Hirotsugu was a swordsmith who resided in in Province, working within the - tradition. Sword reference works place the first generation in the Kenmu era; however, among extant works none can be traced back earlier than the mid- period, and he is accordingly regarded as a representative smith of the late period. Smiths of particularly high technical ability are known from around the Meio era, and there are also examples bearing Tenbun-era date inscriptions signed "Sunshu Shimada-ju," establishing a connection to Suruga Province. A in the Imperial Collection dated Meio 9 (1500) represents the oldest firmly dated example.
Hirotsugu's workmanship is characterized by bold, vigorous construction with wide and extended . The is mixed with , frequently showing a tendency toward standing grain, with thickly adhering and abundant . The is generally , mixing with , , and elements within a ground. With and intermingled, the tempering develops into of striking force, accompanied by frequent and and a bright . The observes that at first glance such work "produces a strongly -laden, powerful that calls to mind the Hasebe school of the period." Several blades also display faint , and the is characteristically deep, often finished with .
Hirotsugu's finest pieces are consistently praised for the vigor and completeness of their , with both and richly covered in . The execution is described as forceful even into the , and the on certain examples -- including and carvings -- are called "splendid." The notes that from these qualities "Hirotsugu's high level of technique is readily discerned," and the best works rank among the finest achievements of late craftsmanship.
