Four Japanese court poets had been selected…

Four Japanese court poets had been selected to compile the Kokin Wakashū, an anthology of poetry in the classical thirty-one- syllable “waka” form.

The Kokin Wakashū ("Collection of Japanese Poems of Ancient and Modern Times"), commonly abbreviated as Kokinshū, is an Imperial anthology, conceived of by Emperor Uda, who reigned from 887 to 897, and published by order of his son Emperor Daigo, who will reign from 897 to 930, in approximately 905.

Its finished form dates to around 920, though according to several historical accounts the last poem was added to the collection in 914.

The compilers of the anthology are led by Ki no Tsurayuki and also including Ki no Tomonori (who died before its completion), Ōshikōchi Mitsune, and Mibu no Tadamine.