The first Dazai Gonnosochi was the Imperial Prince Abo shinno who was demoted to the position in 810 for his implication in the Kusuko Incident, the second Dazai Gonnosochi was FUJIWARA no Tsunetsugu who was appointed in 837 in recognition of his services as an ambassador to the Tang Dynasty, and the third Dazai Gonnosochi was a son of the Imperial Prince Abo shinno, ARIWARA no Yukihira who was appointed in 873; therefore, ARIWARA no Yukihira is considered virtually the first Dazai Gonnosochi because he was appointed the position for no special reason unlike his predecessors.
初代は弘仁元年（810年）の阿保親王、2代目は承和(日本)4年（837年）の藤原常嗣であるが、前者は薬子の変による連座、後者は遣唐大使としての功労による特殊事情による任命であるため、貞観_(日本)15年（873年）に任じられた3代目の在原行平（阿保親王の子）が事実上の初代とされている。