Hyakunin Isshu (One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each): Poem 100 (Cloistered Emperor Juntoku)

   Hyakunin Isshu, Poem 100

Translation and comments by Ad Blankestijn
(version September 2022)

when I see the "memory ferns"
growing on the old eaves
of the imperial palace
my longing grows the more I long
for the glorious rule of the past

momoshiki ya
furuki nokiba no
shinobu ni mo
nao amari aru
mukashi nari keri

百敷や
古き軒端の
しのぶにも
なほあまりある
むかしなりけり

Cloistered Emperor Juntoku 順徳院 (1197-1242)

A poem about the loss of imperial power, written in 1216. Also echoes the first poem that opens the Hyakunin Isshu, by Emperor Tenji: the opening poem of the collection shows us a benevolent emperor ruling over the people, but this one is filled with nostalgia for the past glories of the imperial house.

Notes

- momoshiki: an utamakura for palaces, here used independently: "the imperial court".
- nokiba no shinobu: a pun (kakekotoba). It means both "the memory ferns (shinobu) growing on the eaves" and "to long for the past (shinobu)."
- nao: here the same as "yahari", after all, all the same.
- amari aru: "shinonde mo shinobikirenai", "no matter how much I yearn for it, my yearning never ends."
- mukashi narikeri: "the glorious reign of old." -keri is an exclamation.

The Poet

Emperor Juntoku (1197 – 1242) was the 84th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1210 through 1221. He was the third son of Emperor Go-Toba (poem 99). In actuality, Emperor Go-Toba wielded effective power as a cloistered emperor during the years of Juntoku's reign. In 1221, Emperor Juntoku was forced to abdicate because of his participation in Go-Toba's unsuccessful attempt to displace the Kamakura bakufu with re-asserted Imperial power. This political and military struggle was called the Jokyu War. After the imperial side lost the war, Juntoku was sent into exile on Sado Island, where he remained until his death in 1242.

Juntoku studied poetry under Teika and was a frequent participant in the poetry events sponsored by Go-Toba. Juntoku has a personal poetry collection and 159 of his poems were included in imperial anthologies.

Visiting

(1) Mano Goryo Mausoleum, Sado Island. Sado Island is part of Niigata prefecture and can be reached by ferry from Niigata to Ryotsu. Emperor Juntoku was forced into exile on Sado in 1221, when he and his father, Go-Toba, lost the military struggle with the Hojo regents. After twenty-two years, he passed away in 1242, at the age of forty-six. His body was cremated the following day, and pines and cherry trees were planted on the site to mark the spot. His ashes were returned to Kyoto the following year, and buried in the imperial mausoleum of his father, Emperor Go-Toba. The cremation spot on Sado Island mound is handled as an imperial mausoleum under the management of the Imperial Household Agency. It lies in a beautiful grove. The nearby Manogu Shrine enshrines Emperor Juntoku. The Kuroki Gosho at Izumi served as the abode for the unlucky emperor for 22 years (10 km SW of Ryotsu). Mano was the center of government on the island from the earliest times to the Kamakura period and most of Sado's historical relics are scattered here. Other famous exiles to Sado were the priest Nichiren and the No master Zeami. See the Sado Tourism website.

(2) The Ohara Mausoleum near Sanzenin temple in Ohara, Kyoto, is dedicated to both Juntoku and his father Go-Toba, who both died after long years in exile.

