Hikoshiro Hiromitsu

Hikoshiro Hiromitsu (相模國住人貞宗 - "Sagami kuni junin sadamune" [ [http://www.jssus.org/nkb/ Nihonto Knowledge Base ] ] ) (Born EI-NIN 6, 1298; Died SHO-HEI 4, 1349 [ [http://www.reninet.com/shoshin/tosan2.htm Family tree] ] ) also called Soshu Sadamune is a Soshu swordsmith originally from Goshu province whose works are considered some of the finest blades ever created. His works are often compared with those of the other great Koto era (987 AD-1596 AD) swordsmiths including Soshu Masamune, Bizen Nagamitsu, and Ike Muramasa. He was a son by blood or adoption [ [http://www.jssus.org/nkb/nkb.php?id=MAS590 Masamune Info] ] of Soshu Masamune considered by many to be the most famous of the Soshu masters [ [http://www.bushidojapaneseswords.com/Sano%20museum1.htm Sano Museum] ] [http://www.myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?p=69995 Swords Discussion Forum] ] .

After leaving Goshu province to go to Kanagawa Prefecture where he became Masamunes student sometime around the Nambokucho era. As a mark of his completion of his teachers training he inherited the "mune" part of his name Sadamune from Masamune. Sadamune was not the only student trained by Masamune but is believed to be of a style almost up to the level of his teacher.

Students

Hikoshiro Hiromitsu is believed at the present time to have trained four students Nobukuni (信国) [ [http://www.jssus.org/nkb/nkb.php?id=NOB298 Nobukuni 1] ] who formed a large generation of swordsmiths under the same name, Nobukuni [ [http://www.jssus.org/nkb/nkb.php?id=NOB300 Nobukuni 2] ] famous for his horimono images carved into the blades, and Takagi Sadamune (江州□住貞宗 - goshu takaki ju sadamune) [ [http://www.jssus.org/nkb/nkb.php?id=SAD539 Takagi Sadamune] ] .

A great debate exists in the academic community about "Takagi Sadamune" [http://www.nihonto.ca/takagi-sadamune/index.html Takagi Sadamune Tantō Blade] ] . It is uncertain if Takagi Sadamune is simply Hikoshiro Hiromitsu after he returned to his home region, a son of his or someone who he taught sword making. The swords of Takagi Sadamune are not considered to be as high a quality as those produced by Soshu Sadamune but are still of exceptional skill.

One signed copy of his work exists a Tantō blade, and is owned by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The work signed "Goshu Takagi ju Sadamune" is said to have been made when Soshu Sadamune returned home to Takagi in Goshu province. Legend says he returned home to produce a copy of a famous sword called the "Ropecutter".

He also trained Kanro Toshinaga who is believed to have worked in Echigo in the Nanbokucho period. [ [http://www.nihontocraft.com/Ura_Nihon_no_Toko.html Ura Nihon no Toko - By Yoshikawa Kentaro] ] [ [http://www.sho-shin.com/ss1-1.pdf#search='Soshu%20Sadamune' - Kanro Toshinaga blade sale] ]

Higo Munekage (Higo No-Kuni Kumamoto-Kishi, Hagi Jiemon No-Sho Fujiwara Munekage Saku) who was a student of Suishinshi Masahide takes a great influence from Sadamune in his work, but wasn't a student of his. [http://www.legacyswords.com/nihontocons1.htm Higo Munekage Katana]

Kokon Mei Zukushi and other books listing Japanese sword smiths and blades list Motoshige as a student of Sadamune however Dr Honma Junji disagrees with this in his book [http://www.touken.or.jp/english/nihon_koto_shi/(22)%20No%20569.htm Nihon Koto Shi (History of Koto) By Dr. Honma Junji]

See also

* Masamune
* List of Wazamono
* Tantō

References

External links

* [http://www.reninet.com/shoshin/nobukuni.htm Nobukuni(1) and Nobukuni(2).]
* [http://www.touken.or.jp/english/nihon_koto_shi/(31)%20No.582.htm 1st Nobukuni]