In general, he is considered to have entered the service of the Imperial Court by 680 ("Manyoshu" volume 10, the annotation to the left of 2033), and it is usually suggested that he started his activities as a poet in the reign of Emperor Tenmu and flourished during the reign of Empress Jito.
一般には天武天皇の9年（680）には出仕していたとみられ（『万葉集』巻10・2033左注）、天武朝から歌人としての活動をはじめ、持統朝に花開いたとみられることが多い。