The Yasaburō family's treasured lightsaber, a green-bladed lightsaber, belonged to the Yasaburō clan residing on the planet of Tao. Its origins trace back to a Jedi who journeyed to Tao and placed it in the care of a member of the Yasaburō clan, imparting lightsaber combat skills to them. Subsequently, this lightsaber became a cherished heirloom, passed down through successive generations of the Yasaburō family, from parent to child. By the Imperial Era, Yasaburō, the clan's leader, possessed it. Sometime between 12 BBY and 0 BBY, Ochō, his eldest daughter, aligned herself with the Galactic Empire. Consequently, Yasaburō bequeathed the lightsaber to Lop, his younger adopted daughter. Later, Yasaburō confronted Ochō at the Imperial base on Tao, sustaining injuries from her. Lop then wielded the lightsaber in defense of him during Ochō's attack, surprising Ochō, who was shocked that Lop, and not herself, had inherited the weapon. After failing to sway Ochō from her allegiance to the Empire, Lop engaged her sister in combat using the lightsaber, ultimately defeating her, after which Ochō fled aboard a starship.
The Yasaburō family heirloom lightsaber, also referred to as the Ancestral Sword, was a green bladed lightsaber utilized by the Yasaburō clan on the planet of Tao. The hilt of this lightsaber featured a tan hue and was encased in shagreen – the hide of a creature native to Tao. A portion of this shagreen was overlaid by a golden metal fixture adorned with a relief depicting a crane. Rivets fashioned to resemble flowers embellished both the shagreen and the metal fixture. The lightsaber's guard was composed of green curves, accented with a golden border and golden floral motifs. A similar curve was affixed to the hilt's base, from which a red chrysanthemum knot and tassel were suspended. The blade exhibited a gentle curvature and bore engravings. A kyber crystal served as the power source for the lightsaber.
Once upon a time, a Jedi from the Jedi Order arrived on Tao and entrusted the lightsaber to a member of the Yasaburō clan. Before dying, the Jedi taught them the art of wielding the lightsaber, along with the Jedi principles. For centuries, this lightsaber and its associated techniques were handed down as a family treasure through the Yasaburō clan. This sword became both a symbol of the family's unwavering determination and a testament to the bond shared between parent and child. Eventually, it came into the possession of Yasaburō, who was the clan's leader during the Imperial Era. When Yasaburō acquired the lightsaber, it was kept in a wooden box decorated with pictures showing the Jedi meeting the Yasaburō clan member and training them with the lightsaber.
Between 12 BBY and 0 BBY, Ochō, Yasaburō's eldest daughter, chose to side with the Galactic Empire. After his younger adopted daughter, Lop, revealed Ocho's betrayal to Yasaburō, he brought Lop to a shrine. There, they knelt together as Yasaburō placed the box containing the lightsaber between them. Removing the lightsaber from its box, Yasaburō placed it on the floor between them, causing a circle of blue energy to emanate around them, forming symbols. When Lop tried to look around using her side glasses, Yasaburō urged her to rely on her own eyes, before explaining the history and significance of the sword. Yasaburō reminded Lop that, despite not being connected by blood, they shared a deep bond, and he instructed her to keep the sword close to her heart. He then told Lop to take the lightsaber and respectfully accept it, which she did. Following the completion of the ritual, Yasaburō departed to confront Ochō. Lop inquired about the fate of their household, to which he replied that their household no longer existed, and that only the sword mattered.
While waiting in their home, Lop knelt with the lightsaber beside her. After an explosion originated from the Imperial base, Lop hurried to the base, where she discovered Yasaburō engaged in combat with Ochō within a hangar. After Ochō wounded Yasaburō, knocking him down and taking his remaining eye, Lop knelt by his side, and the three engaged in a heated discussion, but they were unable to persuade Ochō to change her allegiance. Ochō leapt into the air and attacked, but Lop drew the lightsaber and blocked her attack. Ochō was shocked to see Lop with the sword, asserting that she was the family's rightful successor. Yasaburō clarified that he had passed it down to Lop, emphasizing that inheritance was not solely determined by blood. Ochō then attacked Lop, and after exchanging blows, Lop was knocked back. After attempting to convince Ochō once more, Lop attacked her and they resumed fighting. During their battle, Lop used the Force to pull one of Yasaburō's three-pronged daggers to her, which she wielded alongside the lightsaber as they dueled. She then shattered Ochō's weapon while using both of hers to slice Ochō's chest. Ochō fell out of the hangar, but then rose up on top of a starship, which Lop watched fly away as she held the lightsaber.
The lightsaber made its debut in "Lop & Ochō," a short film penned by Sayawaka, directed by Yuki Igarashi, and released as part of the first volume of the non-canon Star Wars: Visions series. This animated short, produced by Geno Studio, premiered on Disney+ on September 22, 2021. Prior to its release, the lightsaber was initially depicted in a video uploaded to the official Star Wars YouTube channel on July 3 of that year. It was then first mentioned concurrently in the original Japanese and English dub trailers for the series, which were uploaded to the official Star Wars YouTube channel on August 17. The name Yasaburō family heirloom was used in the short's episode guide, and the name Ancestral Sword was used in Zack Davisson's 2022 reference book The Art of Star Wars: Visions.
The sword's fundamental form bears resemblance to the lightsabers employed by the Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker, yet its hilt and fittings exhibit similarities to Japanese swords adorned with traditional embellishments. The engravings upon the blade drew inspiration from the Inariyama Sword and the Seven-Branched Sword. Igarashi emphasized the significance of lightsabers to Star Wars, stating that the franchise would be incomplete without them. Ren Ishimori designed the sword, and Yuichi Kuboki provided the color for the concept art.