NORISHIGE, SOSHU, C- 1320 AD
Student of Masamune
Tokubetsu juyo token by the NBTHK
saya-gaki by, KANZAN, Dr Sato
This blade by
Norishige is Tokubetsu Juyo (one step above Juyo).
Norishige is one of the most important sword smiths in the history of Japanese
Swords... N.B.T.H.K stated on the Juyo narrative that the work was so similar to
Masamune that you can call them the same. It is in absolutely perfect condition,
even the Horimono (grooves) were done by Norishige. It is a highly recommended
candidate for Juyo Bijutsuhin (next level up from Tokubetsu Juyo) but of course
it would not ever leave Japan, as it would fall into the
Cultural property category.
Juyo Zufu
Juyo Zufu translation
Jūyō-tōken
at the 3rd
jūyō shinsa held on
July 7, 1959
katana,
mumei: Den Norishige
(伝則重)
(w/ Kōchū
origami from Kyōhō
three)
Kōbe, Yano
Yatarō (谷野弥太郎)
Measurements
nagasa
68.2 cm,
sori 2.1 cm,
motohaba 3.0 cm,
sakihaba 2.4 cm,
kissaki-nagasa 4.1
cm,
nakago-nagasa 16.0
cm, no
nakago-sori
Description
Keijō:
shinogi-zukuri,
iori-mune, due to
the
ō-suriage a shallow
sori, elongated
chū-kissaki
Kitae:
itame that is mixed
with
masame and that
features plenty of
ji-nie,
jifu, and
chikei
Hamon:
hiro-suguha-chō that
tends to a gentle
notare with large
undulations and that is mixed with
gunome,
ashi,
yō,
sunagashi,
ara-nie, and
kinsuji
Bōshi:
widely hardened
midare-komi with a
hakikake,
nie, and
kinsuji
Horimono:
on both sides a
futasuji-hi that
runs as
kaki-tōshi through
the tang
Nakago:
ō-suriage,
kurijiri, gently
slanting
katte-sagari yasurime,
one
mekugi-ana,
mumei
Explanation
It is said
that Norishige (則重),
who was a resident of the rural township of Gofuku (Japanese:
Gofuku-Gō,
呉服郷)
of Etchū province, had studied with Sōshū Masamune (正宗),
but also the theory exists that he had been a fellow student of Masamune. In any
case, on the basis of the shape and interpretation of Norishige’s blades, we can
agree with either tradition and can place him in the close vicinity of Masamune.
Only two signed
tachi, but several
signed
tantō of Norishige
exist, and the interpretation and quality of the latter suggest that the smith
had placed a special emphasis on the production of
tantō. Many unsigned
katana exist that
are attributed to Norishige, although only few of them can be considered as
actually going back to his hand. The blade described here comes with an
origami issued by
Hon’ami Kōchū (本阿弥光忠,
?–1719) on the third day of the twelfth month of Kyōhō three (享保,
1718), in which he attributes it to Norishige and evaluates it with 1,500
kan. The
jiba of the blade
shows the characteristic features of the Norishige School and the
deki is excellent.
The shape with its elongated
kissaki suggests a
production time from the Nanbokuchō period and both
ji and
ha are perfectly
healthy (kenzen).
See near the end for Tokubetsu Juyo Zufu and sayagaki translations.
