1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,000 In ancient Japan, a sword was forged with mystical powers. 2 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:08,000 Whoever had it was the ruler of Japan. 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:10,000 It has been lost to time. 4 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:13,000 I think there's a strong possibility it's still hidden somewhere in Japan. 5 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:15,000 But can it be found? 6 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:21,000 Swords have a spirit. 7 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:25,000 I don't know what I'm going to find at the top of the shrine. 8 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:27,000 Yeah! 9 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:30,000 I've come this far, and I'm not turning back. 10 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:34,000 Oh, you don't f*** with a snow monkey. 11 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:47,000 In Japan, there is a legend of a magic sword, 12 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:50,000 a blade so perfect, so powerful, 13 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:53,000 that whoever possessed it could control a nation. 14 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:56,000 But this is no fairytale. 15 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:58,000 The sword is real. 16 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:01,000 The only question is, where is it? 17 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:05,000 It is the 13th century. 18 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:09,000 Goro Nyudo Masamune is the finest swordsmith in Japan. 19 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:13,000 And the Hanzo Masamune is considered his crowning achievement. 20 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:17,000 Along with its lethal edge, it is said the blade has supernatural powers 21 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:20,000 and cannot be used to kill an innocent person. 22 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:26,000 In time, the Hanzo Masamune becomes Japan's greatest national treasure. 23 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:30,000 But in the chaos at the end of World War II, it vanishes. 24 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:35,000 While it was long believed that the missing sword was smuggled to America after the war, 25 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:39,000 experts now believe that it may never have left Japan. 26 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:43,000 There is new evidence that it may have been concealed in a sacred shrine, 27 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:47,000 in wartime tunnels, or that it's circulating on the black market. 28 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:52,000 The Hanzo Masamune is considered the greatest sword ever made, 29 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:55,000 and an object of intense spiritual power. 30 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:57,000 Is it about to be found? 31 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:02,000 I'm joining the search in the land of the Rising Sun. 32 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:09,000 My name is Josh Gates. 33 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:13,000 With a degree in archaeology and a passion for exploration. 34 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:18,000 I have a tendency to end up in some very strange situations. 35 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:21,000 There has got to be a better way to make a living. 36 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:24,000 My travels have taken me to the ends of the Earth, 37 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:27,000 as I investigate the greatest legends in history. 38 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:29,000 We're going to try, let's go. 39 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:31,000 This is Expedition Unknown. 40 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:35,000 Tokyo, Japan, home to nearly 40 million people. 41 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:38,000 It is, quite simply, the biggest city in the world. 42 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:55,000 But any adjective you can think of probably applies here. 43 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:58,000 It is chaotic, and it is serene. 44 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:04,000 It is modern, it is also ancient. 45 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:09,000 And one thing is for sure, there is nowhere else in the world like Tokyo. 46 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:16,000 The city is, at all hours of the day, absolutely a buzz, a sea of humanity. 47 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:20,000 But what jumps out at me is the Japanese fascination with cuteness. 48 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:24,000 They call it kawaii, and it's everywhere. 49 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:28,000 Fashion, billboards, street signs, and of course, toys. 50 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:33,000 Totally unexpected, the Hange Masamune is right here in this shop, 51 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:35,000 and it is a dollar twenty. 52 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:38,000 Worth a lot less than I thought. 53 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:41,000 Hello? 54 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:44,000 Oh my god, this bear is alive. 55 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:49,000 It's repeating me. 56 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:50,000 Bear? 57 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:56,000 You heard the bear people? 58 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:57,000 Okay, okay. 59 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:03,000 Across town, I'm kicking off my hunt for the Hange Masamune 60 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:05,000 at the last place it was ever seen. 61 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:08,000 So the real mystery of the Hange Masamune sword starts right here. 62 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:12,000 Pretty unlikely spot, this is the Majiro police station here in Tokyo. 63 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:16,000 And it was right here that maybe the finest sword ever made was lost. 64 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:20,000 Forged in the 13th century by the great Masamune, 65 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:23,000 the sword passes down through the ages, 66 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:27,000 until a fearsome warrior wields the blade in a brazen attack, 67 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:32,000 on General Hange Shigenaga, and his samurai warriors. 68 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:37,000 But despite splitting Hange's helmet, 69 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,000 the blade spares his life 70 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:43,000 and chooses a new master. 71 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:47,000 The sword becomes known as the Hange Masamune, 72 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:51,000 and eventually finds its way into the hands of the noble Tokugawa clan, 73 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:53,000 who rule in peace for hundreds of years. 74 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:58,000 But at the end of World War II with Japan and Tatters, 75 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:00,000 the allies call for complete disarmament. 76 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:02,000 In a final act of submission, 77 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:06,000 every Japanese citizen is required to turn in all small arms, 78 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:08,000 including cherished family swords. 79 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:12,000 Aya Masa, the last Tokugawa to inherit the blade, 80 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:16,000 is forced to hand over the Hange Masamune at the Majiro police station. 81 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:18,000 It is never seen again. 82 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:23,000 Now, supposedly, the sword was then handed over to a U.S. sergeant named Kuldi Bymore. 83 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:25,000 But there's just one problem. 84 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:27,000 He doesn't seem to exist. 85 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:32,000 Many Japanese swords were given away to allied soldiers as trophies of war. 86 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:34,000 A record shows the sword being turned in, 87 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:37,000 and then being signed over to Sergeant Kuldi Bymore. 