Motoshige of the group in Province belonged to a line distinct from Kanemitsu and Chogi. According to older traditions, the son of the second-generation Moriie was Morishige, and Morishige's son was Motoshige; the lineage is thus said to descend from the Moriie tradition. Dated works by this smith span from the Showa era at the end of the period through Joji in the middle of the period -- a productive interval of roughly forty years -- and within this span there is a strongly held view that a first and second generation existed, though no fixed consensus has been reached as to where the boundary between them should be drawn. Motoshige is counted among the makers of Soden- alongside Kanemitsu and Chogi, yet compared with those contemporaries, his extant works show comparatively fewer pieces that strongly take on the character of the tradition. The observes that his manner, according to old transmitted writings, "is said to resemble Kagemitsu and Kanemitsu, or alternatively works of the group," but upon close inspection a distinct individuality emerges.
The technical hallmarks by which Motoshige is identified form a remarkably consistent constellation across his oeuvre. In the , his forging incorporates flowing -like tendencies and -- mottled, patchy irregularities in the steel surface -- yielding an mixed with that overall tends toward (standing grain). Fine adheres, enters well, and a vivid stands out conspicuously. In the , angular -- the so-called -- are the principal theme, set upon a broad foundation; the temper shows a reverse-slanting tendency (), and within the hardened area one observes activities such as and . The tends toward tightness and is predominantly , often bright and clear. and appear throughout, and in some works and are intermingled. The frequently enters in and becomes pointed at the tip, turning back with a pointed tendency. It is precisely in these features -- "where an temperament is intermingled" within an context -- that the locates the principal points of appreciation for this smith and his group.
The evaluative language applied to Motoshige's finest works is consistently elevated. Blades are praised for abundant -oki (ample blade "flesh") that gives "a substantial feel in hand" and overflows with "robust vigor" and "martial spirit." The repeatedly emphasizes that both and are -- sound and well-preserved -- a condition reflecting both the quality of the original steel and generations of careful stewardship. One dated bearing a Kenmu inscription is called "the white eyebrow among his works," while others are valued as "documentary material for understanding the breadth of this smith's workmanship." Several pieces preserve distinguished provenance: former holdings of the 'in-no-miya house, the Sendai Date family, and the Akita Satake domain. Motoshige's significance lies in his position as the third pillar of late- to production -- a smith who, while grounded in the tradition, "reveals the taste of neighboring ," thereby embodying a creative independence that the regards as both distinctive and deeply instructive for the study of this pivotal era in Japanese swordsmithing.