In "Masukagami" (The Clear Mirror), there is a description saying, "This Chujo (Middle Captain) excelled in scholarship and was appointed to important posts particularly in his later years..." suggesting that Arifusa was a darling of the poetry circle of the time.
『増鏡』には「この中将才かしこくて末の世にはことの他にもてなされて」云々と記され、当時の歌壇では寵児的存在だったと推察されている。