References: Pictures of the Heart, The Hyakunin Isshu in Word and Image by Joshua S. Mostow (University of Hawai'i Press, 1996); One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each, by Peter MacMIllan (Penguin Classics); Traditional Japanese Poetry, An Anthology, by Steven D. Carter (Stanford University Press, 1991); Hyakunin Isshu by Inoue Muneo, etc. (Shinchosha, 1990); Genshoku Hyakunin Isshu by Suzuki Hideo, etc. (Buneido, 1997); Chishiki Zero kara no Hyakunin Isshu, by Ariyoshi Tamotsu (Gentosha); Hyakunin Isshu Kaibo Zukan, by Tani Tomoko (X-Knowledge);  Ogura Hyakunin Isshu at Japanese Text Initiative (University of Virginia Library Etext Center); Hyakunin Isshu wo aruku by Shimaoka Shin (Kofusha Shuppan); Hyakunin Isshu, Ocho waka kara chusei waka e by Inoue Muneo (Chikuma Shoin, 2004); Basho's Haiku (2 vols) by Toshiharu Oseko (Maruzen, 1990); The Ise Stories by Joshua S. Mostow and Royall Tyler (University of Hawai'i Press, 2010); Kokin Wakashu, The First Imperial Anthology of Japanese Poetry by Helen Craig McCullough (Stanford University Press, 1985); Kokinshu, A Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern by Laurel Rasplica Rodd and Mary Catherine Henkenius (University of Tokyo Press, 1984); Kokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1994); Shinkokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1995); Taketori Monogatari-Ise Monogatari-Yamato Monogatari-Heichu Monogatari (Shogakkan, 1994).

    Illustration: Wikipedia.

    Hyakunin Isshu Index

 

 

 

Hyakunin Isshu (One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each): Poem 99 (Cloistered Emperor Go-Toba)

Hyakunin Isshu, Poem 99

Translation and comments by Ad Blankestijn
(version September 2022)

people seem kind
and people also seem hateful
when in vain
I brood over the world
this self that broods over things

hito mo oshi
hito mo urameshi
ajiki naku
yo o omou yue ni
mono omou mi wa

人も惜し
人も恨めし
あぢきなく
世を思ふゆゑに
もの思ふ身は

Cloistered Emperor Go-Toba 後鳥羽院 (1180-1239)

A poem on "personal grievance", written as part of a hundred-poem-sequence in 1212.

Notes

- hito: this can be interpreted in various ways: (1) "hito," people, refers to all humans in general; (2) it refers to the same person, meaning that one person can have two sides; (3) there are both good and bad people in the world.
- ito: =itooshii, dear, adorable
- ajikinaku: vainly, futile
- yo wo omou: the world in general. As emperor, Go-Toba wants the world to be at peace.
- mono omou mi wa: I myself who broods about the world.
- mono omou: often thoughts of love, but here dejected thoughts in a more general sense.

The Poet

Emperor Go-Toba (1180 – 1239, r. 1183-1198) was the 82nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He was the fourth son of Emperor Takakura and put on the throne at age four, abdicating at nineteen. Go-Toba was a great patron of the arts and a dedicated poet who sponsored the compilation of the Shinkokinshu and worked closely with its editors. He and Teika eventually fell out over poetic matters. Politically, he rebelled against the Kamakura military government in what is known as the Jokyu Rebellion of 1221. Go-Toba's forces were defeated and he was exiled to the Oki islands, where he lived another eighteen years. During his exile, he continued to compose hundreds of waka. Go-Toba has 254 poems in imperial anthologies and his personal poetry collection is also extant. He was one of the greatest poets of his time.

[The Oki Shrine]

Visiting

(1) The Oki Islands. A cluster of remote islands in the Sea of Japan belonging to Shimane Prefecture designated as a location of exile during the reign of Emperor Shomu in 724. Noble exiles, among them two emperors, aristocrats and government officials were sent there to undergo their sentences. Oki was not only selected for this role due to its remoteness, but also because the islands were wealthy enough that exiled nobles could live there without suffering hardship (this had to do with the belief in vengeful ghosts, that the spirits of powerful individuals could come back to seek revenge for having been treated badly - so royal exiles especially were to have satisfactory living conditions). This was the reason that Nakanoshima Island, which has rich farmland, was selected as the location of exile for Emperor Gotoba in 1221. Other famous individuals exiled to the Oki Islands include Emperor Godaigo (1332, to Dogo Island)) and the poet Ono no Takamura (838 - see poem 11).

