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About the school

Shikkake School尻懸派

The Shikkake school (尻懸派) stands among the five great Yamato traditions (*Yamato goha*) that flourished in the shadow of Nara's powerful temples during the late Kamakura period. While traditionally attributed to Norihiro as founder, Norinaga (則長) is regarded as the *de facto* progenitor, documented through extant *tantō* bearing inscriptions of his age: forty-eight in Bunpō 3 (1319) and sixty-nine in Ryakuō 3 (1340). These datings place his birth in Bun'ei 9 (1272), establishing him as a contemporary of the school's early development. Works attributed to later generations extend into the Muromachi period, indicating successive transmission of the name across multiple generations. Given the concentration of *sōhei* (warrior monks) in Yamato Province, it is natural that Shikkake smiths produced numerous *naginata*, with more surviving examples attributed to this school than any other Yamato tradition. Shikkake workmanship shares the fundamental Yamato vocabulary: construction with high *shinogi* and conspicuously wide *shinogi-ji*; forging in *itame* that characteristically flows, often incorporating *mokume* and *nagare-hada* with areas trending toward *masame* near the edge; and steel exhibiting thickly adhering *ji-nie* with frequent, stout *chikei* and occasional *nie-utsuri*. The tempering centers on *suguha*-based patterns, yet the school's signature lies in its treatment of the *hamon*: while maintaining the *suguha* foundation, Shikkake smiths tempered small *gunome* in connected succession (*ko-gunome-tsure*), creating a gently undulating effect. Along the *habuchi* appear characteristic Yamato activities—*hotsure*, *nijūba*, *kuichigai-ba*, *uchi-noke*, and *yubashiri*—with well-adhering *ko-nie* producing a bright, clear *nioiguchi* interwoven with *kinsuji* and *sunagashi*. The *bōshi* typically runs straight with vigorous *hakikake*, often tending toward *yakizume* or taking on a flame-like (*kaen*) character at the point. While some examples execute pure *suguha* patterns, the intermixing of running *ko-gunome* within the *ha* remains the critical diagnostic feature distinguishing Shikkake from other Yamato schools, particularly Taima, with which it shares close affinities. The school's legacy endures through works of exceptional quality and preservation. Surviving *naginata* of grand scale—some exceeding 2 *shaku* 7 *sun*—demonstrate Nanbokuchō-period construction with characteristic shallow flaring and deep curvature, often transmitted in rare *ubu-nakago* condition. Shortened *katana* attributed to the school display vigorous forging in which flowing grain and *chikei* interweave, producing steel of remarkable clarity (*saeru*), while the tempering exhibits thickly adhering, strongly luminous *nie* creating bright visual effects. The consistent appearance of well-refined *jigane* with dense *ko-itame* and abundant *ji-nie*, paired with distinctive tempering patterns that balance fundamental *suguha* with running *ko-gunome*, establishes Shikkake as a school whose characteristic features remain unmistakable across centuries of production. Works attributed to this tradition regularly survive in *kenzen* (sound and well-preserved) condition, testimony to both original forging quality and careful transmission through successive generations.

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