鶴

鶴丸国永

I’m Tsurumaru Kuninaga. Made in the Heian era, I’ve been passed from owner to owner up until now. Well, that shows just how renowned I am. …Though, I can’t approve of grave-robbing or stealing from shrines out of desire for me…

鶴丸国永だ。平安時代に打たれてから、主を転々としながら今まで生きてきた。ま、それだけ人気があったってことだなあ。 ……ただなあ、俺欲しさに、墓を暴いたり、神社から取り出したりは感心できないよなあ……

Tsurumaru’s first known owner in the Kamakura period is a child from the Adachi clan, named Sadayasu, no older than 14 when Tsurumaru came to him as his companion. The Adachi Clan was a samurai vassal(御家人) of the Hojo Clan, who was the regent of the ruling Kamakura shogunate, and the only powerful vassal that the Hojo Clan left untouched in its quest to exterminate rivals to its power due to Adachi’s pledge of loyalty. However the balance was disrupted by political rivalry between Adachi Yasumori and Taira Yoritsuna, another vassal and guardian of the current regent, Hojo Sadatoki. Taira accused Adachi of trying to usurp Hojo’s power, causing Hojo to give the green light for the extermination of the Adachi Clan in the Shimotsuki Incident (1285). Sadayasu was swept into the bloodbath by nothing but a stroke of bad luck, and Tsurumaru followed his 14-year-old master into the grave so that the boy wouldn’t be lonely anymore.

However, a big surprise came along as Sadayasu’s grave was opened up and a boy reached out to Tsurumaru introducing himself as his new master. The 14-year-old Houjou Sadatoki, no longer a child as he had already passed through the Genpuku ceremony of adulthood at age 5, was also the regent who gave the orders for the death of his previous master.

A main theme of the game is that the swords would always wish to love their masters, even when they have no choice in deciding their masters. And Tsurumaru might have watched over Hojo in place of the boy who was his first master as a way of coping with the loss. Watching on as Hojo grew up and exterminated the last of the threat to his power on his own in the Heizen Gate Incident (1293), where Taira and his 90 followers were killed for the same reason that the Adachi Clan was years ago.

Tsurumaru stayed with Hojo Clan as their family sword, until Sadatoki’s son, Takatoki, met his downfall at the hands of Nitta Yoshisada who overthrew the Hojo Clan’s rule of the Kamakura shogunate. Tadatoki committed suicide at age 31, along with his clan members at their family temple of Toushou-ji. Takatoki’s son Tokiyuki, the last in line of the Hojo Clan, tried to reestablish the Kamakura Shogunate in a rebellion but was killed by Ashikaga Takauji, who formed the new Muromachi Ashikaga Shogunate (1336). After the annihilation of the Hojo Clan, Tsurumaru was passed through several owners and was finally presented to Oda Nobunaga, where he had a brief stay before he was handed to Akechi Mitsuhide’s retainer, Mimaki Kagenori. Kagenori’s son later took Tsurumaru onto the battlefield of Sekigahara(1600) but was defeated and Tsurumaru was lost into unknown hands as he fell. Years later, Tsurumaru found a resting place at Fushimi Fujimori shrine. However, surprise knocked on his door again as Koudeki from the Honami family of sword polishers and connoisseurs, who had a keen eye for worthy swords, was infatuated with his beauty and took him away from the shrine.

“Pure white clothes are good enough. When they get dyed red on the battlefield, I’ll become like a crane right?”

The irony is that although Tsurumaru’s symbol of crane is a traditional sign of fortune and longevity, he brought the opposite to his chain of masters.

Tsurumaru says that he hates boredom and always seeks for surprises to while away his endless longevity, being the best preserved blade from the Heian period despite his turbulent history. He does enjoy the mischief in surprising others and getting surprised, even seeking that thrill on the battlefield. It might be his way of coping with his history of unwanted surprises, and try to view it as something positive instead, as his source of vitalization instead of depression. But he draws the line at the mention of his two major surprises. His experiences did leave a darkness in his heart but he has a way of his own in dealing with them.

