A Tachi-class sword. Treasure of the Minamoto/Genji Clan, obtaining its name from a test beheading where the sword cleanly cut through a criminal's beard along with the neck. Currently stored in Kitano Tenmangu Temple in Kyoto.
In Touken Ranbu, the sword is treated as the elder brother of Hizamaru, another Minamoto clan Sword, though he's constantly forgetting Hizamaru's name. This may be a reference to the fact that both Hizamaru and Higekiri have had many different names throughout history. Fan works like to exaggerate this trait to the point of being a running gag, as Higekiri is bad with other names, as well.