Nakanoshima is one of the Dozen Islands in the Oki archipelago and the third largest of the Oki Islands. The island is of volcanic origin, with a deeply indented coastline. This is where the Cloistered Emperor Go-Toba was exiled in 1221. He was never allowed to leave the island and died here in 1239. Oki Jinja was erected on the island in 1939 to commemorate the 700th anniversary of the death of Go-Toba. Festivals are held on 4/14 and 10/14 every year dedicated to the waka written by the Cloistered Emperor Go-Toba that include a special song and dance called “Jyokyugaku” which is exclusive to the Oki Shrine. Near the shrine is the Emperor Go-Toba Museum that displays the treasures of the Oki Shrine, centering around items related to the late emperor. In the surrounding area are the Residence Site and the Burial Site of Emperor Go-Toba, and the residence of the Murakami family that guarded the tomb for generations.

There are regular ferry services to the Oki Islands from Sakaiminato in Shimane prefecture, and also smaller ferries between the islands. See the Tourism Guide to the islands. The islands are not only rich in historical relics, but also in unspoiled nature. One famous visitor was Lafcadio Hearn, who visited the islands in 1892, spending a month there, and writing about his experiences in Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan.

[Ohara Mausoleum]

(2) Go-Toba's mausoleum can be found in Ohara, near Sanzenin temple. Designated by the Imperial Household Agency as the "Ohara no Misasagi," it is marked by a 13-story stone pagoda. After his death in 1239 on Oki, part of his ashes was brought to this official mausoleum, where they were interred together with the remains of another imperial exile, Emperor Juntoku.

References: Pictures of the Heart, The Hyakunin Isshu in Word and Image by Joshua S. Mostow (University of Hawai'i Press, 1996); One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each, by Peter MacMIllan (Penguin Classics); Traditional Japanese Poetry, An Anthology, by Steven D. Carter (Stanford University Press, 1991); Hyakunin Isshu by Inoue Muneo, etc. (Shinchosha, 1990); Genshoku Hyakunin Isshu by Suzuki Hideo, etc. (Buneido, 1997); Chishiki Zero kara no Hyakunin Isshu, by Ariyoshi Tamotsu (Gentosha); Hyakunin Isshu Kaibo Zukan, by Tani Tomoko (X-Knowledge);  Ogura Hyakunin Isshu at Japanese Text Initiative (University of Virginia Library Etext Center); Hyakunin Isshu wo aruku by Shimaoka Shin (Kofusha Shuppan); Hyakunin Isshu, Ocho waka kara chusei waka e by Inoue Muneo (Chikuma Shoin, 2004); Basho's Haiku (2 vols) by Toshiharu Oseko (Maruzen, 1990); The Ise Stories by Joshua S. Mostow and Royall Tyler (University of Hawai'i Press, 2010); Kokin Wakashu, The First Imperial Anthology of Japanese Poetry by Helen Craig McCullough (Stanford University Press, 1985); Kokinshu, A Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern by Laurel Rasplica Rodd and Mary Catherine Henkenius (University of Tokyo Press, 1984); Kokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1994); Shinkokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1995); Taketori Monogatari-Ise Monogatari-Yamato Monogatari-Heichu Monogatari (Shogakkan, 1994).

    Illustration: Wikipedia.

    Hyakunin Isshu Index

 

 

 

Hyakunin Isshu (One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each): Poem 97 (Fujiwara no Teika)

   Hyakunin Isshu, Poem 97

Translation and comments by Ad Blankestijn
(version September 2022)

longing for you
who do not come
I am like the salt-making fires
at dusk on the Bay of Waiting
aflame with longing

konu hito o
Matsuho no ura no
yunagi ni
yaku ya moshio no
mi mo kogare tsutsu

こぬ人を
まつほの浦の
夕なぎに
やくやもしほの
身もこがれつつ

Fujiwara no Teika 藤原定家 (1162-1241)

A poem of longing for a lover who never comes. Written at a poetry contest in 1216 hosted by Emperor Juntoku, the speaker in the poem is a woman. It is an allusive variation (honkadori) on a poem in the Manyoshu (6:935). The smouldering passion of the speaker is compared to the salt-making fires lighting up the shore at Matsuho Bay.

