The name Kanesada encompasses two distinct and celebrated lineages. The first is Izumi no Kami Kanesada of Province, who ranks alongside Kanemoto as one of the representative smiths of the late period. Within the Kanesada line, the character (定) was carved in two ways: with "之" inside the crown, producing the form known as , and with "疋," known as Hikisada. is recognized as possessing especially high technical ability and was active during the Eisho and Daiei eras (1504-1528). He held the rare distinction for a -era smith of bearing the official title Izumi no Kami, and numerous sword books describe him as "an excellent master." The second lineage is the Echigo no Kami Kanesada of the Osaka tradition, founded by a Yamato-born smith who studied under Iga no Kami Kanemichi in the Monju school. His adopted heir, the second-generation Kanesada, surpassed the founder and became renowned for his mastery of the toran- tempering style modeled after Tsuda Sukehiro, later ceding the Kanesada name and signing as Sakakura Gonnoshin Terukane from around Enpo 8 (1680).
's workmanship is distinguished by its variety: where Kanemoto is identified with the pointed -dominant called , produced tempering of "greater variation," incorporating rounded , , and -. He was equally accomplished in a refined known as -, modeled after Kyoto work, in which the and are "bright and clear." His forging is repeatedly described as "well-refined" and "excellently kneaded," with mixed with , fine , and a characteristic whitish (). The second-generation Echigo no Kami Kanesada, by contrast, excelled in the toran style -- billowing-wave large - -- as well as Monju-style , and more rarely or . His consistent hallmarks, regardless of chosen manner, are a deep , well-adhering , and a notably bright . Distinctive features include -like edge shapes, the form known as katayama-, rounded jewel-like evoking the splash of waves, and the overall prevalence of throughout the tempered edge. His construction characteristically features a steeply dropped , little , and an extended with a sense of .
Both lineages occupy positions of the first rank within their respective traditions. is recognized as "the finest example among this smith's works" for blades combining wide , , and substantial with a lively temper in which the and are "clear," demonstrating what the calls "the true strength of ." The second-generation Echigo no Kami Kanesada is praised as "a master craftsman who surpassed the ," and his works consistently display what examiners describe as a polished and sophisticated brightness -- a that is "bright and clear" with adhering "evenly without patchiness." The breadth of his stylistic range, from ambitious toran- to elegant to models drawn from the upper-tier masters, attests to a versatility that the regards as being of "great documentary value" for understanding the full scope of -period swordmaking.