The karon (an essay on waka poems) written in "Utayomi ni ataeru sho" (Letters to Tanka Poets) placed an emphasis on the close observation in life of realism by sketches and graphics and included praise for "Manyoshu" (Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves) while rejecting "Kokinshu" (praise of "Collection of Ancient and Modern Literatures).
『歌よみに与ふる書』における歌論は俳句のそれと同様、写生・写実による現実密着型の生活詠の重視と『万葉集』の称揚・『古今集』の否定に重点が置かれている。