88 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,000 But nobody with that name, or any variation of it, 89 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:42,000 ever served in the U.S. armed forces. 90 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:47,000 So if the Hange Masamune isn't in the police station, where did it go? 91 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:51,000 To find out, I'm seeking out the man who the sword should have passed to. 92 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:54,000 And he's agreed to meet me at his family's grave, 93 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:56,000 which isn't exactly a simple tombstone. 94 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:10,000 Here it is with you. Very nice to meet you as well. 95 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:11,000 Here you go. 96 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:17,000 Tsunenari Tokugawa is the 18th generation head of the family who once ruled Japan. 97 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:22,000 Their sprawling ancestral temple in the middle of modern Tokyo is a testament to their power, 98 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:24,000 and to the sword they once wielded. 99 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:26,000 It's an incredible, incredible place. 100 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:33,000 Mr. Tokugawa and his grandson have agreed to take me to a sacred part of the temple 101 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:35,000 that strictly off limits to outsiders. 102 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:37,000 This is our family, Maslil. 103 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:44,000 This is beautiful. 104 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:53,000 These are the tombs of the Tokugawa Shogun, military generals that govern from 1603 until 1867. 105 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:55,000 So these are the graves. 106 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:57,000 Six different shoguns. 107 00:06:57,000 --> 00:06:58,000 Right. 108 00:06:58,000 --> 00:06:59,000 Very good. 109 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:04,000 So as each Tokugawa shogun ascended the throne, the sword was passed. 110 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:06,000 And this went on for how long? 111 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:09,000 Well actually right up until your father. 112 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:11,000 Well, to end the world or two. 113 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:12,000 Yes. 114 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:16,000 Some people would be surprised that your father simply turned it in. 115 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:20,000 Why do you think he chose to do that instead of hiding the sword somewhere? 116 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:27,000 My father was the last minister chairman of the House of Lord. 117 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:28,000 Yes. 118 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:31,000 And he was a good ambassador before then. 119 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:38,000 To hide something in, I think never came up to his brain. 120 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:40,000 It's the rule order. 121 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:41,000 So he did the right thing. 122 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:42,000 Yes. 123 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:47,000 Why do you think this particular sword is so well regarded? 124 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:49,000 It's a half sword, half scepter. 125 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:51,000 Whoever had it, it was the shogun. 126 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:53,000 It was the ruler of Japan. 127 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:56,000 So it's not just the sword, it's a symbol. 128 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:57,000 Right. 129 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:02,000 If the Hange Masamune is still in Japan, where do you think it might be? 130 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:07,000 Very clever sword lover. 131 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:13,000 Want to keep it in his place like this and nobody would see it. 132 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:17,000 If I find the sword, I will call you Mr Tokugawa. 133 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:19,000 I'll be waiting for you. 134 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:20,000 Thank you very much for your time. 135 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:21,000 Anytime. 136 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:22,000 Yes, thank you very much. 137 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:23,000 Thank you. 138 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:24,000 Thank you. 139 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:25,000 And good luck with your search. 140 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:26,000 Thanks very much. 141 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:30,000 I believe the sword could be hidden in a private collection, so I'm off to meet a noted sword 142 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:33,000 expert who believes he may know where. 143 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:38,000 To get there, I'll have to brave the wild world of the Japanese subway. 144 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:45,000 All told, there are almost 300 different stations and multiple lines overlapping one another. 145 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:51,000 Every day, over 8 million people ride these rails, and today, I'm one of them. 146 00:08:51,000 --> 00:09:00,000 Central to Japanese culture are honor and respect, which are on full display in the world's most polite subway car. 147 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:02,000 Sorry. 148 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:03,000 Sorry. 149 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:07,000 Sorry to everybody. 150 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:15,000 I just want to make clear how quiet it is in this train. 151 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:30,000 If this were New York City, there'd be three guys drumming, two dudes panhandling, someone screaming, somebody talking a lot about Jesus. 152 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:41,000 Confession, the next 12 and a half minutes of complete silence may be the longest I've ever gone without speaking. 153 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:43,000 Good Lord. 154 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:52,000 At the nearby Haramari-Kyu Gardens, I'm meeting Adrian Schlemmer, a sword connoisseur and expert who has been collecting and studying Japanese blades for 30 years. 155 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:55,000 What's your opinion about the Hanzo Masamune? 156 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:57,000 Where do you think it went? 157 00:09:57,000 --> 00:10:02,000 As 68 years have passed, it comes less and less likely that it's up in America. 158 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:08,000 So that not being the case, there's a good chance that it's ended up somewhere in Japan. 159 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:16,000 At the time of the confiscation, museums were exempt, shrines were exempt, and quite legally even. 160 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:23,000 If they donated to a shrine before they were confiscated, then they belonged to the shrine. 161 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:27,000 Do you think that the Hanzo Masamune is going to resurface at some point? 162 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:32,000 Well, it could well be that the Hanzo Masamune will resurface when it wants to resurface. 163 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:41,000 Swords have a spirit. If that's the case, then it could well be that its spirits has decided it's not time for it to show its face. 164 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:49,000 Adrian and others are convinced the sword is still here on Japanese soil, perhaps stowed in a shrine or illegally sold to a collector. 165 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:58,000 To follow up on that lead, Adrian has put me in touch with a black market sword expert who has agreed to be interviewed anonymously in a local bar. 166 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:02,000 Time for me to descend into the world of Tokyo Nightlife. 