© Copyright Robert Cole 2015 - No copying or distributing
The Eight DO
HOKURIKUDO - The Eight Roads of KOTO		 




ETCHU NORISHIGE 

               Unique MATSUKAWA "Pine-bark"and UZU-MAKI HADA 
               "dressed in whirlpools" has CHIKEI and JI-NIE. 
               KO-MIDARE with ASHI, KO-GUNOME with valleys and
               SUNAGASHI in NIE. NIE can be large. KINSUJI. 
               BOSHI:KO-MARU, KAEN, TOGARI.
               SOSHU masters come to the HOKURIKU


"The Ten Students" - See Ten Students
GOFUKU GO NORISHIGE EN-KEI 1308 (SAGAMI) GEN-KYO 1321   
    |________________________ _________________________ ________
____|____                  __|_____                 ___|____    |
SHIGEKUNI(1) KEM-MU 1334   TOMONORI(1) KEM-MU 1334  MASANOBU    |
(NOBUKUNI 3: same)   ________|_____                 TEI-WA 1345 |
____|____            SAKON TOMONORI(2) TEI-JI 1362              |
SHIGEKUNI(3)           ______|_____                             |
   O-EI 1394           UDA TOMONORI(3) EI-TOKU 1381             |
                              ___________________________ ______|
________                  ___|____                   ____|____ 
TOMOHIRO(1) TEI-JI 1362   SANEKAGE(1) TEI-JI 1362    SUKESHIGE 
___|____                  ___|_____      _________   TEI-JI 1362 
TOMOHIRO(2) O-EI 1394     SHIGEKUNI(2)   MITSUMUNE   
                          EI-TOKU 1381   EI-TOKU 1381 

NORISHIGE EN-KEI (t:SHINTOGO KUNIMITSU): A member of the SOSHU
        revolution. Legend and old lessons has the world suckling
        MASAMUNE, whose work and reputation are stark. However 
        the power and subtlety of HAMON and intricate beauty of 
        his CHIKEI show the true stature of NORISHIGE as brother
        student under KUNIMITSU and his own man. Among the SOSHU
        he is ICHI-DAN - highest level. Although specializing in 
        TANTO, his long-swords are thought superior.
     TACHI: Signed blades are few. SUGATA is classic. Thin KASANE
        gives a longish feeling to an otherwise normal KISSAKI.
        Correct and normal NIKU. IHORI or MITSU-MUNE.
     TANTO: Curveless, 7 to 8 SUN, MITSU-MUNE or possibly longer,
        TAKENOKO-like (slightly UCHIZORI) IHORI-MUNE. Lengthening
        of the KISSAKI is seen in TANTO as well. CHIKEI defines 
        UZU patterns of hard and soft steel in his unique 
        MATSUKAWA-no-HADA. JI-NIE is found. He is known for a 
        JI-BA style HITATSURA where small TOBIs seem to 
        splatter-up into the JI. HAMON may be KO-MIDARE with 
        ASHI, KO-MIDARE, or a KO-GUNOME, NOTARE mix that appears
        a dynamically balanced "Jumble." NIE GUNOME-MIDARE with
        SUNAGASHI has NIJUBA, YUBASHIRI and KINSUJI. MIDARE-KOMI
        BOSHI. KAEN,TOGARI & KO-MARU.
    MEI: NORISHIGE
         SAEKI NORISHIGE
         SAEKI NORISHIGE SAKU
         ETCHU-no-KUNI NORISHIGE
         SAGAMI-no-KUNI JUNIN NORISHIGE
         ETCHU-no-KUNI NEI-GORI GOFUKU JU SAEKI NORISHIGE
         ETCHU-no-KUNI NEI-GORI GOFUKU GO JU SAEKI NORISHIGE
 Tokubetsu Juyo Norishige 
 Tokubetsu Juyo Norishige 
 Tokubetsu Juyo Norishige 

KOKUHO NORISHIGE              National Treasure
   NAGASA: 8.2 SUN                      MOTO-HABA: 6.6 BU
     SORI: UCHI-ZORI                  MOTO-KASANE: 2 BU
   NAKAGO: 2 SUN 6

   HIRA-TSUKURI, IHORI-MUNE TANTO. SUGATA style is narrow
   with thick KASANE. MATSUKAWA "Pine-bark" ITAME HADA is
   exemplified by the strongest CHIKEI. Writhing KINSUJI and
   INAZUMA hide and seek in a NOTARE CHOJI mix that rolls 
   together. Small SHIMA-BA clings in the MONOUCHI. 
   His work is described as MYO, or wondrous. 
   FURISODE "KIMONO-sleeve" NAKAGO with three MEKUGI-ANA of
   varied size, from multiple mountings, and his two-
   character MEI.