Notes

- Matsuho no Ura: the Bay of Matsuho ("The Bay of Waiting") on Awaji island, an utamakura. In the name of the bay "matsu" is written with the kanji for "pine tree", but in the poem it is also a pun on waiting (matsu) for the person who doesn't come (konu hito wo).
- yunagi: evening calm
- yaku ya moshio no: brine and seaweed were boiled down on the beach to make salt. (ya is an interjection without a specific meaning here).
- kogareru：to yearn for
- tsutsu: indicates that the speaker in the poem has waited night after night.

The Poet

Fujiwara no Sadaie, better-known as Fujiwara no Teika (1162 – 1241), is counted among the greatest Japanese poets. He was also an anthologist, calligrapher, and literary critic of note, whose influence was enormous. A member of a poetic clan, Teika was born to the noted poet Fujiwara no Shunzei (poem 83). After coming to the attention of the Cloistered Emperor Go-Toba, Teika began his long and distinguished career, spanning multiple areas of aesthetic endeavor. His relationship with Go-Toba was at first cordial and led to commissions to compile anthologies, but later resulted in his banishment from the cloistered emperor's court. His descendants and critical ideas on composing poetry would dominate classical Japanese poetry for centuries afterwards.

Teika was one of the editors of the Shin Kokinshu and later edited the Shinchokusenshu by himself. He collated and edited many of the classics of Japanese literature, such as The Tale of Genji. His personal poetry collection is extant and he has 465 poems in imperial anthologies. He is the compiler of One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each anthology.

Shin Kokinshu (Shin Kokin Wakashu

Shin Kokinshu (新古今和歌集, "New Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern"), the eighth imperial waka anthology. Together with the Man'yoshu and the Kokinshu, the Shin Kokinshu is widely considered to be one of the three most influential poetic anthologies in Japanese literary history. It was commissioned in 1201 by the Cloistered Emperor Go-Toba (r 1183-1198), who established a new Bureau of Poetry at his Nijo palace with eleven Fellows, headed by Fujiwara no Yoshitsune, for the purpose of conducting poetry contests and compiling the anthology. Despite its emphasis on contemporary poets, the Shin Kokinshu covered a broader range of poetic ages than the Kokinshu, including ancient poems that the editors of the first anthology had deliberately excluded. It was officially presented in 1205, on the 300th anniversary of the completion of the Kokinshu.

Although Go-Toba retained veto power over the poems included in the anthology as well as the order in which they were presented, he assigned the task of compilation to six of the Fellows of the Bureau of Poetry. These were Fujiwara no Teika (1162–1241), Fujiwara no Ariie, Fujiwara no Ietaka, Jakuren, Minamoto no Michitomo and Asukai Masatsune. The anthology was also given a preface in Japanese prose by Fujiwara no Yoshitsune and a preface in Chinese by Fujiwara no Chikatsune, in a manner reminiscent of the Kokinshu.

Poems included in Hyakunin Isshu: 2, 4, 6, 19, 27, 46, 54, 57, 79, 84, 87, 89, 91, 94 (total 14)

[Matsuho Bay on Awaji Island]

Visiting

Matsuho Bay lies on the north side of Awaji Island and refers to the coast here which faces the Strait of Akashi. A body of water with strong tidal currents, the Strait of Akashi links the Seto Inland Sea with Osaka Bay. It is also a key point for crossing the sea to the area around Kyoto. Awaji Island is where the Ama, with their superb seafaring skills, flourished in olden times. The Manyoshu already mentions that the Ama made salt here, and that Matsuho no Ura was used as an anchor ground for the crossing over the Strait of Akashi.

