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Overview·Historical importance·Designations·Lineage·School
OverviewHistorical importanceDesignationsLineageSchool
  1. Schools
  2. Aoe
  3. Ko-Aoe
  4. Moritsugu

Ko-Aoe Moritsugu

守次

Tokujū
Vol. 24, No. 57 · Tachi

Ko-Aoe Moritsugu

守次

2 ranked works

Major smith
ProvinceBitchuEraHoji (1247–1249)PeriodKamakuraSchoolAoe>Ko-AoeTraditionBizen-denGeneration1stTypeSwordsmithCodeMOR358-0
2Tokubetsu Jūyō

Overview

Moritsugu (守次) was a smith of the school of Province, traditionally regarded as the son of Yasutsugu, who is held to be the founder of the lineage. The name "Moritsugu" was inherited by successive smiths down into the period, with extant works spanning from the early period through the Bunwa and Enbun eras of the mid-. Among signed works appraised as , scholarship distinguishes two signature types: a two-character gyōsho (semi-cursive) form, powerfully struck and incorporating (reverse chisel work), and a characteristically elongated, flowing sōsho (cursive) form. The former type appears to date slightly earlier. While works are typically signed on the , Moritsugu is a noted exception, customarily signing on the .

Moritsugu's forging characteristically shows with vigorous admixture that tends toward finely raised grain, frequently producing the distinctive (crêpe-like texture) associated with the tradition. Dense adheres thickly, with conspicuous throughout, and a -like reflection or faint mottled appears. His is grounded in , mixed with and ; small enter actively, and the shows a (tightened tendency) with adhering. Along the , features such as , , , and uchi-noke appear, with and running through, yielding a bright .

The characterizes Moritsugu's workmanship as displaying an archaic (kochō) manner that conveys a high level of dignity, combining grandeur with elegance. His blades are praised for richly varied workmanship and a "notably superior appearance." As rare extant examples from the group, works by Moritsugu are assessed as possessing extremely high documentary value for the study of the school, and those found in both and are termed "precious works."

Historical importance

Where Moritsugu 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—
Gyobutsu—
Tokubetsu Jūyō2
Jūyō Tōken—

Elite Standing

Currently Available

Lineage

Moritsugu
Students (3)
  1. 1.Tsunetsugu恒次12designated
  2. 2.Naritsugu成次
  3. 3.Yukitsugu行次

Ko-Aoe School

Other artisans of the Ko-Aoe school

  1. 1.Masatsune正恒28designated
  2. 2.Yasutsugu康次11designated
  3. 3.Kanetsugu包次9designated
  4. 4.Tsunetsugu恒次12designated
  5. 5.Suketsugu助次14designated
  6. 6.Moritoshi守利11designated
  7. 7.Tametsugu爲次6designated
  8. 8.Toshitsugu俊次6designated
  9. 9.Tsugutada次忠6designated
  10. 10.Sadatsugu貞次5designated
  11. 11.Moritsugu守次5designated
  12. 12.Shigetsugu重次5designated

Moritsugu

Moritsugu(守次) was a Japanese swordsmith of the Ko-Aoe school in Bitchu province, active during the Hoji (1247-1249) period.

The work follows the Bizen-den tradition.

Designated works by Moritsugu include 2 Tokubetsu Jūyō.