was a Japanese poet and statesman. He was born the grandson of Emperor Saga

Emperor Saga

was the 52nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Saga's reign spanned the years from 809 through 823.-Traditional narrative:...

 and a member of the Saga Genji clan. He is sometimes mentioned as the model for Hikaru Genji

Hikaru Genji

is the protagonist of Murasaki Shikibu's The Tale of Genji. In the story, he is described as the most handsome man in the world and he attracts all women. Genji is the second son of Emperor Kiritsubo , but he is delegated to civilian life for political reasons and begins a career as an imperial...

 in important Japanese literary classic the Tale of Genji

The Tale of Genji

is a classic work of Japanese literature attributed to the Japanese noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu in the early 11th century, around the peak of the Heian period. It is sometimes called the world's first novel, the first modern novel, the first psychological novel or the first novel still to be...

.

Under his title Kawara no Sadaijin 河原左大臣, he is the author of poem 14 in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu poetry anthology.

The poem reads:

Like Michinoku prints,

Of the tangled leaves of ferns,

It is because of you,

That I have become confused;

But my love for you remains.

His tomb resides at the Seiryō-ji

Seiryō-ji

is a Buddhist temple in the Saga district of Ukyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan. It is also known as Saga Shaka-dō. It is devoted to the practice of Yūzū Nenbutsu. Initially, the temple belonged to the Kegon sect; then it became a Pure Land temple. The honzon is an image of Gautama Buddha . The wooden statue is...

, a Buddhist temple situated on what was once Saga Moor in Kyoto.