Hirotoshi was a swordsmith of the Fukuoka group in Province, active during the mid- period. Sword reference compendia place him in two separate temporal ranges: one around the Kencho era and another around the Bun'ei to Shoo eras. The Hirotoshi placed around Kencho is said to have been the son of Tameri or Moritoshi, while a later smith of the name is recorded as having styled himself Sakon Shogen. Whether these represent distinct generations or a single smith active over a long period remains a subject for future research, though the close resemblance of signature character forms across varied works — a pattern also observed in Masatoshi of the group — suggests the possibility of a single hand.
The forging and tempering of Hirotoshi's works display the characteristic features of Province and the lineage to excellent effect. The is with places showing a tendency toward , accompanied by thickly applied and fine ; prominent stands in the ground, with portions taking on a -like appearance that conveys an archaic flavor. The is chiefly mixed with , , and ; and enter frequently, adheres, and and appear throughout. The is soft and -dominant, yielding a calm and settled impression in which the rises and falls of the forms, while exhibiting considerable variation, are not conspicuous.
Extant signed works by Hirotoshi are extremely few, and those that survive — though typically — preserve the dignified form of the mid- period, retaining high with remaining . The two-character signature is characteristically cut with a thick chisel. These blades serve as important reference material for the study of the Fukuoka school, and their documentary value is particularly high in illuminating questions of lineage and generational transmission within this celebrated group of smiths.
