Toshitsune was a swordsmith of the group, active from the late into the early period. He is traditionally said to have been a son of Mitsutsune and a disciple of Masatsune, and both the manner of his signature and the character of his workmanship readily support the view that he belonged to the lineage descending from Masatsune. Reference works such as the list three smiths of this name, dating them respectively to around the Jogen (1207--1211), Bunryaku (1234--1235), and Kencho (1249--1256) eras. A comparatively substantial number of signed works survive, all of superior workmanship, and their style clearly expresses the characteristic features of this lineage alongside such peers as Masatsune and Sanetsune.
The general workmanship associated with Toshitsune shows a forged in mixed with , frequently tending toward ; thick adheres, with entering well, and stands out -- appearing variously as or depending on the individual blade. The is fundamentally -based, mixed with , , and ; and enter vigorously, forms thickly, and and run repeatedly through the temper, producing a that is bright. The characteristically turns in with . In contrast to Masatsune, Toshitsune's works tend comparatively often toward a wide with a dignified, imposing construction, and the within the can be even more florid; however, in such points as the well-refined and the rounded , one perceives the clear continuity of Masatsune's style. Among extant pieces, some present a more subdued character in which the shows a tendency, while others are brilliant and vivid -- yet in all cases the is rounded, and the overall appearance is unmistakably .
Toshitsune's blades are consistently recognized for their antique elegance and classical manner, fully manifesting the distinctive qualities and virtues of workmanship. The has praised individual pieces as displaying "an unmistakably archaic and classical manner, clearly expressing the characteristic flavor of the tradition," while noting that the best examples show both and presenting an overall brightness with exceptionally good preservation. His restrained, austere flavor is precisely what is appreciated in certain works, while in others the splendid interplay of and entwining through the small is singled out for particular commendation. Within the broader tradition, Toshitsune occupies a position of distinction: his signed works survive in greater number than many of his contemporaries, all are of high quality, and his characteristic combination of imposing construction with refined forging places him as a worthy successor to Masatsune and a smith whose transmitted traditions are consistently affirmed by the evidence of the blades themselves.