Kunimitsu (来国光) is, according to the prevailing view, transmitted as a son of Kunitoshi, the patriarch of the school in Yamashiro Province. He was active from the closing years of the period into the early period. Among extant works bearing production dates, the earliest is Karyaku 1 (1326) and the latest is Kanno 2 (1351). Because of the length of this working span, and because of changes observable in both style and the forms of the characters in his signatures, some argue for the existence of a first and second generation; however, a strong opposing view interprets these differences as reflecting only changes over the course of a single individual's lifetime, and the matter remains one that should await further study. Within the school, many examples of his work survive, and he is regarded as the most versatile smith within the lineage, demonstrating the broadest working range. Among the signatures of the Karyaku and Gentoku years, the character forms have a softness, with the enclosing characteristically rounded; by contrast, those of the Jowa and Kanno years show a somewhat harder impression, with the enclosure becoming more angular.
Kunimitsu's manner of work extends across a remarkably broad range. In addition to the traditionally orthodox true , he produced works in a -based tone mixed with and ; works showing a slight tendency within ; works in a tone mixed with ; and pieces where predominates in a fully pattern. His forging characteristically presents a tightly packed , upon which extremely fine adheres thickly and enters frequently, often accompanied by . The steel is consistently described as bright and clear. His in the mode features deep , thickly adhering , and a that is bright and clear, with and appearing as hallmark activities. The typically runs straight, turning back in , occasionally showing slight at the point. In works where an irregular-temper mode predominates, the in both and becomes especially strong, resembling Kunitsugu and showing the incorporation of - influence. These -dominant works, particularly among his , display a boldness of spirit and dynamic variation that distinguish them from his quieter pieces.
Kunimitsu is consistently praised by the as a smith whose works manifest both elevated dignity and robust, powerful bearing. His blades in are lauded for exceptional clarity in both and , where the balance of and is described as excellent and the expression of brilliantly shining as superb. Works in his mode are recognized for their vigorous internal activity and spirited strength, with varied changes of width and intensity lending many points of interest within a single blade. Together with the diversity of forms he made -- , , and -- this breadth of stylistic range places him as the preeminent craftsman of the group. His extant works include blades transmitted in the Owari Tokugawa, Kishu Tokugawa, Shimazu, Kuroda, Date, and Maeda families, attesting to the esteem in which his work has been held across centuries of warrior connoisseurship. Among authenticated works, the finest examples are described as displaying outstanding workmanship in which the distinctive features and merits of Kunimitsu are brought forth to their fullest extent.