Masamune正宗

Sōshū school · Sagami province · active 1288-1329

Hawley reference MAS590
Hawley
400
points — scale 15 (recorded) to 500+ (legendary)
Fujishiro
Sai-jo saku
supreme masterwork — the highest grade
Tōkō Taikan
¥25M
reference market valuation (Tokuno Kazuo, 1977)

Smith record

EraShoō–Kareki
Active period1288-1329
ProvinceSagami
School / traditionSōshū
TeacherKunimitsu
Hawley IDMAS590

Recorded signatures (mei)

Mei
Year
Ref
0000-0342
城和泉守所持kizuki izumi no kami shoji正宗磨上 本阿 (花押 公徳)masamune suriage (hon'a kao - kōtoku)
本田中務所持honda nakatsukasa shoji正宗本阿 (花押)masamune hon'a (kaō)
正宗masamune
朝倉籠手切太刀なり天正三年asakura kotegiri no tachi nari tensho 3 nen右幕下御搨上大津伝十郎拝領migi bakka osuriage otsu denjurō hairyō
南無八幡namu hachiman正宗masamune
正宗masamune本阿 (花押)hon'a (kaō)

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About these ratings

Hawley points come from W. M. Hawley's Japanese Swordsmiths (1981), the standard Western reference cataloguing over 12,000 smiths. Most recorded smiths sit at 15–20 points; only a few dozen legendary masters exceed 150.

Fujishiro grades (from Nihon Tōkō Jiten) rank workmanship from Chū saku up to Sai-jō saku, while the Tōkō Taikan valuation (Tokuno, 1977) reflects each smith's relative market standing in yen. Explore more smiths in the searchable swordsmith index.

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