One of the 36 immortal poets, he was one of the compilers of the Kokin Wakashu (Collection of Ancient and Modern Poems) with KI no Tsurayuki, KI no Tomonori and MIBU no Tadamine.
三十六歌仙の1人で、紀貫之、紀友則、壬生忠岑と共に古今和歌集の撰者を務めた。