According to the creation myth in the Kojiki, Awaji was the first of the Japanese islands born from the union between the deities Izanagi and Izanami, and is dotted with famous places such as Izanagi Jingu and Onokorojima Shrine. The area around Matsuho Bay now is called Iwaya and you also find here the Iwaya Shrine which is associated with the Onokoro story of Japanese mythology. It is refreshing to stand on the coast here and see small skiffs with fishermen shoot through strait, followed by clouds of shrieking seagulls. You also see the world's longest suspension bridge, Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, which crosses the Strait here from Kobe. What you don't see are salt makers, for that occupation has long died out on Awaji. Despite the bridge, the nicest way to cross over to Awaji is the ferry from Akashi, the Jenova Line (the only ferry left after the bridge was built). It is quite frequent and convenient. See this website about historical sites on Awaji Island.

References: Pictures of the Heart, The Hyakunin Isshu in Word and Image by Joshua S. Mostow (University of Hawai'i Press, 1996); One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each, by Peter MacMIllan (Penguin Classics); Traditional Japanese Poetry, An Anthology, by Steven D. Carter (Stanford University Press, 1991); Hyakunin Isshu by Inoue Muneo, etc. (Shinchosha, 1990); Genshoku Hyakunin Isshu by Suzuki Hideo, etc. (Buneido, 1997); Chishiki Zero kara no Hyakunin Isshu, by Ariyoshi Tamotsu (Gentosha); Hyakunin Isshu Kaibo Zukan, by Tani Tomoko (X-Knowledge);  Ogura Hyakunin Isshu at Japanese Text Initiative (University of Virginia Library Etext Center); Hyakunin Isshu wo aruku by Shimaoka Shin (Kofusha Shuppan); Hyakunin Isshu, Ocho waka kara chusei waka e by Inoue Muneo (Chikuma Shoin, 2004); Basho's Haiku (2 vols) by Toshiharu Oseko (Maruzen, 1990); The Ise Stories by Joshua S. Mostow and Royall Tyler (University of Hawai'i Press, 2010); Kokin Wakashu, The First Imperial Anthology of Japanese Poetry by Helen Craig McCullough (Stanford University Press, 1985); Kokinshu, A Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern by Laurel Rasplica Rodd and Mary Catherine Henkenius (University of Tokyo Press, 1984); Kokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1994); Shinkokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1995); Taketori Monogatari-Ise Monogatari-Yamato Monogatari-Heichu Monogatari (Shogakkan, 1994).

    Illustration / Photo: Wikipedia.

    Hyakunin Isshu Index

 

 

 

Hyakunin Isshu (One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each): Poem 96 (Fujiwara no Kintsune)

   Hyakunin Isshu, Poem 96

Translation and comments by Ad Blankestijn
(version September 2022)

the blossoms lured to the garden
by the storm wind
are not snow that has fallen -
what withers and falls away
are the years of my life!

hana sasou
arashi no niwa no
yuki nara de
furi yuku mono wa
waga mi nari keri

花さそふ
あらしの庭の
雪ならで
ふりゆくものは
わが身なりけり

Fujiwara (Saionji) no Kintsune 西園寺公経 (1171-1244)

The blossoms that have been scattered (furi) by the storm wind like fallen snow, are in fact not snow, therefore they are not fallen (furi): the only thing that is falling and growing old (furi) is the poet himself.

Notes

- hana sasou arashi: "the (cherry-) blossoms lured by the storm"
- yuki: Kintsune plays with the hackneyed "elegant confusion" between blossoms and snow.
- narade: "-de" is a negation. "
- furiyuku: pun (kaketotoba) meaning both "to fall (of the snow/cherry blossoms)" and "to grow old (of the poet)." This also refers to Ono no Komachi's verse in the Hyakunin Isshu (poem 9) in which the same pun occurs.
- narikeri: "nari" is an assertion, "-keri" indicates an exclamation, as if the poet only now realizes he is growing old.

