According to such literature as "Daiki" (Diary of FUJIWARA no Yorinaga) or the collection of reference materials "Sagan," the records of Yanagiwara family, he was awarded the Emperor's Order of Ichinokami (Top of Court Nobles) during 938 and 947 in his service as Dainagon.
実頼が大納言であった天慶年間に一上の宣旨を蒙っていることが、『台記』や柳原家記録中の『砂巌』などによって分かる。