Nobuie

Japanese: 信家 - のぶいえ

Year of birth: Year of birth and death unknown. A tsuba maker from the end of the Muromachi period to the Momoyama period. He lived in Owari Province (Aichi Prefecture). Along with the Kane family, who appeared around the same time, he is one of the most representative tsuba makers in Japan. There are tsuba makers with the same name scattered throughout Japan, including in Geishu (Hiroshima Prefecture), and there is also an armor maker with the same name who is related to the Myochin family, but they are both considered to be different people. His style is broadly divided into two types: Owari openwork tsuba style and tsuba with line engravings of patterns and characters, but both are completely different from the Kane family of the same period, and many of his tsuba are sturdy and strong, emphasizing practicality. In addition to round shapes, he preferred quince shapes, and he has thick plate tsuba with hair engravings of tortoise shell, climbing morning glory, climbing gourd, paulownia arabesque, cherry blossom patterns, etc., as well as ones with titles and poems in text. The well-forged iron surface dotted with chrysanthemum seals is beautiful in itself, but it also gives a deep flavor to the modest and simple design. In addition to the title "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo," the inscribed tsuba also contain inscriptions such as "Luck is in the heavens," "Under the slashing sword is hell, but step inside and you will find paradise," and "If you do not think of other people as human, then other people will not think of you as human either," expressing faith, outlook on life, and even songs about the secrets of martial arts. Tsuba with inscriptions like these were popular with warriors in the warring states, when even the next day's life or death was uncertain, and are thought to have appealed strongly to their hearts. It is no exaggeration to say that they go beyond the simple decorative meaning of the tsuba to express a part of the spirit of the times itself. Nobuie's tsuba look good with any style of koshirae (sword fittings), so they were highly valued even in the Edo period. Representative works include the Important Cultural Property "Tomoe Openwork Tsuba" (Tokyo National Museum) and the "Daimonoku Ax Openwork Tsuba", "Matsubamon Tsuba" and "Netmemon Tsuba" which were attached to the fittings of the National Treasure sword "Meibutsu Heshikiri Hasebe" handed down by the Kuroda family.

(Kashima Masaru)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

生年：生没年不詳
室町末期から桃山時代にかけての鐔工。尾張国(愛知県)に住した。彼と相前後する時代に現れた金家と共に日本の鐔工を代表する存在である。同名の鐔工が芸州(広島県)をはじめ各地に散在しており,また明珍家系統の甲冑師にも同名があるが,いずれも別人とみなされている。作風は,尾張透し鐔風のものと文様や文字を線刻で表したものとのふたつに大別されるが,いずれも同時代の金家とは全く別趣を呈し,実用性を重視した頑丈で剛健なものが多い。形は丸形のほかに木瓜形を好み,厚手板鐔に亀甲,蔓朝顔,蔓瓢箪,桐唐草,桜花文などを毛彫りしたものや題目,歌などを文字で表したものがある。菊花印を点々と施した,よく鍛え抜かれた鉄の地肌は,それだけで美しいが,控えめで素朴な調子の文様に深い味わいを与えている。文字を入れた鐔には「南無妙法蓮華経」の題目のほか,「運有天(運は天に有り)」「きりむすぶ太刀の下こそ地獄なれ一足ふみ込めそこは極楽」「あな楽や人を人と思はねば我をも人は人と思はぬ」といった信仰や人生観,さらに武道の極意の歌などが書かれている。こうした文字入りの鐔は,明日の生死すら知れぬ戦国の世の武人たちに好まれ,またその心に強く訴えかけたものと想像される。単なる鐔の装飾的意味あいから,一歩踏み込んで当時の時代精神そのものの一端が表されているといっても過言ではない。信家の鐔は,どのような趣向の拵(刀装)にもよく映えるため,江戸時代にいたっても盛んに愛玩された。代表的な作に,重要文化財「巴透し鐔」(東京国立博物館蔵)や黒田家伝来の国宝の太刀「名物へし切長谷部」の刀装につけられていた「題目に斧透し鐔」「松葉文鐔」「網目文鐔」などがある。

(加島勝)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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