Tokubetsu Juyo Zufu
Tokubetsu-jūyō-tōken
at the 16th
tokubetsu-jūyō shinsa
held on April 28, 2000
katana, mumei:
Norishige (則重)
Fukami
Nobuhiko (深海信彦)
Measurements
nagasa
68.3 cm,
sori 1.8 cm,
motohaba 2.9 cm,
sakihaba 2.3 cm,
kissaki-nagasa 3.9
cm,
nakago-nagasa 16.1
cm,
nakago-sori 0.1 cm
Description
Keijō:
shinogi-zukuri,
iori-mune, rather
wide
mihaba, thick
kasane, shallow
sori, somewhat
elongated
chū-kissaki
Kitae:
itame that is mixed
with
mokume,
nagare, and some
ō-hada in places and
that features plenty of
ji-nie and much
chikei
Hamon:
widely hardened and gently undulating
notare with a wide
nioiguchi and mixed
with
gunome, many
ashi and
yō,
ara-nie,
uchinoke,
yubashiri,
kuichigai-na, and
prominent
kinsuji and
sunagashi, the
ha features plenty
of
nie
Bōshi:
notare-komi that
almost runs out in
yakitsume manner and
that features a hint of
hakikake
Horimono:
on both sides a
futasuji-hi that
runs as
kaki-tōshi through
the tang
Nakago:
ō-suriage,
ha-agari kurijiri,
katte-sagari yasurime,
one
mekugi-ana,
mumei
Artisan
Norishige
from Etchū province
Era
End of
Kamakura period
Explanation
As Norishige
(則重)
lived in the township of Gofuku (Japanese:
Gofuku-Gō,
呉服郷),
located within the Nei District (婦負郡)
of Etchū province, he is also referred to as Gofuku-Gō. According to the
Kokon Mei Zukushi (古今銘尽)
and other Edo period sword publications, Norishige was one of the Ten Students
of Masamune, but judging from the shapes of his
tachi and
tantō and extant
dates from the Shōwa (正和,
1312-1317) and Gen'ō (元応,
1319-1321) eras, it appears that he was rather a fellow student of Masamune (正宗)
under Shintōgo Kunimitsu (新藤五国光),
as already Muromachi period sword texts like the
Kiami Hon (喜阿弥本)
suggest. Norishige’s workmanship is close to that of Yukimitsu (行光)
and Masamune, but his unique and standing-out
ō-itama that
features many thick
chikei, which can
also appear in a whirlpool shape, and that is referred to as
matsukawa-hada (松皮肌)
distinguishes him from Yukimitsu and Masamune. Period sword texts describe that
typical approach as: “Highly skillful in forging steel and displaying a
non-uniform
hada structure.” It
is possible that Norishige was inspired by works of Yasutsuna (安綱)
and other Ko-Hōki smiths with this forging, which is classical and often has the
blackish appearance that is typical for works from the northern provinces
(Japanese:
Hokkoku-mono).
This blade
shows a
kitae in
itame that is mixed
with
mokume and that
features plenty of
ji-nie and prominent
chikei. The
hamon is a widely
hardened and gently undulating
notare with a wide
nioiguchi and is
mixed with
gunome, many thick
nie-ashi and plenty
of
kinsuji
sunagashi, and
yubashiri. The
ha shows an
abundance of
nie and
hataraki and has a
large amount of variation. Thus, we clearly recognize the hand of one of the
great early Sōshū masters and the apprarance and within this group, the
complexity of the
jiba attributes the
blade to Norishige. In addition, it comes to advantage that both
ji and
ha of the blade are
very healthy. Also, the blade comes with an
origami that was
issued by Hon’ami Kōchū (本阿弥光忠,
?–1719) on the third day of the twelfth month of Kyōhō three (享保,
1718).
Sayagaki translation:
本阿弥光忠折紙
越中国呉服郷則重
刃長貮尺貮寸五分有之
如折紙拝観且所謂同作中之優刀也
寒山誌
Hon’ami Kōchū
origami
Etchū no Kuni
Gofuku-Gō Norishige
Hachō
ni-shaku ni-sun go-bu kore ari
Goto origami
haikan katsu iwayuru dōsaku-chū no yūtō nari
Kanzan
shirusu
With
origami by Hon’ami
Kōchū
Gofuku-Gō
Norishige from Etchū Province
Blade length
~ 68.2 cm
I am in
agreement with the
origami and it can
be said that this masterly blade is one of the best works by this smith in
existence.
Written by
Kanzan.
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