Hisamune is transmitted in the as a grandson of Ko- Norimune, the founder of the Fukuoka group, and as a swordsmith active around the 'gen era (1243--1247) in the early period. The Fukuoka school arose in the early period and flourished most greatly in the mid- period; those smiths of the group active in the earlier phase -- beginning with Norimune -- are separately designated as Ko-. Their manner differs from the splendid and brilliant style of the mid- : in both the and the workmanship of and , they preserve strongly the flavor of works. Few celebrated works by Hisamune survive today.
Hisamune's forging shows mixed with , with minute adhering, fine entering well, and faint standing in the ground. His tempering is based on , mixed with , , and , with entering; the is somewhat deep, and adheres well. The displays in places, with suggested, together with and . In these features, the classical and dignified character distinctive to Ko- is made plainly evident. His follows a straight form turning back in with a shallow return. His signatures are rendered in rather large, bold two-character strokes cut with a somewhat thick chisel, and their crisp clarity is especially praised in designation records.
Hisamune's importance rests on his position within the earliest phase of the Fukuoka lineage, bridging the archaic manner and the increasingly dynamic style that would define the school's mid- zenith. Because extant works by Hisamune are rare, surviving pieces possess high documentary value for understanding his workmanship range and signature. Designation records commend the beauty of his nearly unaltered , the soundness of preservation in both and , and the refined, dignified quality of workmanship that places him firmly among the distinguished early masters of the tradition.
