"Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku" (The True History of Three Reigns of Japan) described Narihira as 'beautiful and graceful, and casual and easy,' the epitome of handsomeness.
業平は『日本三代実録』に「体貌閑麗、放縦不拘」と記され、美男の代名詞のようにいわれる。