(美濃守藤原政常), “Masatsune” (政常), real name Nando Tarōsuke (納戸太郎助), he was actually t
(美濃守藤原政常), “Masatsune” (政常), real name Nando Tarōsuke (納戸太郎助), he was actually the son of Daidō (大道) but was adopted by the 1st gen. Masatsune after the unexpected death of his own son Tarōsuke, he received the honorary title Mino no Kami in Genna five (元和, 1619) and died in the second year of Kanbun (寛文, 1662), he worked in the style of the 1st gen. but cannot compete in terms of quality. We know a lot of kozuka from him and also excellently executed horimono of a Fudō-Myōō or a suken in the hi. He also signed with a thick chisel whereas he placed the mei at katana and wakizashi on the shinogi-ji of the tang and at tanto centrally on the nakago, wazamono, jō-saku. NBTHK Tokubetsu Kicho Token (Green)
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Masatsune
美濃守藤原政常Mino no Kami Fujiwara Masatsune (2nd generation) was a prominent figure of the Owari-Seki school active during the Genna to Kanbun eras, continuing a prestigious lineage that served the Owari Tokugawa family in Nagoya [1], [7]. Following the tradition of the first generation—who was the adopted son of the famed Sagami no Kami Masatsune—this smith refined the utilitarian Mino style into a sophisticated Shinto aesthetic characterized by a dense, well-forged *ko-itame* hada and a brilliant *suguha* or gently undulating *notare* hamon executed in *ko-nie deki* [1], [15]. His blades often exhibit the robust *sugata* typical of the Kanbun Shinto period, featuring a thick *kasane* (thickness) and shallow *sori* (curvature) that reflect the practical, martial preferences of the mid-17th century samurai [15]. While the school is historically celebrated for masterful *naginata*, *yari*, and *kogatana*, the 2nd generation's rare *daito* are highly esteemed by collectors for their dignified presence and technical excellence, marking him as a pillar of Edo-period craftsmanship [7], [15].