167 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:20,000 This is Kabukicho, the red-light district of Tokyo. It is called the Sleepless Town. 168 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:25,000 Hey! How are you? Hi! How are you? 169 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:29,000 Oh my God! Where are we drinking? Where are we going? 170 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:37,000 The city glows like a neon microchip, powered by endless bars, entertainment, and one-of-a-kind lounge acts. 171 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:46,000 Is that a robot playing a saxophone? You may be asking yourself? Answer? You bet it is. 172 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:50,000 We don't know where this elevator goes, but I assume it's the future. 173 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:56,000 Japan is confounding because it strives to maintain ancient traditions while also embracing modernity. 174 00:11:56,000 --> 00:12:00,000 And Tokyo is, in many ways, a city obsessed with the future. 175 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:05,000 And at Robot Restaurant, that future feels like a full-on 23rd century acid trip. 176 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:09,000 Are you ready? Yes! 177 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:38,000 Music playing 178 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:41,000 Good Lord, was that real? 179 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:44,000 Great lesson, sir. 180 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:52,000 Before I lose my sanity completely, I eject back out onto the streets for my meeting with a black market sword dealer. 181 00:12:52,000 --> 00:13:01,000 Just a few blocks away is an area known as Golden Guy, a warren of narrow alleys crammed with more than 200 bars. 182 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:10,000 Golden Guy doesn't feel quite as welcoming as the Robot Restaurant, and supposedly it's run by the Yakuza. 183 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:13,000 The Japanese mob. 184 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:19,000 Music playing 185 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:32,000 I'm on the trail of the Hanzo Masamune, a mystical 13th century Japanese sword that disappeared at the end of World War II. 186 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:40,000 This is Golden Guy, a neighborhood of Tokyo where I'm supposed to rendezvous with an expert who specializes in black market sword trading. 187 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:47,000 I duck into a local bar where my contact has agreed to an interview on the condition that I conceal his identity. 188 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:57,000 So, I'm very, very interested in the Hanzo Masamune, but also in understanding these valuable swords in general. 189 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:59,000 Are they allowed to be traded? 190 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:07,000 Yes, but of course, the buyer and the seller has to leap over to the authority. 191 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:18,000 By law, every Japanese sword is given papers of authentication, but if a sword is unsigned by the artist or without documentation like the Hanzo Masamune, there's no way to track it. 192 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:23,000 And what about underground trading? Is that something that happens? 193 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:33,000 Well, if one person gets a precious sword and sells it to a hunting shop or the internet option, nobody will know. 194 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:38,000 So, if the sword shows up and it has no authentication papers, how do you know that it's the Hanzo Masamune? 195 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:43,000 What we have to do is to match to the figures left today. 196 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:52,000 Okay, this is the most accurate figure I think of the Hanzo Masamune. This gravy shape here is called Hamon. 197 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:53,000 What is the Hamon? 198 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:57,000 Hamon is a pattern of the sword's actually edge. 199 00:14:57,000 --> 00:14:58,000 So, it's like a fingerprint? 200 00:14:58,000 --> 00:14:59,000 Oh, yes. 201 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:04,000 If somebody tomorrow said they found the Hanzo Masamune, this is the way that we would tell, right? 202 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:05,000 Yes. 203 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:10,000 Where could that sword have been kept safe at a time when the allies were trying to find every sword in Japan? 204 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:20,000 They actually created huge tunnels and they moved functions of the government and of course precious materials from Tokyo. 205 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:26,000 And so, you think it's possible that the sword could have been hidden away in one of those imperial tunnels? 206 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:35,000 There is one guy investigating this issue right now and he's got a newer information and he's researching in Nagano right now. 207 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:42,000 By the light of a new day, I'm eager to follow up on this promising lead. 208 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:47,000 On the way to the tunnels, I plan to stop in Kamakura, the city where the Hanzo Masamune was forged. 209 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:55,000 From Tokyo, it's about a 40-minute train ride south, in complete silence, of course. 210 00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:03,000 This was once the center of Japan's power and home to samurai and warlords known as Shoga. 211 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:08,000 It is somewhere in this ancient city where Masamune forged his legendary sword. 212 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:16,000 There is a myth that the blade was tested against an evil sword, crafted by the swordsmith Morimasa. 213 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:22,000 The two katanas were placed in a river and while the Morimasa sliced everything that crossed its path, 214 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:25,000 the Masamune spared every branch, leaf and fish. 215 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:29,000 It was as though the sword had a conscience and a mind of its own. 216 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:33,000 Little is known about Masamune the man. 217 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:37,000 He crafted his blades between 1288 and 1328. 218 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:41,000 His grave in Kamakura is simple and modest. 219 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:48,000 So how did Masamune craft a weapon of such power and perfection? 220 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:52,000 While he isn't around to tell me, astonishingly, his descendant is. 221 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:57,000 Sunihiro Yamamura is the 24th generation of Masamune 222 00:16:57,000 --> 00:17:01,000 and has been making swords like his grand ancestor for 40 years. 223 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:04,000 What is the secret, Mr. Yamamura, to making a great sword? 224 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:08,000 It takes patience and great tradition. 225 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:13,000 A true samurai sword is not just a weapon, it's alive. 226 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:18,000 The secret to forging a sword is heat. 227 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:23,000 In 1300 degrees of red hot coals, 15 pounds of Tamahagani Japanese steel 228 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:28,000 is thrust into the furnace to soften the metal and remove impurities. 229 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:32,000 Then, for weeks, the steel is hammered, shaped and folded 230 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:35,000 until all that's left is the essence of a blade. 231 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:43,000 But the forge is also a holy place. 232 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:45,000 The walls covered in prayers and offerings 233 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:49,000 to summon the gods and imbue the weapon with the soul of the swordsmith. 234 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:51,000 The craftsmen wear ceremonial robes. 235 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:54,000 Lucky for me, they come in to excel. 236 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:57,000 Amazingly, this kind of fits me. 237 00:17:57,000 --> 00:17:59,000 I don't know how that's possible. 238 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:01,000 I am the biggest person in Japan. 239 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:03,000 I look like Sumotori. 