Munesada was the eighth son of DainagonШаблон:Nihongo, who was a son of Emperor Kanmu, relegated to civilian life.[1] He began his career as a courtier, and was later appointed to the position of Шаблон:Wt to Emperor Ninmyō. In 849 he was raised to the Шаблон:Nihongo. After Emperor Nimmyō died in 850, Munesada became a monk due to his grief, taking the religious nameHenjō (literally “Universally Illuminated”). He was a priest of the Tendai school.
In 877 Munesada founded Шаблон:Nihongo in Yamashina, in the southeast part of Kyoto, but continued to be active in court politics.[2] In 869 he was given another temple, Шаблон:Nihongo, in the north of Kyoto and managed both temples. In 885 he was ranked high priest and was called Шаблон:Nihongo.
He was rumored to have had a love affair with the famous female poet Ono no Komachi.
Thirty-five of his waka were included in imperial anthologies including Kokin Wakashū. The preface to Ki no Tsurayuki criticized him: "he knows how to construct waka, but there is less real emotion. It is like when you see a picture of a woman and it moves your heart".
