Kanemitsu is famous as one of the Ten Great Pupils of Masamune (Masamune Jutetsu). Son of Kagemitsu and grandson of Nagamitsu, Kanemitsu produced blades which reflected the political climate of a time when the rival forces of the Northern and Southern imperial courts fought for control of the country. The practical demands of the battlefield, where the majority of fighting was done on foot with greatly improved armor, required straighter, wider and heavier blades. This example has the proportions of the ideal Nambokucho blade. It is thin in cross-section, but wider and with a large point. It has been reduced from its original length and a gold signature has been added and attested by Hon'ami Kokan, who served the Shimazu family, daimyo of Satsuma.

Dr. Homma wrote that he agreed with the long-standing theory that there were two generations of Kanemitsu, one working circa 1325-1340 and one working circa 1340-1368.

It is felt that in the earlier works of Kanemitsu, the fumbari was moderately strong, but that it became less pronounced in his later blades; as this fumbari is 7mm. (keeping in mind that the sword has been shortened somewhat), it could point to a date in the late 1330's.