The Poet

Fujiwara no Kintsune was the progenitor of the Saionji family, and is therefore also called "Saionji Kintsune." He was on intimate terms with the Kamakura bakufu, as evidenced by his marriage to a niece of Minamoto no Yoritomo and eventually became the grandfather of the shogun Yoritsune. He was held in confinement by Cloistered Emperor Go-Toba during the Jokyu War, but managed to alert the bakufu of what was happening in advance, and thereby contributed to the bakufu's eventual victory. After the war, his bond with the bakufu became stronger than ever, so that in 1222 he was promoted to High Chancellor and raised to Juichi-i (Junior First Rank) the following year in 1223, until he, along with his adopted son-in-law, Kujo Michiie, controlled all the real power at the imperial court. He also worked as Kanto Moshitsugi, or Shogunal Liaison at Court, exerting himself to mediate between bakufu and court. Kintsune's granddaughter Kitsushi became Emperor Gosaga's Empress, whereby Kintsune became maternal relatives with Imperial Prince Hisahito (who later became Emperor Gofukakusa). With this, the Saionji family established their precedent of producing Empresses, and in addition, used this as the impetus to forge close ties between the Jimyoin imperial lineage (the genealogy beginning with Emperor Gofukakusa) and the bakufu. Kintsune had the rare honor of being the grandfather of the Shogun, the Emperor, the Empress, and the Sekkan.

The family name Saionji comes from the fact that Kintsune had a temple called Saionji built on the spot which later became Kinkakuji Temple in Kyoto. Starting with Kintsune, the Saionji family became hereditary holders of the Kanto Moshitsugi (shogunal liaison to court) position for the rest of the Kamakura period.

At the age of 60. Kintsune took the tonsure to study under the famous priest Myoe, leaving behind his busy political life. It is possible that the above poem as written around that time, in 1231.

Teika was married to Kintsune's older sister and received his patronage. Kintsune was active in court poetic circles and is the fourth best represented poet in the Shinchokusenshu, which Teika edited. He has 114 poems in the Shinkokinshu and other imperial anthologies.

Visiting

The garden of Kinkakuji Temple (of course without the Golden Pavilion!) goes back to Kintsune's Saionji and speaks of the wealth of this statesman.

References: Pictures of the Heart, The Hyakunin Isshu in Word and Image by Joshua S. Mostow (University of Hawai'i Press, 1996); One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each, by Peter MacMIllan (Penguin Classics); Traditional Japanese Poetry, An Anthology, by Steven D. Carter (Stanford University Press, 1991); Hyakunin Isshu by Inoue Muneo, etc. (Shinchosha, 1990); Genshoku Hyakunin Isshu by Suzuki Hideo, etc. (Buneido, 1997); Chishiki Zero kara no Hyakunin Isshu, by Ariyoshi Tamotsu (Gentosha); Hyakunin Isshu Kaibo Zukan, by Tani Tomoko (X-Knowledge);  Ogura Hyakunin Isshu at Japanese Text Initiative (University of Virginia Library Etext Center); Hyakunin Isshu wo aruku by Shimaoka Shin (Kofusha Shuppan); Hyakunin Isshu, Ocho waka kara chusei waka e by Inoue Muneo (Chikuma Shoin, 2004); Basho's Haiku (2 vols) by Toshiharu Oseko (Maruzen, 1990); The Ise Stories by Joshua S. Mostow and Royall Tyler (University of Hawai'i Press, 2010); Kokin Wakashu, The First Imperial Anthology of Japanese Poetry by Helen Craig McCullough (Stanford University Press, 1985); Kokinshu, A Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern by Laurel Rasplica Rodd and Mary Catherine Henkenius (University of Tokyo Press, 1984); Kokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1994); Shinkokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1995); Taketori Monogatari-Ise Monogatari-Yamato Monogatari-Heichu Monogatari (Shogakkan, 1994).

    Photos: my own work.

