Archived Nihonto.ca (Yuhindo.com): Etchu Norishige

Etchu Norishige

When I made this website I did not consider that I would have the opportunity to write three times and take photographs three times for Norishige. This is a true blessing for someone who likes swords.

You can read more about Norishige by looking at this Juyo Norishige or at this reference Norishige Tanto.

Norishige of course is considered one of the finest Soshu smiths. Though the reputation of Masamune travels far and wide, in terms of skill the students of Shintogo Kunimitsu were much closer than their relative fame would lead one to think.

Norishige is associated with Go Yoshihiro as both hail from Etchu, and though they both had several styles (some of which were unique to each of them as individuals), their work is often similar. Though seemingly contradictory, it makes sense when you consider their shared background and their association with Masamune as driving forces for similarity. The fact that they were creative masters who had the skill and desire to refine these elements into unique styles explains the fact that they each staked out territory that no other could enter. Even today, their work remains peerless and in the case of their unique styles it becomes easily identified.

Norishige is famous for his tanto, as was his teacher Shintogo Kunimitsu, and of course his fellow pupils Masamune and Yukimitsu. Often times with these smiths one can read that their tachi were inferior to their tanto, but this is not derisive to their tachi. It is like saying moonlight is inferior to sunlight, in that nobody can look at the one and say it on its own is not brilliant and beautiful. It just tends to be that one may pale beside the other. I have seen famous tachi by Shintogo Kunimitsu and Norishige and been blown away by the skill and beauty, so indeed it is testimony to the heights reached by these smiths when working on the small form work which is cherished by collectors and a hallmark of their school.

For Norishige, his work is usually signed with a two character mei, 則重 and are found with dates from Enkyo to Karyaku (1308-1329). Beyond these are longer signatures of the style 越中國呉服郷則重 which reads Etchu no Kuni, Gofuku no Go, Norishige. Gofuku no Go is the District of Gofuku as Etchu no Kuni is the Province of Etchu. The Nihonto Koza states that these signatures need some study, but it is common to see the long form used by Tanobe sensei in his sayagaki.

Because of this long name, Norishige is sometimes referred to along with Yoshihiro as “the two Go.” The Nihonto Koza also gives him a nickname of Goroujiro 五郎次郎 and Shingorou 新五郎. Harry Watson states that these are in reference to Masamune who bears the Buddhist name of “Gorou” in old writings, and the addition of Shin (meaning “new”) and Jiro (meaning “second son”) gives the meaning behind the nicknames as Norishige being a second Masamune in skill.

It has been written that Go Yoshihiro died at the age of 30, and it’s considered that Tametsugu was his son. Tametsugu is a very fine smith, and historically is thought to have studied under Norishige. Given the ages, if this were true it would imply a very close relationship between Go and Norishige. Sharing their home province; their study in Kamakura and relationship with Masamune; their works which show echoes of each other; and with Norishige taking on Go’s orphaned son, it can lead one to imagine a father-son relationship between the two. There is nothing I find written to state this, it is just my own musing.

After Norishige died, Tametsugu returned to Mino provice where he was born, and the other bright pupil of Norishige, Sanekage, left for his home of Kaga. This left in Etchu only the smiths of Uda to inherit the mantle left behind by the two Go.

Norishige has been famous for centuries for a combination of features: matsukawa hada, and a hamon that blends into the ji. In this hamon we can see the seeds of hitatsura, and we see additional features that lead to this feature in Masamune as well. The Nihonto Koza states:

Jitetsu: The kitae of Norishige is one that has the most distinctive characteristics, and this is also probably the area in which he most specialized. In other words, even in sword books of the Muromachi Jidai, it says, “the hada is not all in one piece,” or “he is skilled in tetsu workmanship.” Hard and soft tetsu are combined, there is thick and vigorous ni-nie, chikei frequently appears, and the itame is hadatachi, and this is referred to as the so-called matsukawa hada (pine bark hada) or Norishige Hada. As for the condition of this hada, it has more noticable features than that of Masamune, and is the first clue to spotting Norishige. One who brought this out again in the shinto period is Kono Hankei, but the content of that is far from reaching that of Norishige. Lastly, works which counterfeited the appearance of this hada appear in the later works of various kuni and in the works of the shinshinto period, these are not worthy of speaking about in the same breath, and knowing how to distinguish these is a matter of kantei knowledge.Hamon: In tachi the hamon is ko-midare and pieces can be seen with classical elegance. In tanto, it is entwined in the jihada, it blends with the ji-nie, and there is not a clear boundary between the ji and the ha. There are also some with what should be called a peculiar hitatsura style, and there are also some that are suguba among tanto that are large size and have an ordinary fukura. Overall, the nioi-guchi is misty, there is abundant nie, activity in the ha such as kinsuji and inazuma is prolific, there is sunagashi, and the yaki is very deep (the yakiba is wide).

I recently saw a tanto at auction at Christies which fit the description very well, though there was some dispute about the mei. The daito shown here is its twin in style, and I felt all along that the Christies tanto was clearly the work of Norishige and on the two occasions that I had an opportunity to study it I got very excited and was very happy. It is usually with doubt that one picks up a shirasaya with Norishige written on the sayagaki and already known to have no authentication, and it is the doubt put in contrast with the beautiful work that reveals itself when the shirasaya is removed that heightens the sense of pleasure.

This daito in particular shows matsukawa hada very well, and also the feature of the hamon intertwining into the ji. The feeling to me is the same as what one would see on a sudden cold day where mist rises from a warm pond; you can see it in this sword as the hamon melts upwards into the jihada. The hamon is composed of gunome midare, streaked with kinsuji and sunagashi and very typical of Norishige. It is useful to look at this hamon and compare with the Juyo Senjuin wakizashi on my site which bears an old attribution to Norishige. In comparing the hamon you can see similarities, but you can also note where the jigane of Norishige eclipses that shown in the Senjuin (no doubt part of the reason why the Senjuin lost its Norishige attribution when it went Juyo).

This Norishige though in mostly excellent health and good overall preservation shows the hallmarks of some heady fighting. There is a serious chip in the ha which is detrimental in its consideration for Juyo and is impossible to polish out without sacrificing the integrity of the sword. In spite of this, Tanobe sensei called this one of the best Norishige and it is only the second non-Juyo that I have seen in which he wrote his high praise of “chin cho” on the sayagaki.

Also, if one pays close attention to the slideshow pictures (#7 shows it in stark contrast), it is clear that there is a puncture mark left by an arrow striking the blade. This sword recently received Mukansa class polish in Japan, and the polisher worked carefully around this area and left the metal raised which preserved this badge of honor, instead of grinding it away.

Tanobe Sensei Sayagaki

1. 越中國呉服郷則重
   Etchu no Kuni Gofuku no Go Norishige
2. 大磨上無銘ト雖モ
   O-suriage mumei to Iedo mo
   Though this sword is shortened and unsigned,
3. 地刃二其特色ヲ顕現
   jiba ni sono tokushoku wo kengen shi
   the jigane and hamon very clearly manifest the characteristics [of Norishige].
4. 工二紛レハ無シ出来丶保存二共
   Tako ni magireha nishi deki, hozon ni tomo
   With workmanship which can be unmistakably distinguished from other swordsmiths, and the state of preservation,
5. 則重極中出色也
   Norishige kiwamichu shushoku nari
   this is one of the best swords which are confirmed as the work of Norishige.
6. 珍重
   Chin cho.
   It is a prized and important work.