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Overview·Historical importance·Designations·Provenance·Lineage·School
OverviewHistorical importanceDesignationsProvenanceLineageSchool
  1. Schools
  2. Soshu
  3. Sue-Sōshū
  4. Hiromasa

Sue-Soshu Hiromasa

廣正

Jūyō
Vol. 21, No. 100 · Wakizashi

Sue-Soshu Hiromasa

廣正

3 ranked works

Notable smith
ProvinceSagamiEraBunsho (1466–1467)PeriodMuromachiSchoolSoshu>Sue-SoshuTraditionSoshu-denGeneration4thTeacherHiromasaFujishiroJo sakuToko Taikan450(top 31%)TypeSwordsmithCodeHIR272
2Gyobutsu
1Jūyō Tōken

Overview

Hiromasa was a swordsmith of ( Province), a name borne by several generations active continuously from the period through to the end of the period. Dated examples are rare, making it difficult to distinguish the individual generations with clarity; however, surviving dated works include blades inscribed Bun'an 5 (1448), Hotoku 2 (1450), Kosho 2 (1456), and Bunmei 3 (1471), placing the documented activity firmly within the mid to late period. A separate Hiromasa of the lineage in Province, traditionally regarded as a son of Yukihiro, is also known from the mid period around the Shohei era, and one blade attributed to this Hiromasa bears a gold-inlaid attribution reading "Ranoke."

The of Hiromasa's -line works is characteristically an tending toward standing grain, with and . The takes the form of , frequently mixed with that develops into (full-temper); , , , and appear, and the tends toward tightness. The typically enters in , sometimes becoming on the , and returns with a pointed tendency. A notable hallmark of this smith's output is the : virtually every signed blade bears elaborate carvings -- , grass-style , , -sho, hatahoko, and renben, often executed in raised relief () within grooves. These carvings are consistently described as "skillfully executed" and "splendid," and they constitute a defining feature of -made blades of this era. The -lineage Hiromasa, by contrast, displays a -based upon which adheres well with a bright, clear -- features that "strongly manifest the characteristics of the tradition."

Works by both lineages receive consistent praise. Of the Hiromasa, the observes that his blades display "both the period character of workmanship and the traditional manner of the -," and individual pieces are assessed as "one representative masterpiece among works of this era." Of the Hiromasa, the forging with accompanied by and a bright, clear leads to the assessment that the blade is "an especially fine example" among works attributed to this smith. Across both traditions, the name Hiromasa represents a sustained lineage of skilled craftsmanship that preserved regional forging idioms through several generations.

Historical importance

Where Hiromasa stands among comparable artisans: across all of nihontō, and within tradition, era, and period. The tiers (Foremost · Leading · Major · Notable) weigh official designations from the NBTHK and Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs, together with historical honors of lasting repute such as the Sansaku and Meibutsu-chō.

随一
Foremost
屈指
Leading
有数
Major
著名
Notable

Select a lens to see how it's measured.

Designations

Kokuhō—
Jūyō Bunkazai—
Jūyō Bijutsuhin—
Gyobutsu2
Tokubetsu Jūyō—
Jūyō Tōken1

Elite Standing

Provenance

Currently Available

Lineage

TeacherHiromasa
Hiromasa
Students (2)
  1. 1.Hiromasa廣正1 for sale4designated
  2. 2.Hiromasa廣正3designated

Sue-Soshu School

Other artisans of the Sue-Soshu school

  1. 1.Tsunahiro綱廣2 for sale12designated
  2. 2.Fusamune總宗5designated
  3. 3.Hiromasa廣正1 for sale4designated
  4. 4.Kiyohira清平4designated
  5. 5.Tsunaie綱家3designated
  6. 6.Hirotsugu廣次2 for sale2designated
  7. 7.Hirotsugu廣次1designated
  8. 8.Kunitsugu國次1designated
  9. 9.Masahiro正廣8designated
  10. 10.Tsunahiro綱廣1 for sale2designated
  11. 11.Tsunahiro綱廣1 for sale2designated
  12. 12.Yasuharu康春1designated

Hiromasa

Hiromasa(廣正) was a Japanese swordsmith of the Sue-Soshu school in Sagami province, active during the Bunsho (1466-1467) period.

The work follows the Soshu-den tradition.

Designated works by Hiromasa include 1 Jūyō.