240 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:04,000 I look like what? 241 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:05,000 Sumotori. 242 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:06,000 Sumotori? 243 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:07,000 Sumo fighter. 244 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:08,000 I look like a sumo wrestler. 245 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:09,000 Sumo wrestler. 246 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:11,000 Very nice, sir. Thank you. 247 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:16,000 I'm allowed the honor of hammering Sunehiro's latest masterpiece, 248 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:20,000 which, while very kind of him, might not be a great idea. 249 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:21,000 Be careful. 250 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:22,000 Be careful. 251 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:23,000 And slow. 252 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:25,000 You memorize timing. 253 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:26,000 I memorize the timing. 254 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:27,000 One, one, one, one. 255 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:28,000 One, one, one. 256 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:29,000 Okay. 257 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:32,000 Thousands of years of Japanese tradition. 258 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:34,000 We've had a four-second prep course. 259 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:35,000 I'm sure I'm going to nail this. 260 00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:36,000 Okay, here we go. 261 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:38,000 First you, yep. 262 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:42,000 Good lord. 263 00:18:57,000 --> 00:19:00,000 I'm in Kamakura, Japan, where I've been invited to try my hand 264 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:02,000 at forging a samurai sword. 265 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:05,000 This could get really embarrassing really quickly. 266 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:20,000 I'm killing this. 267 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:22,000 Come on. 268 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:23,000 Come on. 269 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:24,000 That was pretty good. 270 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:26,000 How would you review my performance? 271 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:27,000 How did I do? 272 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:29,000 Mmm, soso. 273 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:31,000 Mmm, soso. 274 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:33,000 All right, I'll take it. 275 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:36,000 Okay, I didn't exactly knock it out of the park, 276 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:38,000 but I've got a shot at redemption. 277 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:40,000 He's a instructor, Mr. Ohata-san. 278 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:41,000 Very nice to meet you. 279 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:42,000 Nice to meet you too. 280 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:44,000 This is Japanese sword. 281 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:45,000 Please use this. 282 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:47,000 You want me to use this? 283 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:49,000 Thank you very much. 284 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:50,000 Okay, real Japanese sword. 285 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:51,000 Real Japanese sword. 286 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:52,000 You're going to let me hold this? 287 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:53,000 Yes. 288 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:54,000 That's a terrible mistake. 289 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:55,000 Okay. 290 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:57,000 Hopefully not, hopefully not. 291 00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:58,000 Can you demonstrate first? 292 00:19:58,000 --> 00:19:59,000 Yes, okay. 293 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:01,000 Okay, I'll stand back. 294 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:03,000 This is called Tamashigiri. 295 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:06,000 Samurais sliced through tightly rolled up tatami mats 296 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:08,000 to test the quality of the sword 297 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:10,000 and their skills handling it. 298 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:16,000 And Mr. Ohata is a tough act to follow. 299 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:17,000 That was very impressive. 300 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:18,000 Yes. 301 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:20,000 So I have my left foot forward, right? 302 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:22,000 And then I go here, and I go... 303 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:24,000 Yes. 304 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:26,000 Okay, now you try. 305 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:29,000 Okay, all right, so let me get in position here. 306 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:32,000 Pressure is on, a lot of camera phones out. 307 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:35,000 There's a big white guy in the streets of Kamakura. 308 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:37,000 Okay, do I need to make that noise? 309 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:38,000 Yes. 310 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:39,000 I do? 311 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:41,000 Voice is concentration, voice. 312 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:45,000 Okay, you may want to back up now 313 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:47,000 because I don't know where this sword is going. 314 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:05,000 Thank you. 315 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:06,000 Wow. 316 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:09,000 I got very lucky, I think, but I'll take it. 317 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:10,000 It's okay? 318 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:11,000 Okay. 319 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:12,000 Perfect. 320 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:14,000 You can cut better than teacher. 321 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:15,000 I'm better than the teacher? 322 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:16,000 Yeah. 323 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:17,000 Somebody get that on camera. 324 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:19,000 Very clear cut. 325 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:21,000 You have samurai DNA. 326 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:22,000 I have samurai DNA. 327 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:23,000 Yes, yes, I guess. 328 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:24,000 Thank you, arigato. 329 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:25,000 Congratulations. 330 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:26,000 Arigato. 331 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:27,000 Arigato. 332 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:28,000 Wow. 333 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:31,000 It's not every day you find out you were born a samurai 334 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:33,000 and with a deeper understanding of what it takes 335 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:35,000 to make these razor sharp swords, 336 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:38,000 I'm renewing my hunt for the Hanzo Masamune. 337 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:41,000 My expert in Tokyo believes the government might have hid 338 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:44,000 the blade in underground tunnels at the end of World War II 339 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:47,000 and has put me in touch with a modern-day treasure hunter 340 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:50,000 who believes the blade could be in Nagano. 341 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:53,000 It's about 170 miles from Kamakura to Nagano, 342 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:56,000 but it will take less than an hour of Bordish Inconsen, 343 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:58,000 the Japanese bullet train. 