Tō Tsuneyori was born in 1401 as the son of Tō Masuyuki, Governor of Shimotsuke Province.[1][2][3][4] He was adopted by his older half-brother Tō Ujikazu, and thus became the heir to the Tō family[1] and the lord of Shinowaki Castle in Mino Province.[4] He claimed descent from the Taira clan.[5]
He studied waka poetry under Gyōkō of the Nijō poetic school and Shōtetsu from 1449 until 1451, when he officially became a disciple of Gyōkō.[1]
In 1455, because of unrest in the Kanto region, he was sent to fight in various places in the region by the Ashikaga shogunate.[1]
In September 1468, the family's territory in Gujō, Mino Province was usurped by the acting governor (shugo-dai) of Mino Province, Saitō Myōchin. At the time, Tsuneyori was in Musashi Province, and wrote a poem of lamentation. When Myōchin heard of Tsuneyori's poem, the two began a conversation in the form of waka poetry in 1469. The conversation led to Tsuneyori moving to the capital city Kyoto and receiving his territory back.[1]
In 1471, Tsuneyori gave lectures to Inō Sōgi on Kokin Wakashū on two occasions.[1][2] After this, he continued lecturing Sōgi on his interpretation on the poems, and eventually became the founder of Kōkin Denju, a school of Kokin Wakashū interpretation,[1] with Sōgi becoming his disciple.[3]
As a poetry scholar, he is known as the author of Tōyashū kikigaki, Shin-Kokin Wakashū kikigaki, and Tōyashū shūda.[1] Additionally, he is also known for copying Ise Monogatari and Tsurezuregusa by hand.[3][6]
He died in 1484 at the age of 83.[1][2][3] There is also a theory that he died on April 18, 1494, at the age of 93, however 1484 is considered his actual year of death.[2][4] His Dharma name is Soden.[1][2]
