MOTOSHIGE Group 

         MOTOSHIGE       
"The Three Students" SANTETSU of SADAMUNE
________________
HATAKEDA MORIIYE(2)             three brothers
             |____________ ___________________
_____________|____     ___|____      _________|___
HATAKEDA MORISHIGE     MOTOZANE      Old MOTOSHIGE(1) KA-GEN 1303
             |         BUN-PO 1317        ____|___
             |                            MOTOHISA EN-BUN 1356
             |__________________________  
   __________|____    -brothers-    ____|____
   BIZEN MOTOSHIGE(2) KEM-MU 1334   SHIGEZANE(1) KEM-MU 1334
             |                      ____|____
             |                      SHIGEZANE(2) KAN-O 1350
    _________|______________________ _______________________
___|____  ___|___                ___|____                ___|____
MOTOYUKI  MOTOIYE SHI-TOKU 1384  MOTOYASU EI-TOKU 1381   MOTOMASA
SHI-TOKU  ___|___                ___|_____             EI-WA 1375
    1384  MOTOIYE SHO-CHO 1428   YASUTOSHI 
          ___|___                O-EI 1394
          MOTOIYE MEI-O 1492

HATAKEDA MORISHIGE EI-NIN: Son-in-law of NAGAMITSU. Brother of
        Old MOTOSHIGE and father of BIZEN MOTOSHIGE. 
           See HATAKEDA.

MOTOSHIGE(1) KA-GEN (f: MORIIYE, br: MORISHIGE): "Old MOTOSHIGE."
        Worked to GEN-TOKU 1329. His dates have been surmised. He
        is thought the teacher of BIZEN MOTOSHIGE. His work has 
        been compared to BITCHU AOE style. Made KO-KISSAKI narrow
        TACHI and wide with elongated KISSAKI. Dark KO-ITAME HADA
        has JI-NIE. NIOI KO-GUNOME with ASHI where ASHI may 
        become SAKA, or leaning. An ASAKI-NOTARE undulation 
        shuffles KO-NIE KO-GUNOME HA. BOSHI: SUGUHA to KO-MARU or
        TOGARI head. Large two-character MEI. The MOTO character
        has the right shoulder raised.
     MOTOSHIGE 

MOTOHISA EN-BUN (f: MOTOSHIGE): MOTOSHIGE from TEI-JI 1362 is 
        said the son of Old MOTOSHIGE. There are several close 
           dates. SUGUHA.
     MOTOHISA
     BIZEN OSAFUNE MOTOHISA


MOTOZANE BUN-PO (br: Old MOTOSHIGE): BISHU OSAFUNE MOTOZANE

"The Three Students" SANTETSU
MOTOSHIGE KEM-MU (f: MORISHIGE, br: SHIGEZANE): OKURAnoSUKE. 
        known as one of SOSHU SADAMUNE's three students, KYO 
        NOBUKUNI, HOJOJI KUNIMITSU and BIZEN MOTOSHIGE. Some deny
        this, sighting his SAKA HAMON figures to evoke BITCHU AOE
        style-roots. His time, however, is on the heels of 
        KAGEMITSU, whose SAKA "Stooped shoulders" GUNOME HA HAMON
        pattern is the probable scene-setter. Also, his 50 year 
        career, from SHO-WA 1312 period to TEI-JI 1362, and the 
        fact that early MEI are signed large, has created the 
        conjecture of two generations. The first from SHO-WA to 
        KAN-O 1350, the second from KAN-O to TEI-JI. Of course, 
        there is no overlap and it is rare for such sharp 
        division of succeeding careers. Changes in style and 
        signature within a 50 year period are quite natural. His
        work period strides the transition to the NAMBOKUCHO, 
        both late-KAMAKURA with the larger, wide thrown KANJI and
        NAMBOKUCHO style with smaller, more tightly organized MEI
        are expected. 
        Early will seem like KAGEMITSU SAKA-style KATAOCHI 
        "Stooped shoulders" GUNOME-MIDARE and KO-GUNOME HA with
        SAKA-ASHI. Later: Standing MOKUME HADA showing CHIKEI and
        strong UTSURI. SOSHU-style JI-BA is a mark. HIRO-SUGU 
        width NIE and NIOI-DEKI GUNOME-MIDARE with SAKA-ASHI and
        YO. BOSHI is a gently waving ASAKI-MIDARE BA or NOTARE to
        MARU or TOGARI head with NIE HAKIKAKE. 
     MOTOSHIGE
     BISHU OSAFUNE MOTOSHIGE
     BISHU OSAFUNE JU MOTOSHIGE
     BISHU OSAFUNE JU MOTOSHIGE SAKU

Tokubetsu Juyo Motoshige

SHIGEZANE(1) KEM-MU (br: BIZEN MOTOSHIGE, t: KAGEMITSU): JIROBE.
        Father was SABEInoJO MORISHIGE. The SHIGEZANE years run
        from KA-REKI 1326 to EN-BUN 1356. A 35 year career being
        long and a distinct difference in style following KAN-O
        1350 find two generations hypothesized in modern texts. 
        1st: KA-REKI 1326 to RYAKU-O 1338. Swords resemble 
        MOTOSHIGE style. Narrow and thick, late-KAMAKURA graceful
        TACHI. Standing ITAME HADA has MIDARE-UTSURI. Expect 
        KATAOCHI "Stooped-shoulders" GUNOME HA. KO-MIDARE, 
        GUNOME-CHOJI KO-MIDARE BA with ASHI-IRI.
     BISHU OSAFUNE JU SHIGEZANE
     BIZEN-no-KUNI OSAFUNE SHIGEZANE
     BISHU OSAFUNE JU SABEInoJO SHIGEZANE
     BIZEN-no-KUNI OSAFUNE JU SHIGEZANE

SHIGEZANE(2) KAN-O: Later work is NAMBOKUCHO wide and thin TACHI
        SUGATA. Standing ITAME HADA. HIRO-width GUNOME with ASHI,
        perhaps CHOJI-ASHI with YO. CHOJI-MIDARE - look for 
        SAKA-ASHI, a noted definer.
     BISHU OSAFUNE JU SHIGEZANE

MOTOIYE SHI-TOKU (f: MOTOSHIGE): Some say son of Old MOTOSHIGE.
        MOKUME HADA. SUGUHA and GUNOME HA. Also found in SHO-CHO
        1428 and MEI-O 1492.
     BISHU OSAFUNE MOTOIYE
     BIZEN-no-KUNI JU MOTOIYE

MOTOYASU EI-TOKU (t: MOTOSHIGE): MOKUME. GUNOME-CHOJI BA.
     BIZEN OSAFUNE MOTOYASU

YASUTOSHI O-EI (f: MOTOHISA, t: MOTOYASU): MOKUME. GUNOME-CHOJI.
     BISHU OSAFUNE YASUTOSHI

MOTOYUKI SHI-TOKU (f: MOTOSHIGE: Said the son of Old MOTOSHIGE,
        but that may be stretching it. GUNOME-MIDARE HA.
     BISHU OSAFUNE MOTOYUKI