Norishige of the school is a smith of Province active during the late to early period, and is entirely distinct from the far better-known Province Norishige of the tradition. Norishige belongs to the earliest stratum of work, predating the organized schools of and . His signed and bear a two-character inscription reading "Norishige," cut with a characteristically thick chisel on the side toward the . Extant signed examples are acknowledged as rare, and several surviving blades have been considerably shortened (), with signatures preserved through the technique of folding the original tang.
The workmanship of Norishige displays the hallmark features of the early group. The shows tight with a tendency toward standing grain, and the steel exhibits a quality described as having an -like appearance -- the faint, shadowy reflection in the ground metal characteristic of classical forging. The is typically rendered in mixed with and small , with and entering frequently to create a lively, animated temper line. and appear within the hardened edge, and adheres well throughout. The tends toward finishing in , a construction consistent with the oldest conventions.
Norishige occupies a position of scholarly interest precisely because his surviving corpus is small yet consistently demonstrates the foundational qualities of - workmanship. His blades range from compact pieces approaching proportions to full-length , attesting to a versatile production. The combination of sound preservation, clear internal activity, and the rarity of authenticated signatures makes each confirmed work a significant reference point for understanding the formative period of the school.
