From the point of view of the history of waka circles, there was a showdown between the factions of Rokujo Toke (the Rokujo Fujiwara family) and the Mikohidari family; the former put its poetics and past honor at stake in this poetry match and confronted the latter family, which had been becoming a new power as a leader in the circle of the Sekkan-ke (families which produced regents and chancellors).
歌壇史上、六条藤家一派はその歌学と過去の栄光を本歌合に賭して、摂関家歌壇における御子左家一派の新指導権と対決する。