奥元平
Oku Motohira
Description
Oku Motohira is regarded as one of the finest swordsmiths of the Satsuma tradition (modern Kagoshima Prefecture) during the Shinshinto period (late Edo era, roughly 1804–1854). Working as an official swordsmith under the Satsuma domain — one of Edo Japan's most militaristically-minded han — Motohira produced blades that perfectly embody the Satsuma ideal of functional excellence married to refined aesthetics. His jihada is a finely forged ko-itame, uniformly textured with excellent iron quality, while his hamon — whether gunome, notare, or choji — is characterized by abundant, fine nie with strong kuitsuki along the cutting edge. The overall body of his blades reflects Satsuma's martial tradition: robust hira-niku, well-defined shinogi, and practical weight distribution designed for actual cutting use. Among official assessments, Motohira received the "Jōjōsaku" (second-highest) rank, placing him among the elite of Shinshinto-era smiths nationwide. His works are particularly prized in the form of tanto and wakizashi — the constant companions of Satsuma samurai — which combine maximum practical effectiveness with outstanding artistic refinement.
Famous Works
- 脇差「奥元平」（個人蔵・薩摩藩伝来）
- 短刀（重要刀剣指定品）