Mumei Omiya Morishige Katana, Late Nanbokucho–Early Muromachi Period, in Koshirae
Type: Katana
Nakago: O-suriage Mumei
Period: Late Nanbokucho – early Muromachi period, ca. 1375–1420 AD
Papers: NBTHK Hozon
Horimono: None
Koshirae: Yes
Specifications:
Nagasa (Cutting-edge length): 62.42cm
Sori (Curvature): To be measured
Motohaba: To be measured
Sakihaba: To be measured
Construction: Shinogi-zukuri
Description:
Attributed to Morishige of the Omiya school in Bizen Province and authenticated by NBTHK Hozon papers. This is an o-suriage mumei katana dating from the transitional period between the late Nanbokucho and early Muromachi periods, approximately 1375–1420 AD.
Morishige belonged to the Omiya group, an important branch of the wider Bizen tradition. The school is traditionally said to have originated with Kunimori, whose lineage moved from Yamashiro to Bizen and subsequently became established around Osafune. The Omiya school flourished particularly during the Nanbokucho period, with Morikage and Morishige regarded among its best-known smiths. The name Morishige was used by successive generations, with the second generation working during the Oei era in the early Muromachi period.
This Katana is mostly forged in ko-itame hada, with some masame patterns. But the Hamon truly takes the cake, it has a choji-midare hamon mixed with gunome-midare, which is similar to the Ichimonji school. With stunning Utsuri which is shockingly visible in the ji. This sword truly makes its presence known!
The overall shape of the swords gives a nanbokucho appearance, but I date this to the second generation Morishige because of the jigane and hamon, which falls more into the late-Nanbokucho early Muromachi period.
The sword is accompanied by a complete koshirae, but without shirasaya, the Koshirae is mostly modern.
Click this link for a Youtube video of this Katana: