Omi no Kami Sukenao was born in Kan'ei 16 (1639) at Takagi in Omi Province; his common name was Magotaro. He studied under Tsuda Sukehiro (the second generation) and is said later to have become Sukehiro's brother-in-law through marriage to his younger sister, adopting the Tsuda surname. After completing his training he returned to Takagi in Omi; however, because his master Sukehiro died in Tenna 2 (1682), it appears that thereafter Sukenao resided permanently in Osaka. Among his dated works, the earliest known is Kanbun 8 (1668) and the latest Genroku 6 (1693), made when he was fifty-five years old -- no works at all are seen after this point, suggesting he may have died in that year.

Sukenao faithfully inherited the toran-midare first established by his master Sukehiro, and this billowing, wave-like temper is the mode for which he is most celebrated. The forging consistently presents a tightly packed ko-itame-hada with ji-nie adhering densely in a fine, mist-like manner and finely entering chikei; the steel is bright and clear. His hamon characteristically begins with a suguha yakidashi at the base, above which gunome, large o-gunome, and round-headed gunome intermingle with ko-notare to form the signature toran configuration. Thick ashi enter well, the nioi is deep, ko-nie adheres thickly -- sometimes with patches of coarser nie at the monouchi -- and fine sunagashi runs throughout with kinsuji and nie-suji. Small bead-like tobiyaki suggestive of wave spray occasionally appear. Beyond the toran-midare, Sukenao also produced gunome-midare with wide yakihaba, notare, and a comparatively rare suguha modeled after the upper Soshu masters -- particularly in the vicinity of Go Yoshihiro -- demonstrating the breadth of his stylistic range. His tang file marks are consistently large o-sujikai with the distinctive kesho (decorative) finish known as kotsutumi-yasuri.

The NBTHK repeatedly praises Sukenao's work for its "deep nioi, well-adhering ko-nie, and a nioiguchi that is bright and clear," noting that "among his works there are pieces that approach Sukehiro." His finest toran-midare blades are described as possessing "an overflowing vigor" and displaying "the distinctive appeal possible only in Osaka shinto." His forging is singled out as "particularly outstanding" and of "excellent quality," with the refined jigane and bright, clear nioiguchi consistently cited as hallmarks that distinguish his best production from merely competent work. Sukenao stands as the most accomplished student of the Tsuda lineage and a central figure in the Osaka Shinto tradition.