Ochara Sanemori is traditionally transmitted as a son of Hoki Yasutsuna and is regarded as one of the representative smiths of the Ko-Hoki tradition. Together with Yasutsuna and related makers of the lineage — Aritsuna, Sadatsuna, Yasuie, and Sanekage — he is part of the group collectively referred to as Ko-Hoki, which flourished from the late period into the early period. Because he resided at Ochara in Hoki Province, there survive signed "Ochara Sanemori," though extant signed works are exceedingly rare, and even among those examples the manner of cutting the signature shows considerable variation. The notes that it remains difficult to determine at once which form should be regarded as correct, and that further research is necessary. Compared with his father Yasutsuna, Sanemori's work is generally somewhat more slender in overall impression, and his tends toward smaller-patterned forms.
The workmanship of Ko-Hoki produces tempering that, at first glance, resembles contemporaneous works in its predominance of small irregularity; however, upon close examination the character differs in several respects. In forging, the tends to appear in large-patterned standing grain, intermingling and mottled features, and taking on a blackish cast. In the hardened edge as well, the tends toward — a moist, soft quality — with a distinctly standing ; moreover, and appear with frequency, and here and there and small stand independently. In these respects, Ko-Hoki departs from and conveys a more markedly rustic flavor. Within this broader school manner, Sanemori's particular character emerges in the tendency of the overall irregularity toward fine-patterned, tightly arranged small , with -like elements and closely interspersed. The possesses what the describes as "a notably deep character," with thick , fine , and standing out against a steel that shows a somewhat blackish tone. Several designated works bear at the — a placement regarded as distinctive of Sanemori's carvings — and the enigmatic added character "Katsu" found on certain examples constitutes valuable documentary material.
The consistently characterizes Sanemori's work as possessing an archaic, artless dignity and an ancient fragrance. His does not gather into a neat, orderly pattern but rather contains clustered areas, conveying what the examiners describe as "an artless, unsophisticated quality that, precisely because it is not affected or contrived, instead conveys an ancient fragrance." Blades attributed to this smith are praised for their abundant activity, with near the , and entangling the , and a that alternates between and tendencies. In comparison with the usual run of Ko-Hoki works, the finest examples attributed to Sanemori display a tightly forged texture of particular note. Certain works invite comparison with Kuniyasu and Ayanokoji Sadatoshi in the calm quality of their and the soft — an observation the deems "worthy of note." Sanemori occupies a central position within the Ko-Hoki tradition, and his works are recognized as imbued with an elegant, naturally subtle charm that is at once archaic and overflowing with quiet authority.