344 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:06,000 I mean, come on. 345 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:08,000 This is the future. 346 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:10,000 This is it right here. 347 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:12,000 I'm in a spaceship. 348 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:18,000 The trains are called bullets for a reason. 349 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:21,000 They effortlessly hit speeds of up to 200 miles an hour, 350 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:24,000 and their departures are timed to the second. 351 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:25,000 Their secret? 352 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:28,000 The trains run on completely independent tracks 353 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:31,000 and use tunnels and elevated systems to go over or through 354 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:37,000 any obstacles, including the time-space continuum. 355 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:39,000 Good night bullet train. 356 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:41,000 I love you. 357 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:43,000 An hour later, the love affair is over 358 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:46,000 and we glide into the station at Nagano. 359 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:48,000 Just a few miles away, I'm meeting a contact 360 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:51,000 who's part of a new generation of urban explorers 361 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:53,000 that the Japanese call Hiiko. 362 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:56,000 Michael Gakuren may look like he's in a boy band, 363 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:58,000 but he's part of an international group 364 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:01,000 dedicated to the investigation of seldom explored ruins 365 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:02,000 from Japan's past. 366 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:05,000 He lives for this stuff and believes he may know 367 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:10,000 where the Hange Masamune is hiding. 368 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:12,000 Wow, look at this place. 369 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:15,000 Oh, that is foreboding. 370 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:19,000 Yeah, so these are the tunnels, the Matsushiro tunnels 371 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:21,000 that were built towards the Second Bode War. 372 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:24,000 The Japanese built this underground shelter in 1944 373 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:27,000 to house the Imperial government in the final days 374 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:29,000 of World War II. 375 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:31,000 Michael believes the government might have stashed 376 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:35,000 the Hange Masamune somewhere in the darkness below. 377 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:37,000 We have permission to go here? 378 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:38,000 We do, luckily. 379 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:39,000 Please, after you. 380 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:40,000 Let's go. 381 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:47,000 Okay, please. 382 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:49,000 I'm not sure how confident I am that Michael 383 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:51,000 is going to lead me straight to the sword, 384 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:53,000 but what can I say, I'm a glutton 385 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:56,000 for exploring creepy tunnels. 386 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:57,000 This is amazing. 387 00:23:57,000 --> 00:23:58,000 Yeah. 388 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:00,000 Just these, like, roughly blasted tunnels. 389 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:01,000 They do. 390 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:03,000 They use just dynamite to blast, blast, blast 391 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:04,000 really deep into the mountain. 392 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:05,000 Incredible. 393 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:10,000 Is Hange Masamune a national treasure 394 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:12,000 that is worst slated to come into these tunnels? 395 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:14,000 Yes, if these tunnels were probably completed 396 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:16,000 and they moved the Imperial family down here, 397 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:18,000 probably would have been taken and stored here. 398 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:20,000 So, you think they would have been widely explored? 399 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:21,000 Well, certain sections have, 400 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:23,000 but there's also many, many kilometers of tunnels 401 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:25,000 that haven't been properly excavated. 402 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:31,000 So, what's the general plan of attack here? 403 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:33,000 Well, I've got a metal detector and some digging equipment, 404 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:35,000 so I'm thinking we can go into some of the tunnels 405 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:37,000 that haven't been properly excavated 406 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:38,000 and see if we've got any hits. 407 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:40,000 See if we can find the Hange. 408 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:45,000 We begin to scour the seven miles of serpentine passages, 409 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:47,000 and after a few hours in the chilly darkness, 410 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:49,000 we finally get a hit. 411 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:00,000 Oh, big hit, big hit. 412 00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:06,000 I'm in Japan exploring Imperial tunnels 413 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:08,000 and I'm looking for a place to go. 414 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:11,000 I'm in Japan exploring Imperial tunnels from World War II, 415 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:14,000 looking for any signs of the world's finest sword. 416 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:17,000 And we might just have found something. 417 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:19,000 Oh, big hit, big hit. 418 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:27,000 Something there? 419 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:29,000 Yeah, something's in there, isn't it? 420 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:31,000 It might just be some ore. 421 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:34,000 Oh, there's a coin. 422 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:35,000 Oh, look at that coin. 423 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:36,000 Look at that. 424 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:37,000 Look at that. 425 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:38,000 Something of value. 426 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:41,000 We got 10 yen. 427 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:42,000 10 yen. 428 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:44,000 There it is. 429 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:46,000 I mean, I'm finding treasure. 430 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:49,000 I think the Hange Masamune is worth more than 10 yen. 431 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:50,000 You heard official treasure hunting out there. 432 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:52,000 But I'm not leaving here empty-handed. 433 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:53,000 Right. 434 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:54,000 Right, it's something. 435 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:55,000 All right, I'm claiming this. 436 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:56,000 We can split it. 437 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:58,000 5 yen for you, 5 yen for me. 438 00:25:58,000 --> 00:25:59,000 Okay. 439 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:03,000 Hours of searching leads us through incredible tunnels, 440 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:05,000 but we find no sign of the Hange Masamune. 