Rokkasen

[1] There are numerous phrases that show the conceptualization of these six as a cohesive group, but the term "Rokkasen" first appeared in an early Kamakura-period commentary on Kokin wakashū, titled Sanryūshō 三流抄.

[2] The members of the rokkasen, and their total poems in Kokin wakashū, are as follows: In his prefaces to the anthology Kokin wakashū, Ki no Tsurayuki first praises two poets, Kakinomoto no Hitomaro and Yamabe no Akahito,[3] from the period before the rokkasen and then praises these six poets of the generation preceding his own, but also critiques what he considers to be weaknesses in their personal styles.

[4]Mana preface The Kazan Archbishop [Henjō] masters style, but his flowery language bears little fruit.

Although his poetry has a certain light, witty interest, the style is extremely crude, as though a peasant were resting in front of a flowering tree.

[6] On the other hand, Katagiri Yoichi believes that the inclusion of such an obscure figure as Priest Kisen, represented by a single poem, shows that Tsurayuki did not choose the six himself, but received them by some tradition.

These narratives held that this time was a transitional period between the waka anthologies Man'yōshū and Kokin wakashū.

[10] Both Hidehito Nishiyama and Ryōji Shimada conclude that they believe Ninmyō is the better choice for the start of this periodization.

[9][10] Additionally, all but one of the Rokkasen, Ōtomo Kuronushi, appear in the famous collection of poetry, Hyakunin isshū.