Iga no Kami Kanemichi was the eldest son of Kanemichi of . His younger brothers were Kanemichi, Tanba no Kami Yoshimichi, and Echū no Kami Masatoshi. According to the prevailing view, he relocated from to Kyōto together with his father and brothers, greatly elevating the reputation of the lineage. Among these brothers, he is regarded as the one who most strongly transmitted the style of their native province. His career is conventionally divided into an early phase before receiving the court title of Iga no Kami — that is, around the Tenshō era — and a later phase thereafter. In the early period his workmanship is essentially that of late Seki, while in the later period his style was decisively renewed under the influence of .
Works from the early phase show a somewhat whitish style of forging with pointed tempering, or else gunome-chōji and , with the tending to be tight and the so-called " " not yet fully formed. In the later phase after receiving his title, the temper becomes a large, turbulent based on small and mixed with large , angular turns, and pointed tendencies. The becomes strong, with and appearing, and the — characterised by vigorous and — is fully manifest. His forging is typically mixed with or , with fine and entering well. In the most powerful examples, the breaks down, strong gathers, and and appear in places, yielding a dynamic impression suggestive of the germination of .
Iga no Kami Kanemichi occupies a central position within the group as its eldest brother and most vigorous exponent of the -influenced manner. His finest works display a boldly unrestrained approach that combines the large of tradition with the powerful and active surface effects associated with the Sōshū-den, achieving a workmanship that is at once commanding in spirit and rich in scenic variety. He stands as a pivotal figure in the transition from late to early swordmaking in the Keichō era.
