Shigetsune (重恒) was a swordsmith of the group, active during the early period in what reference compendia place as the Kencho era (1249–1256). The details of his lineage are not clearly known, and extant works bearing his signature are exceedingly few. Among his surviving blades, two have been designated -Bijutsuhin, and additional works have received - recognition. The rarity of signed examples makes each attributed piece a valuable documentary resource for research on this smith, with the manner and scale of his signatures — typically small, two- or three-character inscriptions placed toward the — serving as key points of identification across the surviving corpus.
Shigetsune's characteristically display the classical silhouette: slender in form, with pronounced becoming shallower toward the tip and finishing in a . The forging is mixed with , with fine and, in finer examples, faint visible in the ground. Some works show areas where the grain rises slightly or becomes somewhat coarse around the base. The is fundamentally with shallow , incorporating , , and small ; and enter plentifully, adheres well, and activities such as and create a sense of variation within the temper. The tends toward a straight form, turning back in or finishing in a shallow approaching . Where present, are rendered with or kaki-nagashi.
The has consistently characterized Shigetsune's workmanship as presenting an old-style, highly dignified character in which the characteristic flavor of is clearly evident. His finest works are described as sukoyaka — healthy and well-preserved in both and — with the temper line activities producing a quiet richness that elevates the blade beyond the simplicity of its foundation. The near-identical signature style found across his designated works provides critical comparative evidence, and several pieces are accompanied by from the house, including appraisals by Kotsune dated Genroku 8 (1695), attesting to the esteem in which his work has long been held.