After entering the priesthood, it seems that there was a certain distance between Saigyo and the circle of tanka poets due to his living in the mountains and traveling but, in 1187, he organized a poetry contest called "Mimosusogawa Utaawase" and asked Toshinari to be the judge.
出家後は山居や旅行のために歌壇とは一定の距離があったようだが、文治3年(1187年)に自歌合『御裳濯河歌合』を成して俊成の判を請った。