Archived Nihonto.ca (Yuhindo.com): Tegarayama Masashige

Tegarayama Masashige

Tegarayama Masashige was born in 1759 and lived and worked in Harima province at the foot of the mountain that he later took as his family name. His teacher was the Sandai Ujishige (his elder brother), and Masashige originally used this name signing as the yondai. He lived in Osaka for a while, and absorbed the local style of manufacture which he would master and rival the best Osaka smiths of the Shinto period.

In 1788 he was taken into the service of the Shirakawa Rakuo (Sadanobu), the Matsudaira Daimyo of Etchu province, receiving a fief of 500 koku and moving to Edo to make swords for his master. In 1803 he received the title of Kai no Kami.

The Lord Rakuo, taken with his work, granted him two kanji, Shin and Myo. On works that he himself rated as his best work, he used one of these characters in his signature. However, these characters were granted to him at the end of his life, and Fujishiro has this to say:

As for works to which the two kanji “SHIN MYO” have been added, even though these are said to be mostly excellent works, these were made in his twilight years, and at this time, they were all inferior to those he made in his prime of life during Kansei.

This sword is one of the typical dated pieces of the Kanesi period, made in the prime of his life as Fujishiro has stated.

The work style of Masashige is similar to the better Osaka smiths like the Nidai Sukehiro, but can be distinguished by a tight ko-itame becoming muji, and the greater activity in the hamon (where Sukehiro is comparitively peaceful).

Tegarayama Masashige died at the age of 71 in 1830. Fujishiro rates him at Jo-jo saku, for very superior skill.

Masashige Wakizashi

This wakizashi is very nicely done, and in the hand sits easily with the best Osaka work. It was made in 1799 when the smith was 40 years old and no doubt at the height of his skill, one year after he had attracted the attention of Rakuo. The hamon done in thick ko-nie is luminous and gorgeous in gunome midare, becoming toranba with scattered kinsuji. As is typical for this smith, the kitae is a tight ko-itame, close to becoming muji.

This sword was polished by Fujishiro Okisato san. It resides in Japanese shirasaya and features a gold foil two piece habaki. Furthermore, it was published in the NBTHK Token Bijitsu, issue #521 (June 2000).

The nakago is beautifully finished and well signed with his long signature in his style of the Kansei period. It bears the designation of Tokubetsu Hozon from the NBTHK, and features a long sayagaki by Tanobe sensei of the NBTHK.

In particular, Tanobe sensei ends his commentary with the characters 珍重 (chin-cho), which translates literally as “prized and valued”, but has the meaning that the sword is held in high esteem. Normally Tanobe sensei includes this phrase with or without emphasis on swords of Juyo Token caliber or higher. It is rarely found on swords of Tokubetsu Hozon status or lower (this is the first I’ve seen), and is an indication that it is a very superior blade that Tanobe sensei appreciated and is worthy of future submission to Juyo Token shinsa.