Tabito is showing off his erudition here: during the Chinese Wei Dynasty (220 – 264), a slang term for refined sake was sheng ‘Sage’.

This refers to unrefined sake.

The Dazaifu was the the name given to the government office in charge of the southernmost of Japan’s main islands, Kyūshū. Tabito spent two years there as Governor-General from 728 – 730.

While yaso was a place name, it could also mean ‘eighty’, or ‘many’. By choosing to use the pillow word monönöpu nö here, Yakamochi is juxtaposing the image of warriors with that of the maidens chattering around the well head.