Suketsuna is recorded as a smith of the Fukuoka group in Province and a disciple of Sukezane. Tradition holds that, together with Sukezane, he went down to in Province, where he became one of the pioneers in the development of the tradition of swordsmithing. He is accordingly counted among the makers referred to as " ." One lineage account further identifies him as the son of Fujigenji Sukemasa, and like Sukemasa he is regarded as a smith who laid the foundations of the school. His working period falls within the era, with certain works placed specifically in the late period. Extant signed works are extremely few.
Suketsuna's forging is characteristically mixed with , displaying a pronounced tendency toward standing grain (), with well-adhering and abundant ; is frequently observed. His is as the dominant pattern, combined with , , and , into which and enter freely. While producing in the manner of , his work is distinguished by markedly stronger , and the tempered area is rich in and . The typically runs in or turns back with a tendency, often showing . Within an overall manner that recalls Sukemasa, the character of the tradition is expressed at an even higher level, yielding a forceful, strongly -based construction.
The consistently describes Suketsuna's workmanship as powerful and vigorous, noting that both and are -- sound and well-preserved -- in the finest examples. His blades are praised as excellent reference pieces for the study of the lineage, and his inclusion in the - Meisaku-shu ("Collection of Masterworks in the Tradition") affirms his standing as a pivotal figure in the transmission from to . The recurring emphasis on the strength of his and the prominence of and within the marks Suketsuna as a smith whose practice materially advanced the integration of tempering with the emergent aesthetic.