Hōjōji Masahiro

Hōjōji Masahiro was a swordsmith who lived and worked in Edo from the early to middle Edo period, and is known as a representative swordsmith of the Hōjōji school. He descended from the Hōjōji school of Tajima Province, which traced its lineage to the Sōshū tradition, went to Edo, and played a part in the sword culture of Edo during the shintō period. His common name was Saburōdayū, he received the title Ōmi no Kami, and he also inscribed his blades as Hōjōji Tachibana Masahiro. His style is known for resembling that of Kotetsu.

Masahiro produced hamon resembling Kotetsu's. It is said that in the Edo period some of his blades had their signatures erased and were inscribed with forged Kotetsu signatures, and some circulated as false Kotetsu. The style of the shintō Hōjōji school suggests a connection with the Kotetsu lineage, and Masahiro is said to have also had ties with the Edo Ishidō school.

The shintō Hōjōji school is regarded as a school founded by Masahiro after he went from Tajima to Edo. Its name derives from the Tajima Hōjōji school (Kunimitsu) of the Nanboku-chō period, but its style differs from that of the kotō Hōjōji school.

He is ranked among the jōjōsaku of shintō, and in the cutting-performance rankings he is classed as a wazamono.