Myochin - Myochin

A school of armor makers. According to the "Myochin Genealogy," the first Izumo no Kami Kinomunesuke lived in Kujo, Kyoto, at the end of the Heian period and was given the title Myochin by Emperor Konoe. However, their works do not appear until after the Muromachi period, and it is assumed that they were most active during the late Muromachi period. By this time, branches had already been established in Odawara, Kamakura, Hitachi (Ibaraki Prefecture), Kozuke (Gunma Prefecture), and other places, and by the Edo period they had spread widely to Edo, Himeji, Hiroshima, Kochi, Kanazawa, Fukui, Sendai, and Hirosaki. This school was characterized by its well-forged, robust, and practical iron, and in addition to armor they also produced horse bridles, iron guards, rings for tea ceremony utensils, fire tongs, and movable ornaments, and they also demonstrated their authority in the appraisal of ancient armor.

The 17th generation, Nobuie (late Muromachi period), was highly acclaimed as a master craftsman, and Takayoshi and Yoshimichi were also well known. During the Edo period, these three craftsmen were highly valued and known as the Three Works.

[Harada Kazutoshi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

甲冑(かっちゅう)師の一流派。「明珍系図」によると、平安時代末に初代出雲守(いずものかみ)紀宗介(きのむねすけ)が京都九条に住し、近衛(このえ)天皇より明珍の号を賜ったと伝える。しかしその作品がみえるのは室町以降で、室町後期にもっとも活躍したことが推察される。このころすでに小田原、鎌倉、常陸(ひたち)（茨城県）、上野(こうずけ)（群馬県）などに分派ができ、江戸時代に入ると江戸、姫路、広島、高知、金沢、福井、仙台、弘前(ひろさき)と各地に広く分布した。鉄の鍛(きたえ)がよく、堅牢(けんろう)で実用的なのがこの派の特徴で、甲冑のほか馬の轡(くつわ)、鉄鐔(てつつば)、茶道具の鐶(かん)、火箸(ひばし)や自在に動く置物などの制作も行い、そのほか古甲冑の鑑定にも権威を示した。

　17代信家(のぶいえ)（室町後期）は名工の誉れ高く、ほかに高義(たかよし)、義通(よしみち)も知られ、江戸時代にはこの三工を三作と称して珍重した。

［原田一敏］

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