While still a student at Nagano Normal School (now Shinshu University), he taught himself the basics of traditional Japanese poetry by studying the ancient Japanese literature classics such as the Man'yōshū and Kokinshū, When he began writing his own poetry, he was able to get it published in the prestigious literary journal, Bungakukai, which was enough to make him realize that life as a professional poet was unrealistic.

His literary interests became a hobby, and he established a waka verse coterie, called Kono-hana Kai, with friends and students.

This club resulted in the waka anthologies Tsuyukusa (“Dew Flower”) in 1903 and Sanjo Kojo (“On Mountain, On Lake”) in 1906 brought Ōta wide recognition, although he was only a co-author.

He married former student and fellow poet Shiga Mitsuko in 1910 and the two continued their creative activities while earning their living as teachers.

Ōta's philosophy was that poetry should be primarily symbolic, and spoke out strongly against the tendency to realism exhibited by modern Japanese poets.