Kiyohira (清平), also known as Tsujimura Gorōemon, was the fourth son of the first-generation Kashu Jinroku Kanewaka. A blade dated Genroku 2 (1689) bearing the inscription "aged seventy" establishes his birth in Genna 6 (1620). He moved to around the end of the Keian era, and a blade dated Joo 2 (1653) already bears the inscription "made in Bushu ." Later retained by the Inaba family of , he signed works from 2 (1662) onward as "resident of Odawara Hachimanyama." His style is grounded in the character of workmanship inherited from his father Kanewaka and elder brother Kagehira, yet he established "an individual sphere of expression on that base."
Kiyohira's characteristically shows itame-hada that overall flows and becomes masame-inclined -- a feature the NBTHK identifies as "a characteristic of this lineage." The hamon presents notare mixed with large gunome, ko-notare, and ko-gunome, with deep nioi and abundant ko-nie; ashi enter well, and sunagashi and kinsuji appear throughout. What distinguishes Kiyohira from typical Kaga production is the conspicuously stronger adherence of nie, prominent chikei and nie-suji in both ji and ha, elements tending toward pointed forms within the temper, and a bright nioiguchi. The boshi typically shows shallow notare or sugu with ko-maru and a deep return.
The NBTHK recognizes Kiyohira's finest works as "superior pieces" that are simultaneously "precious as documentary material." His utsushi of the celebrated meibutsu "Fudo Kuniyuki" -- the only known such copy by his hand -- is praised for its conscious evocation of the original through a slightly narrow yakihaba with yubashiri and nijuba overlaying the yakigashira. Gold-inlaid kinzogan cutting-test inscriptions on several works further enhance their documentary significance. Kiyohira's oeuvre represents a distinctive synthesis of the Kaga tradition with an individual intensity of nie expression that sets him apart within the broader Kanewaka lineage.
Historical importance
Where Kiyohira stands among comparable artisans: across all of nihontō, and within tradition, era, and period. The tiers (Foremost · Leading · Major · Notable) weigh official designations from the NBTHK and Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs, together with historical honors of lasting repute such as the Sansaku and Meibutsu-chō.