Hayashi Mataichi

Dates of birth and death unknown. Sword fittings metalworker of the early Edo period. One of the leading craftsmen among the "Higo metalworkers" who flourished under the patronage of the Hosokawa family of Higo (Kumamoto Prefecture). The second son of the gunsmith Seibei Katsumitsu from Owari, his name was Shigeharu. There are various theories about his year of birth, such as 1605 (Keicho 10) or 1613, and his year of death, such as 1688 (Genroku 1), 1691, or 1699. His father followed Kato Kiyomasa and moved to Higo. After the Kato family was abolished and the Hosokawa family entered Higo, Matashichi was employed by Sansai Tadaoki with a stipend of 20 people, and he worked hard on making sword fittings and completed the Higo tsuba (guard guard). He is called the Kasuga school because he lived in Kasuga village in the same province in 1647 (Shoho 4). He specializes in iron tsuba (guards), and is renowned for the fine rust of the iron, as well as the skill of his gold inlay and the intricate openwork. He has created many openwork tsuba, including the Important Cultural Property "Hasen Sakura Inlaid Tsuba" and "Sakura Kuyomon Openwork Inlaid Tsuba", as well as the Tomi Matsu Openwork, Nagegiri Openwork, and Gomon Openwork. The Hayashi school, founded by Matashichi, continued uninterrupted until the end of the Edo period, and together with the Hirata, Nishigaki, and Shimizu schools, formed the four major schools of Higo metalwork and became the mainstream.

[Nobuo Ogasawara]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

生没年未詳。江戸前期の装剣金工。肥後（熊本県）細川家の庇護(ひご)により栄えた「肥後金工」中の代表工の1人。尾張(おわり)出身の鉄砲工・清兵衛勝光(かつみつ)の次男で、名は重治(しげはる)。生年については1605年（慶長10）あるいは13年説、没年は1688年（元禄1）、91年、99年などの諸説がある。父は加藤清正に従って肥後に移住。加藤家改易後、細川家が肥後に入ると、又七は三斎忠興(さんさいただおき)により二十人扶持(ぶち)で抱えられ、装剣金具の制作に励んで肥後鐔(つば)を完成した。1647年（正保4）に同国春日(かすが)村に住したところから春日派の呼称がある。作品は鉄鐔(てつつば)を得意とし、鉄錆(さび)のよさに加えて金象眼(ぞうがん)の巧みさと精巧な透しに定評がある。重要文化財の「破扇(はせん)桜象眼鐔」「桜九曜文透象眼鐔」をはじめ、遠見松透、投桐(なげぎり)透、御紋透など透鐔の作が多い。又七を祖とした林一派は幕末まで連綿と続き、平田、西垣、志水の三家とともに肥後金工の四大派を形成し、その主流をなした。

［小笠原信夫］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例