KOKUHO NORISHIGE







































Bunkazai Norishige

BUNKAZAI NORISHIGE 
NAGASA: 24.2cm 
UCHI-ZORI 
HIRA-TSUKURI, MITSU-MUNE, Medium-full FUKURE on slender, TAKENOKO like 
UCHIZORI. MATSU-KAWA ITAME-HADA that stands, has JI-NIE and much CHIKEI 
with JIFU mixed. 
NOTARE swells hold GUNOME-MIDARE BA of SOSHU style NIE. SUNAGASHI and 
KINSUJI abound and add NORISHIGE's wide spectrum of colorful subtleties. 
MIDARE HAKIKAKE BOSHI to TSUKI-AGE with slightly falling KAERI. 
Elongated, two MEKUGI-ANA NAKAGO supported many mountings. 
              NORISHIGE



Etchu Gofuku GO Norishige

NAGASA: 23.4cm 
UCHIZORI 

UZU-MAKI HADA and MATSUKAWA with MITSU-MUNE TAKENOKO, late-KAMAKURA SUGATA  unquestionably sing his song. 

He made both IHORI "roof-ridged" and MITSU-MUNE SUGATA. MATSUKAWA or  Pine-bark MOKUME is only associated to early NORISHIGE School, and really  only to NORISHIGE and one or two students. 

It is NORISHIGE's domain and epitaph.  Even best student, SANEKAGE could not long continue this KITAE, which faded fast as the school scattered to the NAMBOKUCHO wind.
The SUGATA style of this piece places time and, as students are a little later, lays our crossroad on the doorstep of the master; whose hand then becomes obvious. 

Running CHIKEI dances in UZU whirlpools and strong MATSUKAWA HADA that shows JI-NIE on this exceptionally healthy blade. 

The YAKIBA becomes wide in the upper, where KINSUJI forms arcing  SUNAGASHI that cuts NIJUBA to the KO-MIDARE line. KINSUJI fights with  INAZUMA and small JIBA TOBI jump from the HABUCHI. 

Wide BOSHI turns in KO-MARU to a long-falling KAERI that runs down the  MUNE. 

A simple SU-KEN climbs the lower. 

Red lacquer SHUMEI is found below two MEKUGI-ANA on the FURISODE NAKAGO.



Etchu Norishige

Images with permission. - Darcy


Norishige
Nagasa: 70cm

Shinogi-tsukuri, Ihori-mune FutatsuBi on both sides. Chu-Kissaki.

Ji-Nie and profuse Jiba run in swirling O-Matsukawa Hada, where the Yakiba finds many rivers to post its wide and leisurely O-Notare line. Kinsuji chases eddies in flowing Sunagashi. Yubashiri and Tobi-yaki escape to the Ji.

Banners and streamers of the upper become lost in a Hakikake, Tsuki-age Boshi.
O-Suriage Nakago has three Mekugi-ana, one filled.



























Norishige - Juyo Bunkazai

Norishige
Nagasa: 2 Shaku 3 Sun 5 Bu 3 Rin (71.3cm)
Sori: 7 Bu 6 Rin (2.3cm)
Moto-haba: 9 Bu 5 Rin (2.9cm)
Saki-haba: 5 Bu 9 Rin (1.8cm)
Kissaki-naga: 9 Bu 2 Rin (2.8cm)
Nakago: 6 Sun 9 Bu 3 Rin (21cm)

