Fujiwara no Sadayori (藤原定頼)
FUJIWARA no Sadayori (995 - February 8, 1045) was a court noble and poet in the mid-Heian period. His father was FUJIWARA no Kinto. His mother was the daughter of Imperial Prince Akihira (son of Emperor Murakami). Called Shijo Chunagon (vice-councilor of state of Shijo), he became a Gonchunagon (Acting Great Councillor) with Shonii (Senior Second Rank). He was regarded as one of the medieval 36 Immortal Poets.
Summary
FUJIWARA no Sadayori submitted his verses to important poetry contests such as the 'Poetry Contest Hosted by Jotomonin Akiko' (1032) and 'Poetry Contest held by FUJIWARA no Yorimichi the Regent Minister of the Left' (1035). There is an anecdote about him in which he was ridiculed by KOSHIKIBU no Naishi for being a little frivolous. He had affairs with Sagami (the poet) and DAINI no Sanmi. He was a gifted musician, reciter of sutras, and calligrapher.
His verses were selected for the imperial anthologies from 'Goshui Wakashu' (Later Collection of Gleanings of Japanese Poetry) onwards. He also compiled a private anthology called 'Sadayorishu' (the Selected Verses of Sadayori).
Ogura Hyakunin Isshu (the Ogura Anthology of One Hundred Tanka-poems by One Hundred Poets)
No. 64: One early morning, as the mist over the River Uji was being dispelled, I saw wickerwork fish traps emerging on this and that bank. ('Senzaishu' (the Collection of a Thousand Year), Winter 419).