Archaeologists from the Berlin State Office for Monument Preservation uncovered a 17th-century Japanese short sword, known as a Wakizashi, amidst wartime rubble in Berlin’s Molkenmarkt, a historic area currently under excavation.

Credit: State Museums of Berlin / Anica Kelp

The Wakizashi, a type of short sword traditionally carried by samurai in feudal Japan, was found in the basement of a former residential building on Stralauer Straße. The area had been heavily bombarded during World War II, and the basement had become a repository for various military artifacts, hastily discarded during the war’s final days. Alongside the sword, archaeologists uncovered bridles, stirrups, and other militaria, all indicative of the chaos that engulfed Berlin as the conflict drew to a close.

Initially mistaken for a parade weapon, the true significance of the find was only realized during restoration efforts at the Museum of Prehistory and Early History. The sword’s handle, although damaged by heat, revealed intricate motifs of the Daikokuten, a Japanese deity ᴀssociated with fortune and prosperity. These motifs, along with the sword’s style, allowed experts to date the handle to the Edo period (17th to 19th century), with some suggesting that the blade itself could be even older, potentially from the 16th century.

Matthias Wemhoff, Berlin’s State Archaeologist, expressed the awe surrounding the discovery, stating, “Who could have imagined that, at a time when Japan was isolated and hardly any European traveler had entered the country, such a long-used and richly decorated weapon would find its way to Berlin?” The find, indeed, raises more questions than answers, particularly about how the sword ended up in Berlin in the first place.

Credit: State Museums of Berlin / Anica Kelp

One prevailing theory is that the Wakizashi may have been a diplomatic gift from one of the Japanese delegations that visited Berlin in the 19th century. Historical records indicate that the Takenouchi Mission visited Berlin in 1862, followed by the Iwakura Mission between 1871 and 1873. Both missions aimed to foster diplomatic relations and share cultural artifacts, making it plausible that the sword was presented as a gift to a European dignitary.

Wemhoff, however, leaves room for other possibilities. He suggests that the sword might have arrived in Berlin even earlier, during a period when Japan was still largely isolated from the Western world. This notion is tantalizing, given the limited contact between Japan and Europe before 1868. The proximity of Molkenmarkt to Berlin’s Royal Palace, where Emperor Wilhelm I received these Japanese envoys, supports the theory of a diplomatic gift, though no concrete evidence links the sword to the residents of Stralauer Straße at the time.

The Wakizashi, now carefully restored, is set to be publicly displayed for the first time at the Samurai Museum Berlin during the Long Night of Museums, a popular cultural event.

The mystery of the sword’s journey to Berlin may never be fully solved, but its discovery serves as a powerful reminder of the enduring connections between cultures. As Wemhoff aptly put it, “We are unlikely to find another object exactly like this one.”

State Museums of Berlin