He was well known by people as Toba Sojo (high-ranking Buddhist priest) and although he was a high-ranking priest who played important roles in Japanese Buddhist society, he was also well versed in paintings and is assumed to be the painter of Choju-Jinbutsu-giga (scrolls of frolicking animals and humans).
鳥羽僧正（とばそうじょう）と世に呼ばれ、日本仏教界の重職を務めた高僧であるのみならず、絵画にも精通し、鳥獣人物戯画などの作者に擬せられている。