Archaeologists in Germany have unearthed a rare 17th-century Japanese samurai sword from the ruins of a destroyed bunker in Germany during World War II.
The Wakizashi sword after restoration. (Photo: © Staachliche Museen zu Berlin, Museum für Vor- und Frühgeschichte).
The research team discovered a heavily corroded short sword known as a wakizashi while excavating at Molkenmarkt, Berlin’s oldest square. Initially, archaeologists believed this weapon was a military parade sword, but further analysis revealed that the sword actually dates back to Japan’s Edo period (1603 to 1868). The blade may be even older, possibly dating from the 16th century, according to a statement translated from the Museum of Prehistory and Early History of the State Museum of Berlin. Archaeologists suggest it may have been brought to Germany in the 1800s as part of a diplomatic mission.
Matthias Wemhoff, an archaeologist in Berlin and director of the Museum of Prehistory and Early History, stated: “Who would have imagined that at a time when Japan was isolated and hardly any European tourists visited the country, such an ancient and beautifully decorated weapon would be found in Berlin?”
Close-up of Daikoku, one of Japan’s seven lucky gods, holding a hammer (right) and a rice bale (left). (Photo: © Staachliche Museen zu Berlin, Museum für Vor- und Frühgeschichte / Anica Kelp).
Archaeologists from the State Heritage Office of Berlin discovered the sword in the winter of 2022 while excavating the basements of residential and commercial buildings in Molkenmarkt, which had been flattened into ruins during World War II and replaced by streets and intersections in the 1960s. According to the statement, the basements previously contained many war-related artifacts, including reins, pedals, curbs, and discarded harnesses at the end of the war. However, the discovery of the Japanese sword in one of the basements was unexpected.
Currently, restoration work has revealed that this weapon is a piece of wakizashi, a sword once reserved for dignitaries as a weapon associated with social status, Wemhoff noted. Historically, wakizashi were carried by samurai as a backup weapon in case they needed to fight in small spaces or close to their target, where it would be difficult to draw a longer sword known as a katana. They are also referred to as “companion swords” and were worn by those in the samurai class at all times, according to the British Museum.
According to the statement, the newly discovered wooden hilt was damaged by heat, but the wooden pieces and the fabric covering the sword have been preserved. Further restoration indicates a 1 cm wide metal ring or collar at the base of the hilt near the blade, depicting Daikoku, one of Japan’s seven lucky gods, identified by his hammer and rice bale.
The research team also found damaged decorative patterns of chrysanthemum flowers and water lines on the hilt. The design of the sword suggests it originates from the Edo period.
Because the hilt is not original, it is possible that the blade is even older than the Edo period, possibly dating back to the 1500s, museum officials wrote.
It is unknown how the sword made its way to Berlin, but Wemhoff has a few theories:
“Perhaps the sword was a gift from the Takenouchi Mission in 1862 or the Iwakura Mission, which occurred eleven years later, from Japanese ambassadors who visited Europe and the rest of the Western world to build relationships and make an impression,” he said. “The geographical proximity of Molkenmarkt to the surrounding noble palaces, including the Berlin Palace, suggests this.”
The German ruler Wilhelm I met the Japanese delegation of the Takenouchi Mission at the palace when he was still king. In 1873, when he ascended to the throne as emperor, Wilhelm I received the delegation from the Iwakura Mission. However, it remains unclear how the individuals who abandoned the sword at Molkenmarkt during World War II acquired it.
