th century · Hasedera, Nara

The hilt is shaped like a three-pronged vajra; the blade is forged iron: the ritual sword held by Fudō Myō-ō is brought down into the human world.

Exhibition: Celebrating 1250 Years Since the Birth of the Great Master Kūkai: Kūkai and the Treasures of Shingon Buddhism — Tokyo National Museum · 2026-07-14 – 2026-09-06