The school (-) emerged in Yamashiro Province during the late period, centered on the master Kunitoshi and his disciples. This lineage represents one of the most influential traditions of the Yamashiro , distinguished by refined forging with abundant and characteristic that create a luminous steel surface. The school's geographic reach extended beyond Kyōto, with disciples establishing workshops in neighboring provinces—most notably Kuninaga, who relocated to Nakajima in Settsu Province, and Kuniyasu, who moved to and founded the Chiyotsuru line. Works attributed generically to the school often exhibit somewhat standing grain () with the steel displaying a slightly subdued or blackish tone, occasionally showing faint effects that distinguish them from the main Kyōto workshop production.
The collective manner centers on -based tempering enriched with and elements, characterized by well-defined and a notably bright, clear . Small and enter freely along the , while fine and animate the interior of the hardened edge. The typically forms a straight or gently undulating line that turns back in with conspicuous at the point—a hallmark of the tradition. The school's works span from compact proportions through the bold aesthetic of wide , extended , and shallow that conveys imposing martial presence. While individual masters achieved refinement approaching that of Kunimitsu, the broader school output tends to yield by a step in overall rank of workmanship, exhibiting a calmer, more restrained execution compared to the flamboyant patterns of other contemporary traditions.
The school's enduring significance lies in its mastery of forging technique and the crystalline clarity of both and . The steel is worked to exceptional refinement, with thickly applied creating a surface that appears to glow from within, punctuated by fine threading through the ground. This technical excellence, combined with the school's characteristic restraint in pattern design, established an aesthetic benchmark that influenced subsequent generations of Yamashiro smiths. Works displaying these collective features—refined structure, -toned tempering with small pattern variations, and luminous activity—are appropriately attributed to the school when specific maker identification cannot be established from fragmentary or absent signatures. The tradition represents a pinnacle of classical Japanese sword craftsmanship, where technical precision and understated elegance unite to produce blades of enduring scholarly importance.