Like his father, Yoritsuna was an outstanding kajin, and by deepening a friendship with FUJIWARA no Sadaie with the same family line, raised the position of the Utsunomiya poetry circle to be comparable with the Kyoto poetry circle and Kamakura poetry circle; he laid the foundation for these circles to be celebrated as the three great poetry circles in Japan.
頼綱は父譲りで歌人としても優れており、同族である藤原定家と親交を深め、宇都宮歌壇を京都歌壇、鎌倉歌壇に比肩するほどの地位に引き上げ、これらを合わせて日本三大歌壇と謂わしめる礎を築いた。