Kagenaga (景長) of Inshu (Inaba Province) is traditionally said to have been a disciple of Yoshimasa of Yamashiro Province, with some accounts identifying him as Yoshimasa's younger brother. He is commonly known by the appellation "Inaba Kokaji" -- the small smith of Inaba. Beginning with the first generation, smiths signing with the same name continued from around the end of the period well into the period. However, works that bear dates are extremely few, being limited to only several blades inscribed with an Oei-era date, making it exceedingly difficult to determine the period of a given work solely from the manner of the signature. Extant blades actually signed "Inshu-ju Kagenaga" are rare, further underscoring the documentary value of each surviving signed example.
The traditional style associated with this lineage is distinguished by skill in the Yamashiro tradition's . The forging typically presents a that is densely worked, at times with a slight tendency toward , producing a that is extremely well refined and softened in appearance. Fine forms thickly, and the may become . The temper line is almost exclusively a narrow -- frequently an -- in which the is tight and adheres cleanly. The is characteristically straight, turning back in a rounded manner. Points of interest may be found in areas where the tends to be somewhat soft, a quality that distinguishes Kagenaga's work within the broader idiom.
Among the earliest surviving works attributed to Kagenaga, blades from around the very end of the period display an especially archaic manner in both and the style of and , presenting slender proportions with pronounced and that recall the classical form. These early pieces are valuable examples that demonstrate the direct continuation of the Kyoto-school aesthetic into the provincial setting of Inaba, and they occupy an important position among works of the lineage.