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Overview·Historical importance·Designations·Dated Works·Provenance·Blade Forms·Signatures·Lineage·School
OverviewHistorical importanceDesignationsDated WorksProvenanceBlade FormsSignaturesLineageSchool
  1. Schools
  2. Hatakeda
  3. Morishige

Hatakeda Morishige

守重

Jūyō
Vol. 33, No. 76 · Tachi

Hatakeda Morishige

守重

7 ranked works

Notable smith
ProvinceBizenEraKenji (1275–1278)PeriodKamakuraSchoolHatakedaTraditionBizen-denGeneration1stFujishiroJo-jo sakuToko Taikan850(top 11%)TypeSwordsmithCodeMOR247
1Jūyō Bijutsuhin
6Jūyō Tōken

Overview

Morishige is traditionally transmitted as a swordsmith of the line within the school. According to the (smith directories), he is recorded as a son of the second-generation Moriie and as the father of Motoshige, with extant dated works bearing era names spanning from Einin and Kagen through Showa, Bunpo, and Gen'o — all corresponding to the closing phase of the period. Distinguishing a first and second generation Morishige is considered somewhat forced; in broad terms he should be regarded as a swordsmith of the late period. Smiths using the name succeeded the founder, and they continued working through the period under what reference works identify as the group, so called because the founder is said to have moved from in Yamashiro. In all cases, however, their signatures state "Bishu -ju" (resident of in Province), making it clear that their place of work remained . The -period generations are recorded from (1368–1375) through to the end of the period, with dated examples surviving from the Oei and Bunmei eras.

The -period works characteristically display — at times a dense mixed with — with standing out vividly in the . The is typically a basis mixed with , into which and enter; the tends toward tightness (), and adheres throughout. Some works exhibit reminiscent of Kagemitsu, revealing a pronounced character rather than a distinctly manner. Indeed, the presence of in the forging and the composition with intermingled share aspects in common with the style of the Nagamitsu group, suggesting that by this period the school had for the most part become assimilated into the tradition. Compared with Moriie, the workmanship tends to be subdued (sabishii), with a pronounced tendency. The -period generations, by contrast, are characterized by a more flamboyant, large-patterned , featuring mixed with , accompanied by , , and — works that at a glance can be mistaken for Oei- in their showy manner.

Extant signed works by Morishige are exceedingly few, and it has not been possible to exhaustively examine the full range of his workmanship across all generations. Those examples that survive, however, provide valuable source material for understanding the breadth of his working range and the historical relationship between the and lineages. Several bear date inscriptions that serve as important reference points for the study of this smith. The overall workmanship — from the clarity of the -iro to the well-applied and tight — demonstrates sound technical accomplishment, and the best examples are noted for being (well-preserved) in both and .

Historical importance

Where Morishige 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 Bijutsuhin1
Gyobutsu—
Tokubetsu Jūyō—
Jūyō Tōken6

Elite Standing

Dated Works

Provenance

Blade Forms

Distribution across 7 ranked works

Signatures

Signature types across 7 ranked works

Currently Available

Lineage

Morishige
Students (2)
  1. 1.Motoshige元重4 for sale156designated
  2. 2.Morinaga守長4designated

Hatakeda School

Other artisans of the Hatakeda school

  1. 1.Moriie守家33designated
  2. 2.Moriie守家27designated
  3. 3.Sanemori眞守4 for sale57designated
  4. 4.Mitsumori光守13designated
  5. 5.Moriie守家14designated
  6. 6.Morinaga守長4designated
  7. 7.Sanemori真守2designated
  8. 8.Morishige守重1designated
  9. 9.Moritoshi守俊1 for sale1designated
  10. 10.Iesuke家助2designated

Morishige

Morishige(守重) was a Japanese swordsmith of the Hatakeda school in Bizen province, active during the Kenji (1275-1278) period.

The work follows the Bizen-den tradition.

Designated works by Morishige include 6 Jūyō.