Background
Toshinari no Fujiwara was born in 1114. The son of Fujiwara no Toshitada. He was also known as Fujiwara no Toshinari or Shakua, in his younger days (1123–67), he gave his name as Akihiro, but in 1167, changed to Shunzei.
Toshinari no Fujiwara was born in 1114. The son of Fujiwara no Toshitada. He was also known as Fujiwara no Toshinari or Shakua, in his younger days (1123–67), he gave his name as Akihiro, but in 1167, changed to Shunzei.
He studied under Mototoshi Fujiwara and wrote poems in the style of Toshiyori Minamoto.
Owing to ill health, he became a priest with the name of Shakua in 1176. He served often as judge in waka composing contests at the Imperial Court. Was a distinguished waka composer since his youth.
He wrote books on the art of waka and commentaries on the Manyoshu anthology of the Nara Period. He developed a style of poetry of his own which combined the new trends of Toshiyori and the traditionalism of Mototoshi.