The school of Province is said to have been founded by Taro Kunimura, traditionally regarded as the maternal grandson of Kuniyuki of Yamashiro. From the late period through the period the school flourished greatly at Kumafu in Kikuchi District. Among its lineage were many highly skilled smiths, including Kuniyoshi, Kunitoki, Kunitai, Kunitomo, Kunisuke, Kuninobu, and Kunitsuna. As a school rooted in the Yamashiro tradition yet active in the remote province of , represents one of the most important regional transmissions of the classical Yamashiro manner.
In general, the school's works "do not markedly differentiate into strongly individualized styles" and broadly resemble the tradition. The forging frequently shows a conspicuous tendency toward , with areas of flowing and ; the steel characteristically takes on a somewhat whitish cast, and or often appears. The is typically a calm in , with entering; the shows a somewhat (subdued) tendency, and the activities within the tempered area are gentle and restrained. Along the , effects such as , uchi-noke, , and appear with quiet frequency. The is a principal diagnostic feature: it runs straight before the roundness at the point becomes slightly larger -- tending toward -- while the is tempered comparatively shallow and short, sometimes ending in . Blades often retain a somewhat high and well-developed , conveying a martial robustness beneath the serene surface.
The consistently characterizes work as possessing "a gentle, restrained charm" and "a serene calm" that distinguishes it from mainstream production. The school's steel is praised for its "refined and polished" quality, and pieces displaying a bright are singled out as "especially fine" examples, precisely because brightness is not the school's default register. Works retaining deep , thick , and abundant (blade flesh) are commended as "sturdily constructed so as to be thoroughly suited for martial use." The manner occupies a distinctive position within the broader Yamashiro lineage -- quieter and more introspective than , yet carrying a robust physicality that reflects its provincial, warrior-class patronage in .