Oku Motohira (奥元平) was a swordsmith in the service of the Satsuma domain and the legitimate eldest son of Oku Motonao. Born in Enkyo 1 (1744), he studied under his father and earned the praise of "surpassing his teacher." His swordmaking is documented from the Meiwa era (1764-1772), with output increasing markedly from around An'ei 8-9 (1779-1780). He signed his early works "Satsuyoshi Motohira" or "Satsuhanshin Oku Motohira," and after receiving the honorary title Yamato no Kami in Kansei 1 (1789) -- contemporaneously with Hoki no Kami Masayuki -- he most often inscribed the fuller signature "Oku Yamato no Kami Taira Ason Motohira." He lived to the age of eighty-three, dying in Bunsei 9 (1826), with documented works including a blade dated to the very year of his death bearing the inscription of his age. Together with Masayuki, he is consistently described as one of the "twin pillars" of Satsuma .
Motohira's workmanship is defined by the as excelling in the - manner: mixed with and (pointed elements), a markedly deep , thick including , and the appearance of and . His forging characteristically shows tightly packed with thick -- at times mixing somewhat coarser -- and abundant , producing a refined ground of excellent quality. His blades display the hallmark Satsuma construction: wide , thick , and plentiful , especially prominent -, giving what the examiners describe as "a sturdy shape with a heavy feel in the hand." The bosshi frequently becomes flame-like (-style) through vigorous , overlaid with in the pattern termed "Satsuma imozuru" (yam-vine) -- a feature described as "distinctive to Satsuma blades." His earlier works display a shallow -based manner reminiscent of Shinkai of Osaka , while his mature production shows the full command of idiom with -laden .
The repeatedly notes that Motohira's early works "convey considerable force and an ambitious spirit," with a "vigorously spirited realm of expression" that yields to more complex and controlled mastery in his later years. His tends to tighten slightly around the in comparison to the deeply -laden upper portion -- a habitual trait that examiners identify as distinctive. The in his tempering are described as "especially long and conspicuous," running through the in a manner that, together with the frequently appearing and , presents "a scene with many points of interest." Works from his collaborative output -- including a rare three-brothers piece with Mototake and Motoyasu -- demonstrate that even in more restrained compositions, the is "bright and clear." From his earliest dated works of the Tenmei era through his final production in Bunsei 9, Motohira's oeuvre demonstrates a sustained command of the forge that earned him standing as one of Satsuma's two preeminent masters.