Higekiri – Legendary Japanese Yokai Sword Orthographic Reference

Folklore Episode – Higekiri

Higekiri is one of the most famous swords associated with the Minamoto clan and occupies a central position in early Japanese oni-slaying folklore.
Together with its twin blade Hizamaru, Higekiri formed a sacred pair believed to carry spiritual authority over demonic beings.

In Heian-period legends, these swords were entrusted to Minamoto no Yorimitsu, the legendary commander charged with suppressing supernatural threats that endangered the capital.
While Dojikiri Yasutsuna is often remembered as the blade that delivered the final blow to Shuten-dōji, Higekiri appears throughout the wider cycle of demon-slaying tales as a ritual and symbolic weapon used to secure divine legitimacy.

Unlike swords defined purely by battlefield performance, Higekiri was treated as a spiritual instrument.
Its role was to mark the boundary between the human realm and the realm of monsters, ensuring that demon-slaying was recognized not merely as violence, but as a sacred duty sanctioned by higher powers.

Because of this, Higekiri became a symbol of moral authority in folklore — a blade that represented order standing against chaos.