Tatara Nagayuki (多々良長幸), commonly known as Shirobei, was originally from Kishu ( Province). He became a disciple of Kawachi no Kami Yasunaga, who had relocated from Kishu to Osaka, and is regarded as a craftsman whose skill surpassed that of his teacher. Active during the Tenna and Jokyo eras (1681--1688), Nagayuki established himself as a leading figure among the Osaka Ishido smiths. Dated works by him are exceedingly rare, though a small number bearing Tenna and Jokyo inscriptions allow scholars to establish his period of activity. He is considered the foremost practitioner of - among smiths.
Nagayuki's manner of work divides into two distinct types. The first is a flamboyant style in which large is mixed with small and , with abundant and -- an approach aiming at the -period manner that may be called the Ishido school's original house specialty. The second takes as its principal motif an open-waisted mixed with a compound-style (-) temper, modeled after late () workmanship. In both modes his forging is consistently a tightly packed over which stands out distinctly, with fine adhering thickly and entering well. His characteristically tends toward a tight, bright appearance, and the typically enters in with a pointed tip -- features that clearly express Nagayuki's distinctive personal method regardless of which stylistic mode he pursues.
Rated Jo-jo by Fujishiro, Nagayuki stands among the most accomplished revivalist smiths of the early period. His finest works in the manner achieve a magnificence in which splendid is tempered without yielding to imposingly large blade forms, successfully elevating the work to a higher artistic plane. Together with his skillfully produced , his swords are noted as liable to be mistaken for genuine older work -- a testament to his mastery of the classical tradition. Blades bearing date inscriptions and notations of materials such as nanban-tetsu (imported iron) constitute valuable documentary material for the study of Osaka Ishido smithing.