    Hyakunin Isshu Index

 

 

Hyakunin Isshu (One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each): Poem 95 (Jien)

    Hyakunin Isshu, Poem 95

Translation and comments by Ad Blankestijn
(version September 2022)


though I am unworthy,
shield the people
of this wretched world,
my ink-black sleeves,
as I now live on wooded Mt Hiei

okenaku
ukiyo no tami ni
ou kana
waga tatsu soma ni
sumizome no sode

おほけなく
うき世の民に
おほふかな
わがたつそまに
墨染の袖

Jien 慈円 (1155-1225)

The author, a high Buddhist priest, vows to dedicate his life to saving the people.

In that case the poem could have been written in 1192 when Jien became High Prelate of Enryakuji, the main Tendai temple on Mt Hiei. However, as the poem has been included in the Senzaishu which was compiled in 1188, such a dating is not possible.

Notes

- okenaku: "although I am inadequate", an expression of modesty.
- ukiyo no tami: "the folk of this wretched world"
- waga tatsu soma ni: Mt Hiei, literally "in these wooded hills," a quote from a poem by Saicho, the founder of Tendai Buddhism.
- sumi: a pun (kakekotoba), meaning both "to live" and "to dye one's clothes black" (as a priest).
- sumizome no sode: the black clothes worn by Buddhist priests.

The Poet

Jien (1155 - 1225) was the son of Fujiwara no Tadamichi (poem 76). His brother was the future regent Fujiwara no Kanezane. Jien became a Tendai monk early in his life, entering Shorenin at age eleven. He eventually rose to the rank of Daisojo or High Prelate, the leader of Tendai Buddhism. As waka poet, Jien took part in many poetic events sponsored by Emperor Go-Toba and was a member of the poetic circle of his nephew Yoshitsune (poem 91) and Teika. His personal poetry collection has been preserved and he is the second-best represented poet in the Shinkokinshu (after Saigyo). He has 267 poems in the Senzaishu and other imperial anthologies. He is also famous for his historiographic work, the Gukansho, in which he attempted to apply Buddhist principles such as "mappo" to the analysis of Japanese history. He held a pessimistic view of his age, claiming that it was a period of the disintegration of civilization.

[Enryakuji's main hall, Konponchudo, "on wooded Mt Hiei"]

Visiting

Enryakuji, the headquarters of Tendai Buddhism on Mt Hiei, to the northeast of Kyoto, is huge. It was founded in 788 as a simple meditation hut by Saicho (767-822), and from the beginning, was first and for all a center of scholarship. It brought forth a long line of famous priests and thinkers and also acted as the incubation center for most new types of Buddhism. Honen, Shinran, Eisai, Dogen and Nichiren all studied on Mt. Hiei, before discovering their own direction. The Light of the Law, symbolically kept burning in a lantern in Enryakuji's main hall, has been shining through the ages.

Saicho had studied the teachings of the Tiantai School, a Chinese Buddhist movement named after the mountain on which the main monastery is located, and in 804 he decided to make the perilous journey to China to apprentice with monks on Mount Tiantai. When he returned to Japan in 805, he possessed all the historical and philosophical knowledge of the Tiantai school. His hut on Mt Hiei grew into a large temple  from which he spread Tendai teachings and trained monks. When the Japanese capital was moved to neighboring Heiankyo, present-day Kyoto, in 794, it became the city's protective temple.

What Saicho introduced to Japan was not just the Tiantai doctrine, based on the Lotus Sutra and the idea that every person possesses the Buddha nature in embryo. He also taught elements of Zen, esoteric mikkyo, and vinaya. The tendency to combine elements of different movements was continued by Saicho's successors Ennin and Enchin.

Enryakuji consists of three precincts: the Toto or Eastern Precinct, where the main temple stands, and which includes the massive Konponchudo, Enryakuji's Main Hall, and the Daikodo or Great Lecture Hal as well as the temple museum; the more quiet Saito or Western Precinct; and the little visited Yokawa area, which is four kilometers further north. See the website of the Hieizan Biwako Panoramic Route for ways of access.

