Kagenaga is traditionally said to have been a disciple of Awataguchi Yoshimasa of the Kuritaguchi group in Yamashiro Province and is commonly referred to as the "Inaba kokaji." In the Meikan, the first generation is recorded under the Kagen era (1303-1306), and the second generation under the Kenmu era; thereafter, several smiths using the same name continued from the late Kamakura period through the Muromachi period. Among works dated to the Oei era (1394-1428), there are also examples signed "Senni-hara ju," indicating a possible secondary residence. Extant signed works are known in tachi, tanto, and spear, though they are extremely rare, and dated examples are exceptionally scarce, with only a handful of Oei-era inscriptions surviving.

The manner of the Kagenaga line is characterized by a particular strength in suguha of the Yamashiro tradition. The jigane is often somewhat soft in character and shows a slightly whitish tendency, which is considered a point of interest. Forging typically presents a tightly worked itame-hada with admixtures of nagare-hada, while fine ji-nie adheres and chikei appear; on certain works a faint, whitish utsuri stands. The hamon is predominantly a narrow suguha in which ko-nie adheres well and the nioiguchi shows a tight, subdued tendency. Though small in scale, diverse varieties of midare may be intermingled, with hotsure, nijuba-like and uchi-noke-like effects, kuichigai-ba, and occasional kinsuji imparting a strong sense of dynamism. Entering the Muromachi period, beyond the traditional suguha, one also encounters notare and gunome-midare hamon, with the nioiguchi tending toward a tightened appearance. The boshi is generally straight, forming ko-maru or o-maru, at times with hakikake at the pointed tip.

The NBTHK recognizes the Kagenaga smiths as orthodox practitioners whose works "clearly express this smith's particular traits" through the restrained authority of their suguha temper and the distinctive whitish quality of their steel. Their dated works are repeatedly singled out for "exceptionally high documentary value," and surviving spear examples are noted as "almost without parallel." Despite the modest scale of their tempering, the abundance of internal activities is praised for conveying an unexpectedly rich visual interest. The finest Oei-period pieces are characterized as works of "excellent workmanship" that clearly demonstrate the style of Kagenaga in the early Muromachi period, serving as "precious reference material" for the study of this scarce but historically significant Inaba provincial lineage.