Hironaga was born in Osaka Prefecture on July 25, 1975. After graduating from Toin Gakuen High School, he joined Verdy Kawasaki (later "Tokyo Verdy") in 1994. He played as defensive midfielder and center back. In 1994, the club won the championships for the J1 League and J.League Cup. He moved to his local club Gamba Osaka in 1998. He played many matches at Gamba, and returned to Verdy in June 1999. He played as a forward as well as a midfielder. His opportunity to play decreased in 2001 and he moved to the J2 League club Yokohama FC. He played many matches as defensive midfielder. He moved to Cerezo Osaka in 2003. He retired at the end of the 2004 season.