Blade construction : Hira-zukuri, Iori-mune, Wide in Mihaba, thick in Kasane holding no curvature and it's Fukura is swelling in full.Heavy on hand (299grams without Habaki)。（click HERE for higher resolution of the blade)
Carvings : On the front side, there are engravings of the Sanskrit character "Bonji" and "Jizo Bosatsu" (Bodhisattva Jizo). On the reverse side, there are engravings of Buddhist phrase 大慈大悲 "Daiji Daihi".
Forging (hada) : Oveall forging is an indication of Masame under the fine Ko-itama-hada. The surface is convered with sparkling Ji-nie glitter where works with darkish grain mark of Chikei-activity.
Hamon : Temper forms wide undulating Notare-ha with a mixture of small Gunome and Togari-ha and show some isolated Tobiyaki. Nie-ashi feet emits toward cutting edge and Sunagashi streams and thick lines of Kin-suji appear in the interior of temper.
Boshi : Intensive Sunagashi brushes up with an indication of medium circle turns back a bit on longer side.
Nakago : UBU original, One peg hole. Slanting left Kattte-sagari Yasurime file marks with an indication of horizontal Kesho and back ridge is a bit contoured where slanting left left Katte-sagari file mark apperas. The heel of Nakago forms uneven U-shaped Ha-agari-kurijiri. On the tang below the Mekugi-ana, there is an inscription signature engraved in bold chisel strokes that reads “MOTOSHIGE" 基重 – "Carving by the same hand” 彫同作. On the reverse side (ura), the date of manufacturing is inscribed: “A day in February, Heisei 9” 平成久年二月日 (1997).
Master MOTOSHIGE Oguri 小栗基重 was born in 1953 (Showa 28) in Shuchi District, Shizuoka Prefecture. His given name is Tatsumi 辰巳. In 1976 (Showa 51), he began studying swordsmithing under Sadahiro Kita 喜多貞弘, a senior apprentice of the second-generation Living National Treasure Sadakazu Gassan 月山貞一.
In 1983 (Showa 58), he studied sword engraving under Senju Yanagimura 柳村仙寿, an Okayama Prefecture-designated Important Intangible Cultural Property holder. The same year, he obtained an official approval to forge swords to became independent.
Since his first submission to the Newly made Japanese Sword Exhibition in 1989 (Heisei 1), he has been selected 15 times Nyusen awards in the sword category and 9 times awarded in the sword engraving category, earning numerous awards and establishing himself as a leading craftsman of contemporary Japanese swords.
The "Jizo Bosatsu" 地蔵菩薩 (Bodhisattva Jizo), affectionately known as "Ojizo-sama," appears in the form of a shaven-headed monk, wearing simple robes like the Buddha and holding a wish-fulfilling jewel. He is a bodhisattva who vows to save all living beings. The term "Great Compassion and Great Mercy" 大慈大悲 is a Buddhist phrase expressing the heart of a buddha or bodhisattva to bestow happiness without discrimination (great mercy) and to eliminate suffering (great compassion). The featured work is a masterful piece created by Oguri MOTOSHIGE 小栗基重 at the age of 46, created during the peak of his maturity, with the self-carving, self-made metal fittings of Kozuka/Kogai and even it's Kogatana small knife - all those fittings are crafted by his own hand.
Good old polish/Condition scale: mint (using a scale of mint-excellent-very good-good-fair-poor).
Enclosure: Aikuchi style Koshirae mounting with a brownish grape-colored lacquered scabbard
(enlarged images : click HERE in fromt/HERE in back)
- Saya (scabbard): Tea-grape color pure Japanese lacquered
- Kozuka & Kogai : Design of moonlight and pine trees, Iron Nanako ground and polished surface, gold and silver inlay
- Kogai signed: "MOTOSHIGE-saku" 基重作 (花押) with Kao (seal)
- Kozuka signed: "Self-Engraving" Hori-dosaku 彫同作 (花押) with Kao (seal)
- Kogatana (small blade) signed: "Tōtōmi no Kuni Motoshige" (Motoshige of Tōtōmi Province) 遠江国基重
- Menuki : Design of Akebi (chocolate vine), made in high relief Katabori made of Shakudō with colored Iroe accents
- Tsuka (hilt): White Same-gawa (ray skin) wrap
Double-layered gold-layerd Habaki (blade collar), preserved in a Shirasaya (plain wooden storage scabbard) included