441 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:08,000 As we ascend to the surface, I'm reminded that the legend says 442 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:12,000 the sword will only appear to someone worthy of its righteous powers, 443 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:14,000 like a samurai. 444 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:20,000 In feudal Japan, Ushido was a set of moral principles 445 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:21,000 followed by these soldiers. 446 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:24,000 It means the way of the warrior, 447 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:28,000 an unwritten code that permeated every aspect of the samurai's life. 448 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:31,000 This culture is something I know almost nothing about, 449 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:34,000 and yet it's a critical part of the sword's history. 450 00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:38,000 I really want to understand more about the world of the samurai. 451 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:41,000 All I need now is someone willing to teach me. 452 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:53,000 This is Tetsuro Shimoguchi, a Japanese sensei with 25 years of relentless training. 453 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:55,000 Not a guy you want to mess with, 454 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:58,000 but he has agreed to give me a crash course in samurai training, 455 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:00,000 and kimonos. 456 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:01,000 So this first. 457 00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:02,000 Yeah. 458 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:04,000 This is already going well. 459 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:07,000 How do you do this by yourself? 460 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:09,000 It's a two-person job. 461 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:12,000 Oh, come on. 462 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:15,000 But wait, there's more. 463 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:17,000 You can protect your ears. 464 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:19,000 Am I going to need my ears protected, sensei? 465 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:21,000 And really, how much protection am I getting? 466 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:22,000 Okay. 467 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:24,000 Looks good. 468 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:25,000 It looks good? 469 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:28,000 I feel like you look like a very cool samurai. 470 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:31,000 And I look like a line cook at Benihana. 471 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:36,000 The key to becoming a samurai? 472 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:38,000 Practice. 473 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:42,000 Like this, concentrate. 474 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:44,000 Left hand like this. 475 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:47,000 Your posture is very important. 476 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:48,000 Posture? 477 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:49,000 Yeah. 478 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:52,000 Samurai fighting, not only this direction, 479 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:53,000 all direction. 480 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:55,000 Like this, like this. 481 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:57,000 You have to have a wide perspective and see all around. 482 00:27:57,000 --> 00:27:58,000 Yes. 483 00:27:58,000 --> 00:27:59,000 98. 484 00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:00,000 99. 485 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:04,000 Samurai is quick movement and stop. 486 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:07,000 Right and keep look. 487 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:09,000 Sorry, I'm afraid of cutting my hand off. 488 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:12,000 Two, three, four. 489 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:14,000 Right hand side, not the enemy. 490 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:16,000 Left side, enemy. 491 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:17,000 My enemy attack. 492 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:20,000 I see. 493 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:23,000 The sensei throws lesson after lesson at me, 494 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:25,000 as well as his sword. 495 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:27,000 Don't move, please. 496 00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:29,000 I think I need a new kimono. 497 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:31,000 Yes, yes. 498 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:32,000 Yes. 499 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:33,000 Excellent. 500 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:36,000 People saw your enemy's sword. 501 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:38,000 I'm becoming a baby samurai. 502 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:39,000 Big baby samurai. 503 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:41,000 Big baby samurai, that's what they call me. 504 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:45,000 It's been a whirlwind day of training. 505 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:47,000 I just didn't realize there was going to be a final exam. 506 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:51,000 I think you're ready to fight my student. 507 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:52,000 Okay. 508 00:28:57,000 --> 00:29:17,000 I just want to say that I'm a very nice person, 509 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:19,000 and I don't want to die here today. 510 00:29:49,000 --> 00:30:00,000 I've been training to become a samurai with an acclaimed sensei. 511 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:05,000 He's just invited me to spar with his favorite student. 512 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:07,000 You win. 513 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:09,000 Okay, let's be honest. 514 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:11,000 She kicked my ass. 515 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:12,000 Thank you. 516 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:14,000 You are a wonderful teacher. 517 00:30:14,000 --> 00:30:16,000 You're an excellent student. 518 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:18,000 I don't know about that, but you're very, very patient. 519 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:20,000 Any advice for me in searching for the sword? 520 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:24,000 Many believe it never left Japan, 521 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:27,000 and that it is hidden in a shrine. 522 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:29,000 At the end of World War II, 523 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:32,000 the Japanese were forced to hand over all ceremonial weapons 524 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:34,000 to the Japanese. 525 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:36,000 The Japanese were forced to hand over all ceremonial weapons 526 00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:38,000 to the Japanese. 527 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:40,000 But some shrines were exempt, 528 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:44,000 which means one of them could contain the HONJOMASAMUNE. 529 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:46,000 The mountain-top temple at Togakushi 530 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:48,000 is rumored to have a great treasure. 531 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:50,000 Some believe it's the sword. 532 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:53,000 Maybe you find HONJOMASAMUNE. 533 00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:54,000 I hope so. 534 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:55,000 Yes. 535 00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:56,000 Thank you. 536 00:30:56,000 --> 00:30:57,000 Thank you. 537 00:30:57,000 --> 00:30:58,000 Thank you. 538 00:30:58,000 --> 00:30:59,000 Thank you. 539 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:01,000 I'm not sure my crash course in samurai training 540 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:04,000 means I'm pure of spirit and worthy of finding the MASAMUNE. 