Traditionally, the Imperial anthology had consisted of 20 volumes since the time of Kokin Wakashu, but they broke the custom and omitted the categories of Journey, Elegies, and Gods of Heaven and Earth, reducing the volumes of Love to two.
古今以来、二十巻という勅撰集の慣例を破り、羈旅・哀傷・神祇歌を省き、恋歌を二巻に縮めた。