From Sanjō to Gojō
- The Gojō school is the only direct branch of the Sanjō school. Tradition says it was founded by Kanenaga, son of Sanjō Arikuni, who lived by Gojō avenue, from which it takes its name.
- Tradition places Sanjō Munechika around the Ei'en era (987–989), Kanenaga around Chōgen (1028–1037) and Kuninaga around Tengi (1053–1058), when he was already living in Gojō.
His place in the family
- He is held to be the son of Kanenaga, but some see him as his younger brother. The NBTHK makes him the son or grandson of Arikuni, who lived in Gojō with Kanenaga, his elder brother or his father.
- His work looks older than Kanenaga’s, and so one theory questions the genealogy of the old books; the Nihon Jinmei Daijiten also sees in his manner a more archaic air than in Kanenaga’s.
- Sesko warns that the basis is very slight: few blades and texts that contradict one another.
How many Kuninaga?
- Sesko thinks it likely that there was more than one Kuninaga, because the signature and the workmanship change.
- Tsuneishi divides up his signatures: those of the second category would be by a third generation, those of the fourth by a second, and that of the Tsurumaru from the last years of the first. Sesko does not follow that division.
- Tanobe sees in the fourth category a forerunner of Ayanokōji Sadatoshi and of Awataguchi Kuniyasu.