541 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:06,000 I'm sure my crash course in samurai training 542 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:09,000 means I'm pure of spirit and worthy of finding the MASAMUNE. 543 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:11,000 But I'm certainly not going to pass up this lead. 544 00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:14,000 There's no bullet train to Togakushi Mountain, 545 00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:16,000 so I'm taking the fastest wheels I can find. 546 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:29,000 I'm cruising 100 miles north on icy roads. 547 00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:30,000 My destination? 548 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:34,000 A shrine somewhere on a 6,000-foot frozen volcano. 549 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:38,000 Here we are, beautiful, the Gano, Japan, 550 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:40,000 which once hosted the Winter Olympics. 551 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:42,000 Interesting fact, this year's Winter Olympics 552 00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:44,000 are being held in my pants. 553 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:46,000 I'm totally frozen from the waist down. 554 00:31:49,000 --> 00:31:52,000 The roads climb higher and are progressively snowier. 555 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:54,000 Once I reach the mountain, I abandon the bike 556 00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:57,000 and continue on unplowed hiking trails. 557 00:31:57,000 --> 00:32:00,000 Note to self, conduct quests for mystical Japanese swords 558 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:02,000 in the summer. 559 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:10,000 It may be cold, but it's also majestic. 560 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:13,000 The trail is lined with soaring, 400-year-old trees, 561 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:16,000 caked in fresh fallen snow. 562 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:25,000 The most amazing part about being up here 563 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:28,000 is that it is completely silent. 564 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:31,000 I feel like I am totally alone up here, 565 00:32:31,000 --> 00:32:33,000 but in fact, I'm not. 566 00:32:33,000 --> 00:32:35,000 Check this out. 567 00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:48,000 Snow monkeys. 568 00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:50,000 There are more than 100,000 of these guys 569 00:32:50,000 --> 00:32:51,000 scattered throughout Japan, 570 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:54,000 and after humans, no other primate lives in a colder 571 00:32:54,000 --> 00:32:56,000 or more northernly climate. 572 00:32:56,000 --> 00:32:58,000 They are resilient, they are adaptive, 573 00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:00,000 and most importantly, they are very, very good at hiking. 574 00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:03,000 They are relaxing. 575 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:09,000 The key to their survival are these volcanic hot tubs, 576 00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:12,000 which the monkeys have turned into a full-time spa. 577 00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:14,000 The water is piping hot, and you don't even have 578 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:16,000 to rent a locker or tip the towel board. 579 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:19,000 But they do have a strict monkey's only membership policy. 580 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:21,000 Hey, buddy. 581 00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:24,000 Oh! You don't f*** with a snow monkey. 582 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:26,000 I'd rather risk losing my fingers to frostbite 583 00:33:26,000 --> 00:33:29,000 than a snow monkey, so I'm back on the move. 584 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:37,000 I don't know what I'm going to find at the top of the shrine, 585 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:40,000 or how receptive the monk is going to be, 586 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:44,000 but I'll come this far and not turn him back. 587 00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:53,000 After a few hours trudging uphill, 588 00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:56,000 the blanket of snow reveals what I've been searching for, 589 00:33:56,000 --> 00:33:59,000 the entrance to the mountaintop temple of Togakushi. 590 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:05,000 This is Zushinmon Gate, 591 00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:09,000 a red beacon in an otherwise endless sea of white. 592 00:34:09,000 --> 00:34:11,000 Passing through it signifies that I have stepped 593 00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:14,000 into the domain of the gods. 594 00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:22,000 Okay, here we go. 595 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:28,000 Togakushi means hidden door. 596 00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:30,000 In Japanese, my name is Zushinmon Gate. 597 00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:32,000 In Japanese mythology, this is where the sun goddess 598 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:35,000 hid herself at the end of every day. 599 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:39,000 And now it is one of the most sacred Shinto shrines in Japan. 600 00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:42,000 The high priest lives here alone through the long winter 601 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:45,000 and has kindly agreed to receive me. 602 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:51,000 It is extremely uncommon and a great honor 603 00:34:51,000 --> 00:34:54,000 for a visitor to be invited inside. 604 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:58,000 Patience is a virtue here in Japan, 605 00:34:58,000 --> 00:35:00,000 and before I can speak to the priest, 606 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:03,000 we must honor the spirits of the mountain. 607 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:28,000 Misen-san, thank you very much, first of all, 608 00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:30,000 for allowing me to come here. 609 00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:33,000 I have come to Japan because we're very interested 610 00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:36,000 in the story of the Hange Masamune, 611 00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:38,000 the great lost sword of Japan. 612 00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:43,000 And I have been told that this shrine may have a treasure inside of it. 613 00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:45,000 Is there a treasure in this shrine? 614 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:50,000 Yes, this shrine has a sacred body or a Goshen Tai, 615 00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:52,000 an object that holds the spirit of a god 616 00:35:52,000 --> 00:35:54,000 so that we can see them here on Earth. 617 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:57,000 Do you think it's possible that swords like this 618 00:35:57,000 --> 00:35:59,000 could be sacred objects in shrines? 619 00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:01,000 It is possible. 620 00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:03,000 Swords can be more than weapons. 621 00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:06,000 They are the essence of great power. 622 00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:10,000 I see. 623 00:36:10,000 --> 00:36:13,000 Is there a treasure here that I can see? 624 00:36:23,000 --> 00:36:27,000 I have come to Japan because of the Hange Masamune, 625 00:36:27,000 --> 00:36:29,000 the great lost sword of Japan. 626 00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:34,000 And I have been told that this shrine may have a treasure inside of it. 627 00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:37,000 Is there a treasure here that I can see? 628 00:36:38,000 --> 00:36:42,000 Yes, this shrine has a sacred body or a Goshen Tai, 629 00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:44,000 an object that holds the spirit of a god 630 00:36:44,000 --> 00:36:47,000 so that we can see them here on Earth. 631 00:36:47,000 --> 00:36:49,000 No sacred treasure in a temple should be seen, 632 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:52,000 but I can tell you that our treasure is not a sword. 633 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:55,000 The real treasure here is all around you. 634 00:36:55,000 --> 00:36:59,000 The trees, the snow, the sky, that is why the gods come here. 635 00:36:59,000 --> 00:37:02,000 The trees are sacred, the nature is sacred. 