Masatsugu is a smith of the group in Province, active from the late into the early period. Sword reference compilations record him only as "Motomae," and the assessments consistently identify him as a smith of the Masatsune lineage. His precise dates remain uncertain; the places him before the Genryaku era (1184--1185), while one designation associates him with the Bunryaku era (1234--1235), suggesting either a broad working period or successive generations bearing the name. Reliably signed extant works are extremely rare, lending particular scholarly weight to each surviving example.
Masatsugu's characteristic forging is a tightly worked with abundant and , occasionally showing a tendency toward . His is typically a -toned mixed with , executed with deep and well-adhering ; enter frequently and effectively. One blade exhibits a temper forming a shallow -like line mixed with and . The characteristically turns in a deeply formed , a hallmark that the identifies as diagnostic of the Masatsune line. Blades that retain original proportions display a shallow with a compact , consistent with the classical profile.
The evaluations repeatedly emphasize the exceptional quality of Masatsugu's surviving work within the corpus. One blade is described as "the finest in workmanship among blades bearing the name," while another is judged "an excellent work even among examples of the group." Both assessments further note that the blades clearly exhibit the characteristic features of the school and are in -- sound and well-preserved -- condition. The provenance of the finest example, transmitted within the Matsudaira family of Tsuyama, underscores the esteem in which these works have been held. Though his oeuvre is exceedingly small, Masatsugu stands as an important representative of the Masatsune current within the foundational tradition.
