He debated with FUJIWARA no Kinto about the poetry of KAKINOMOTO no Hitomaro and KI no Tsurayuki, and later this was his motivation to make thirty-six major poets (of the Heian period).
藤原公任とは柿本人麻呂や紀貫之の歌の優劣を論じ合い、後の三十六人撰のきっかけとなったとされる。