Tsurumaru was forged around 1055 (Heian) by the swordsmith Gojou Kuninaga. Gojou is said to be the disciple of Sanjou Munechika, Gojou Kanenaga.

As time went by and Tsurumaru was passed through the hands of many owners, he finally found a resting place inside a shrine. And surprise came along again as Koudeki from the Honami family of sword polishers and connoisseurs, who was infatuated with his beauty, nabbed him away from the shrine. He is a very popular guy alright, not that he feels especially flattered by it.

Touken’s setting doesn’t insist on historical accuracy, focusing instead on interesting tales. Tsurumaru’s version of his story in-game is more of based on the rumours surrounding him.

(1) The rumour of Hojo Sadatoki plundering Adachi Sadayasu’s tomb for Tsurumaru is canon in Touken-verse. Therefore Sadayasu would die in the Shimotsuki Incident at age 8~14. The variation where Sadayasu survived had him living till 1325, but Sadatoki died in 1311, so if the grave robbery did happen in Touken-verse, Sadayasu would not have survived.

(2) After Tsurumaru was taken from the shrine, he resided at Honami’s family and then was sold to Date family of Sendai region during 1716~1736. Finally being presented to Emperor Meiji at 1901 where he remains till now in the Imperial Collection.

(3) Adachi and Mimaki’s ownership of Tsurumaru is unconfirmed. It is dubious whether Tsurumaru was actually involved in the Shimotsuki Incident and Battle of Sekigahara. But the Tsurumaru in-game does talk like a war veteran, so in Touken-verse, these are probably canon.

Repost is prohibited.

前のアカウント消えちゃったフォロワーさんが

I played Touken Ranbu game with all my heart after a long time…

"Returned to the Honmaru. "

Touken Ranbu fan art, Tsurumaru Kuninaga.

Tsurumaru Kuninaga with a kusarigama || Tousute Muden

in another life, i would have really liked just doing laundry and taxes with you.

the universe is so much bigger than you realize.

maybe we would have been better off if we had never gotten married.

why are you dressed all stupid?

you're just very bad at explaining.

how did i die?

he who loves the most regrets the most.

why would anybody want to kill me?

it's the way you look at me.

how do you think i feel?

you can either come with me and live up to your ultimate potential, or lie here and live with the consequences.

do you still want to do your party?

you are not unlovable. there is always something to love.

you think i'm weak, don't you?

can we just stop fighting?

you're capable of anything because you're so bad at everything.

i'm tired. i don't want to hurt anymore.

i still want to be here with you. i will always, always want to be here with you.

if nothing matters, then all the pain and guilt you feel for making nothing of your life goes away.

we're all small and stupid.

i wasn't looking for you so i could kill you.

so what? you're just gonna ignore everything else?

i will cherish these few specks of time.

i've been on this earth just as many days as you.

i know better than to ask to help you.

so we'll talk later... like this afternoon?

you look really pretty right now.

you took everything away from me.

we're all useless alone.

i don't know what i'd do without you.

i only made enough food for three people. i'll have to cook more.

i always learn something when i hang out with the elderly. old people are very wise.

everything i do, i try to make things simpler, easier.

maybe you can audition, too.

i don't know how to be any fucking clearer.

i didn't mean that. it was a joke.

the only thing i do know... is that we have to be kind.

i know you see yourself as a fighter.

that's not a very funny joke.

actors are very poor.

it's nice to feel needed.

i was thinking, maybe after this is all done, we can go on a trip.

if i have to think about one more thing today, my head will explode.

you may be in grave danger. there is no time to explain. hold this.

can't you see how wonderful it'll be? we can make our own way.

i'm here because we need your help.

sorry, very busy today. no time to help you.

i have spent years searching for the one who might be able to match this great evil with an even greater good and bring back balance.

i know it's a lot to take in right now.

i can see where this story's going, and it doesn't look good.

you're always trying to confuse us with these words.

i know you. with every passing moment, you fear that you might have missed your chance to make something of your life.

don't let anything distract you from it.

our time here is up. they are going to kill us.