The Item & History

雷神力

雷神力 (Raijin Ryoku), what in Japanese means “ The Strength Of The God Of Thunder”, is the name of a legendary sword set from unknown origins which was custodied by Tazawa’s and The Priest’s Karate master since they were in Okinawa. The sword grip is made of golden thread and the blade has a carving of the own God of Thunder, the scabbard is another outstanding piece of art by itself covered in gold leaf. It was said that the sword has magical powers, the most extreme legends say it was made of lighting and was a vessel of the power of the Gods, that whoever held it would be invincible. The most moderated ones reflect that indeed just unseathing it could display some unusual magnetism or energy from the item, enough to make the carving of the God glow at least. 

There is little else information about this relic as their proprietaries kept it in a jealousy secret until Kawashima sensei passed away about thirty years ago.  Kawashima had moved to Kyoto from Okinawa when he relocated his karate school 15 years barely before his death, at 70 years old. It was then when there was a conflict between the two main disciples-successors of  Kawashima Karate school. Tazawa, a few years older, was the one supposed to inherit the school and therefore the relic custody because of the Japanese strict seniority system. However the second disciple, Sato (who was said to be the favorite of Kawashima), strongly disagreed with his senior friend but also rival ways, and the relic “mysteriously” disappeared from the school shrine. Nothing could be proved against Sato, who also separated from the school (now Tazawa’s) to retire with his family to a small temple in Kanazawa and became a Buddhist Priest*. Nothing else has been known about the relic for the last thirty years.

*NOA: Depending on the bows they take and the school, Japanese Buddhist priests can be allowed to marry and have family. In Sato’s case, he was married before becoming priest.