Bo-Hi dresses Shinogi-tsukuri, Mitsu-mune, thin Kasane and graceful curve.
Standing Matsukawa-Hada has Ji-Nie and Chikei.
Deep Nioi-Fukashi and Ko-Nie Ko-Midare ba on a gently Notare roll has Ashi and Yo.
Midare-Komi Hakikake Boshi.
Suriage Nakago has four Mekugi-ana, one filled and is signed at the bottom:
     Norishige
ETCHU NORISHIGE School 
SANEKAGE TEI-JI (t: NORISHIGE): Master to KAGA (smithing for the
        North). His NORISHIGE-style changed with time. Wide and
        shallow TANTO are seen.KASANE can be thin. In ITAME with
        O-HADA and the famous MATSUKAWA"Pine-bark" influence, 
        although grain is more refined. JI-NIE and CHIKEI. GUNOME
        appears in KO-MIDARE of NIE which shows SUNAGASHI. 
        KO-NOTARE GUNOME, or KO-GUNOME CHOJI-MIDARE of KO-NIE is 
        also found. NIE of varying size dress SUNAGASHI and 
        KINSUJI over deep-falling NIOI with ASHI. UCHINOKE and 
        TOBI-YAKI are found. MIDARE-KOMI BOSHI has the TSUKI-AGE
        "Thrust" TOGARI or possibly KO-MARU. See KAGA - SANEKAGE 
    MEI: FUJIWARA SANEKAGE
         KASHU JU SANEKAGE
         KASHU JU FUJIWARA SANEKAGE

SHIGEKUNI(1) KEM-MU (f: NORISHIGE): Made swords in the style of
        the master. Note: The key with SHIGEKUNI generations, 
        beyond SUGATA as to time, is style of the teacher.
    MEI: SHIGEKUNI

SHIGEKUNI(2) EI-TOKU (t: SANEKAGE): His swords follow the more 
        subdued refinements of SANEKAGE-style.
    MEI: SHIGEKUNI

SHIGEKUNI(3) O-EI (t: 3rd NOBUKUNI): Theory has SHIGEKUNI 
        traveling in O-EI to study with KYO NOBUKUNI. His earlier
        work, therefore, shows the YAMASHIRO richness of color, 
        an appraisal-point. TANTOs return from wide NAMBOKUCHO 
        style to a normal width. Running ITAME with MASAME has 
        JI-NIE. KO-MIDARE GUNOME-MIDARE in NIE with SUNAGASHI. 
        KO-ASHI. HORIMONO of KEN, GOMABASHI and KOSHI-HI are 
        seen. Stylized, two-character MEI.
ETCHU NORISHIGE School 
TOMOHIRO (2) O-EI (f: TOMOHIRO): Narrow bladed FUNBARI TACHI with
        CHU-KISSAKI. KASANE is thick. KO-ITAME mix of MOKUME and
        MASAME that runs or MASAME-drawn AYASUGI. HAMON is 
        KO-GUNOME TOGARI BA in NIE. Known for KOSHI-UTSURI that 
        stands out. Large, two character, stylized MEI in thick 
        strokes.

TOMONORI(1) KEM-MU (f:SADAMUNE): NORISHIGE School. Passed the
        rich foundation on towards the UDA transition.
    MEI: TOMONORI

TOMONORI(2) TEI-JI: Many TANTO. In KO-GUNOME, KO-GUNOME MIDARE.
    MEI: SAKON TOMONORI

TOMONORI(3) EI-TOKU (f: TOMONORI): Swords in FUJISHIMA-style 
        SUGU, KO-GUNOME KO-MIDARE BA.
    MEI: TOMONORI

MITSUMUNE EI-TOKU: Smith of the late SADAMUNE line.
    MEI: MITSUMUNE

TOMOHISA(1) TEI-JI (f: MORIYOSHI): KO-ETCHU. Progeny to UDA.
    MEI: TOMOHISA

TOMOTSUGU(1) EI-TOKU (f: TOMOHISA): KO-ETCHU and UDA. MOKUME HADA
        having CHIKEI and JI-NIE. KO-NIE DEKI KO-GUNOME MIDARE or
        SUGU KO-GUNOME KO-CHOJI.KINSUJI and SUNAGASHI that is 
        bright and clear. BOSHI can be NOTARE HAKIKAKE with 
        KO-MARU.
    MEI: TOMOTSUGU

MASANOBU TEI-WA (t: NORISHIGE): To TEI-JI 1362. NORISHIGE style.
     ETCHUnoKUNI MASANOBU 
Return to: SiteMap
Glossary