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The collection of poems for this work was probably begun under the reign of Emperor Uda (r. 887-897). Its compilation was formally commissioned under his son and successor, Emperor Daigo (r 897-930). The collection was compiled by four court poets appointed by the Emperor: Ki no Tsurayuki, Ki no Tomonori , Oshikochi no Mitsune , and Mibu no Tadamine . Tsurayuki was most prominent among them and he composed a preface in Japanese to the collection in which he described the importance of Japanese poetry ( waka), as opposed to poetry written in Chinese (kanshi). Inclusion in the collection was a mark of great distinction for any poet of the time. The collection is organized according to various themes, including love, travel, laments, and miscellaneous topics.