Tonbokiri

Replica of the Tonbokiri, made in 1847, in the Tokyo National Museum

The Tonbokiri (蜻蛉切) is one of three legendary Japanese spears created by the famed swordsmith Masazane Fujiwara, said to be wielded by the daimyō Honda Tadakatsu. The spear derives its name from the myth that a dragonfly landed on its blade and was instantly cut in two. Thus tonbo (Japanese for "dragonfly") and kiri (Japanese for "cutting"), translating this spear's name as "Dragonfly Cutter".