636 00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:05,000 Every bit is valuable and beautiful as a sword. 637 00:37:05,000 --> 00:37:08,000 Yes, that is the real prize. 638 00:37:08,000 --> 00:37:10,000 Thank you. 639 00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:13,000 As I leave the temple and begin the trek downhill, 640 00:37:13,000 --> 00:37:16,000 I actually feel a sense of satisfaction, 641 00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:19,000 and I see the landscape around me with fresh eyes. 642 00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:25,000 But it turns out there is also one last chance to discover the sword. 643 00:37:25,000 --> 00:37:29,000 My expert contacts have alerted me that a renowned sword collector in Tokyo 644 00:37:29,000 --> 00:37:33,000 has come into possession of a reportedly sacred blade. 645 00:37:33,000 --> 00:37:36,000 I have been told that the sword is a sacred blade. 646 00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:39,000 I have been told that the sword collector in Tokyo 647 00:37:39,000 --> 00:37:42,000 has come into possession of a reportedly sacred blade. 648 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:45,000 I have come full circle to where my journey began, 649 00:37:45,000 --> 00:37:48,000 and as rain begins to fall over Tokyo, 650 00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:52,000 I duck into an antique shop to follow one last lead in the mystery. 651 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:54,000 Hello. 652 00:37:54,000 --> 00:37:56,000 Hello. 653 00:37:56,000 --> 00:37:57,000 Are you Shimizu-san? 654 00:37:57,000 --> 00:37:58,000 Yes. 655 00:37:58,000 --> 00:37:59,000 I am Josh. 656 00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:00,000 Welcome. 657 00:38:00,000 --> 00:38:01,000 Nice to meet you. 658 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:02,000 Nice to meet you. 659 00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:04,000 Thank you very much. 660 00:38:04,000 --> 00:38:06,000 Nakashimizu is a renowned sword collector, 661 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:09,000 and Paul Martin is a noted British curator, 662 00:38:09,000 --> 00:38:13,000 here to evaluate the latest addition to Mr. Shimizu's collection. 663 00:38:13,000 --> 00:38:17,000 How long have you been dealing in swords? 664 00:38:17,000 --> 00:38:21,000 My family has been collecting swords since 1874. 665 00:38:21,000 --> 00:38:24,000 Your family has been dealing in swords since 1874. 666 00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:27,000 What is it for you about these objects that makes them so special? 667 00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:30,000 I think that learning about Japanese swords 668 00:38:30,000 --> 00:38:33,000 is one of the fastest ways to understand Japanese culture. 669 00:38:33,000 --> 00:38:36,000 I have a sword that I would like to see. 670 00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:38,000 Would you like to see it? 671 00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:39,000 Would you like to see it? 672 00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:40,000 He's got a very special sword. 673 00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:41,000 Would you like to see it? 674 00:38:41,000 --> 00:38:42,000 A very special sword? 675 00:38:42,000 --> 00:38:43,000 Yeah. 676 00:38:43,000 --> 00:38:44,000 Absolutely, yes. 677 00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:45,000 Terrific. 678 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:46,000 Thank you. 679 00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:54,000 My journey across Japan has all led to this. 680 00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:56,000 Beautiful box. 681 00:39:03,000 --> 00:39:13,000 This sword came to Mr. Shimizu from an anonymous private collector. 682 00:39:13,000 --> 00:39:16,000 But is it the sacred blade I've been searching for? 683 00:39:28,000 --> 00:39:29,000 It's beautiful. 684 00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:30,000 It really is. 685 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:35,000 I mean, when you look at it on the edge, it's just impossibly sharp. 686 00:39:35,000 --> 00:39:38,000 Could this be the hanjo? 687 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:43,000 No, it is not the hanjo, but it is a treasure. 688 00:39:43,000 --> 00:39:45,000 Absolutely stunning. 689 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:47,000 The edge just vanishes. 690 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:50,000 I mean, it just goes to nothing, it feels like. 691 00:39:50,000 --> 00:39:51,000 How old is this blade? 692 00:39:51,000 --> 00:39:52,000 None of them. 693 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:54,000 It's bigger than two thousand. 694 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:56,000 So just over 600 years old. 695 00:39:56,000 --> 00:39:58,000 Just over 600 years old. 696 00:39:58,000 --> 00:40:00,000 And the sword maker? 697 00:40:01,000 --> 00:40:03,000 Masamune. 698 00:40:03,000 --> 00:40:04,000 This is a Masamune? 699 00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:05,000 Yeah. 700 00:40:05,000 --> 00:40:06,000 This is a Masamune? 701 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:07,000 Yeah. 702 00:40:07,000 --> 00:40:08,000 Really? 703 00:40:08,000 --> 00:40:09,000 Yeah. 704 00:40:09,000 --> 00:40:10,000 Really? 705 00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:11,000 Yeah. 706 00:40:11,000 --> 00:40:13,000 That's amazing. 707 00:40:13,000 --> 00:40:16,000 That is absolutely incredible. 708 00:40:16,000 --> 00:40:18,000 It is beautiful. 709 00:40:18,000 --> 00:40:22,000 This katana was forged by the hands of Japan's most venerated sword maker. 710 00:40:22,000 --> 00:40:27,000 And although it's not the hanjo, to hold one of the master's creations is more than 711 00:40:27,000 --> 00:40:28,000 I ever expected. 712 00:40:28,000 --> 00:40:31,000 There's something so balanced about it. 713 00:40:31,000 --> 00:40:32,000 Yeah. 714 00:40:32,000 --> 00:40:33,000 Does that make sense? 715 00:40:33,000 --> 00:40:34,000 Yeah, yeah. 716 00:40:34,000 --> 00:40:36,000 It feels sort of... 717 00:40:36,000 --> 00:40:37,000 Live in hand. 718 00:40:37,000 --> 00:40:39,000 Yeah, it feels sort of perfect. 719 00:40:39,000 --> 00:40:41,000 It just looks terrifyingly sharp. 720 00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:43,000 Yeah, very sharp. 721 00:40:43,000 --> 00:40:48,000 The first time I saw a real Japanese sword like this, I was profoundly moved. 722 00:40:48,000 --> 00:40:50,000 They do kind of touch the soul. 723 00:40:50,000 --> 00:40:53,000 You're surprised at their beauty and how deep an object they are. 724 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:56,000 It's an intrinsically beautiful art object. 725 00:40:56,000 --> 00:40:58,000 They're very cool weapons. 726 00:40:58,000 --> 00:40:59,000 That's what attracts everyone. 727 00:40:59,000 --> 00:41:00,000 Right. 728 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:04,000 But then once you get past that, you realize it's a spiritual object, a religious object. 729 00:41:04,000 --> 00:41:07,000 And all these different myriad of meanings that they have. 730 00:41:07,000 --> 00:41:09,000 And you hear sattin. 731 00:41:09,000 --> 00:41:11,000 A lot like Japan itself. 732 00:41:11,000 --> 00:41:15,000 Well, not the hanjo Masamune, but a Masamune. 733 00:41:15,000 --> 00:41:16,000 Masamune. 734 00:41:16,000 --> 00:41:17,000 Yeah, I'll certainly settle for that. 735 00:41:17,000 --> 00:41:19,000 It is absolutely stunning. 736 00:41:20,000 --> 00:41:25,000 Japan has always felt to me like a place that exists out of time. 737 00:41:25,000 --> 00:41:30,000 The future is in the present, and the present is filled with the past. 738 00:41:30,000 --> 00:41:35,000 Different eras blending together to create a dizzying and disorienting masterpiece. 739 00:41:35,000 --> 00:41:39,000 And the hanjo drifts between these worlds. 740 00:41:39,000 --> 00:41:43,000 Searching for it felt like grasping at wisps of smoke. 741 00:41:43,000 --> 00:41:46,000 It is everywhere and nowhere. 742 00:41:47,000 --> 00:41:52,000 An object that represents the distant heights of an empire, the humbling of a nation. 743 00:41:52,000 --> 00:41:56,000 And the promise of a future filled with honor and custom. 744 00:41:56,000 --> 00:42:01,000 The truth is, nobody knows where the hanjo is, though many are looking. 745 00:42:01,000 --> 00:42:04,000 But it no longer seems lost to me. 746 00:42:04,000 --> 00:42:07,000 The sword is Japan itself. 747 00:42:07,000 --> 00:42:08,000 Grateful. 748 00:42:08,000 --> 00:42:09,000 Spiritual. 749 00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:12,000 Ancient and eternal. 750 00:42:12,000 --> 00:42:15,000 All balanced on an improbable edge. 751 00:42:15,000 --> 00:42:20,000 For many, the blade has a soul and a conviction to decide its own fate. 752 00:42:20,000 --> 00:42:25,000 I hope that one day soon, the hanjo Masamune will decide to return. 753 00:42:25,000 --> 00:42:28,000 And allow us all to admire it with wonder.