Although Go-Toba retained veto power over the poems included in the anthology as well as the order in which they were presented,[5] he assigned the task of compilation to six of the Fellows of the Bureau of Poetry.
The significance of the Shin Kokinshū lies prominently in the technical expertise of the compilers, their novel and extensive use of the honkadori literary technique, and the effect that each of these elements had on Japanese poetry after its publication.
Renga also made frequent use of the honkadori technique, since each poet had only a short phrase to work with and the ability to use allusions to prior, complete poems was an important one.
The term "Honkadori" refers to the practice of "allusive variation," and can be literally translated as "taking from an original poem".
[10] Even though allusions to older poems were common in the poetic discourse of the day, following the 11th century and prior to Fujiwara no Teika’s experimentation with honkadori, it was frowned upon to make obvious borrowings from past writers.
Samushiro ya matsu yo no aki no kaze fukete tsuki wo katashiku uji no hashihime How cold!
waiting out the autumn’s weary night deepening as the wind blows she spreads out the moon’s light the Princess of Uji Bridge.