This is an historically significant contest, more for the nature of its organisation and performance than for the quality of the poems produced by the participants. Hagitani (1957, 198–199) argues, based on the match’s preface (below) that this was an event organised by Emperor Daigo at short notice—hence the ad hoc nature of the suhama, and thus the poems were composed on an impromptu basis while the match was taking place. That is, they were not compositions which the participants had an opportunity to spend a great deal of time over. Given this, the judgements, most likely, relate to the quality and beauty of the chrysanthemums, rather than the poetry, making this a clear example of a mono’awase (‘things match’) where the poetry was simply present to provide an additional entertaining element to the activities. A further feature of this event is that, while the preface refers by name to a number of nobles responsible for the selection and presentation of the chrysanthemums, these individuals were not responsible for the composition of the poetry. If the poetry was composed ‘on-the-spot’, then this means that both lower-ranking poets and more senior nobles must have been present, making this an occasion when the social hierarchy was less-rigidly observed than normal.