During the middle of the Heian Period, around the time when "Shui Wakashu" (Collection of Gleanings of Japanese Poems) was compiled, his private poetry collection, "Akahito shu," (one of the Sanjurokunin shu, or Collected Poems of Thirty-six Poets) was written as his reputation grew.
平安時代中期（『拾遺和歌集』頃とされる）には名声の高まりに合わせて、私家集の『赤人集』（三十六人集のひとつ）も編まれている。