References: Pictures of the Heart, The Hyakunin Isshu in Word and Image by Joshua S. Mostow (University of Hawai'i Press, 1996); One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each, by Peter MacMIllan (Penguin Classics); Traditional Japanese Poetry, An Anthology, by Steven D. Carter (Stanford University Press, 1991); Hyakunin Isshu by Inoue Muneo, etc. (Shinchosha, 1990); Genshoku Hyakunin Isshu by Suzuki Hideo, etc. (Buneido, 1997); Chishiki Zero kara no Hyakunin Isshu, by Ariyoshi Tamotsu (Gentosha); Hyakunin Isshu Kaibo Zukan, by Tani Tomoko (X-Knowledge);  Ogura Hyakunin Isshu at Japanese Text Initiative (University of Virginia Library Etext Center); Hyakunin Isshu wo aruku by Shimaoka Shin (Kofusha Shuppan); Hyakunin Isshu, Ocho waka kara chusei waka e by Inoue Muneo (Chikuma Shoin, 2004); Basho's Haiku (2 vols) by Toshiharu Oseko (Maruzen, 1990); The Ise Stories by Joshua S. Mostow and Royall Tyler (University of Hawai'i Press, 2010); Kokin Wakashu, The First Imperial Anthology of Japanese Poetry by Helen Craig McCullough (Stanford University Press, 1985); Kokinshu, A Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern by Laurel Rasplica Rodd and Mary Catherine Henkenius (University of Tokyo Press, 1984); Kokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1994); Shinkokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1995); Taketori Monogatari-Ise Monogatari-Yamato Monogatari-Heichu Monogatari (Shogakkan, 1994).

    Illustration: Wikipedia. Photo Konponchudo: own work.

    Hyakunin Isshu Index

 

Hyakunin Isshu (One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each): Poem 94 (Fujiwara no Masatsune)

   Hyakunin Isshu, Poem 94

Translation and comments by Ad Blankestijn
(version September 2022)


the autumn wind blowing
from fair Mount Yoshino
deepens the night
and in the old capital, cold,
I hear the sound of beating cloth

miyoshino no
yama no akikaze
sayo fukete
furusato samuku
koromo utsu nari

みよし野の
山の秋風
さよふけて
ふるさとさむく
衣うつなり

Fujiwara no Masatsune 藤原雅経 (1170-1221)

[”Fulling cloth" by Katsushika Oi]

A poem on "fulling cloth," the practice of pounding fabric to bring out a glossy sheen. The poem was part of a 100 poem sequence composed in 1202 and is again a "honkadori" poem, drawing on both Chinese and Japanese examples to create a mood of autumnal melancholia. Poems alluded to are kanshi by Li Bai and Bai Juyi, as well as Kokinshi No 325 by Ki no Korenori.

Notes

- miyoshino: utamakura for Yoshino, the mountainous area south of Nara not only famous for cherry blossoms and ascetic priests, but also for being the location of the Rikyu palace of Emperor Tenmu and Empress Jito.
- sayo fukete: as the night deepens, the autumn wind gets increasingly cold
- furusato: here "the old capital", i.e. the site of the palace of Emperor Tenmu and Empress Jito.
- samuku (cold): a pivot word between "furusato" (old capital) and "koromo utsu" (beating clothes) - conveys the double sense of the cold of the evening and the chilly sound of the mallet.
- koromo utsunari: the sound of fulling blocks (kinuta) was also a sign of autumn in Sinitic poetry.

The Poet

Fujiwara no Masatsune (1170-1221, a.k.a. Asukai Masatsune) was a son of Nanba Yoritsune and the ancestor of the Asukai family, who were known for their skill at both poetic composition, calligraphy and kemari. He studied poetry with Shunzei (poem 83) and was one of the editors of the Shinkokinshu. He left a private collection, the Asukaishu, which was posthumously edited by his grandson in 1292. Twenty-two of his poems were included in the Shinkokinshu, and a total of 134 in the imperial anthologies.

[Mr Yoshino]

Visiting

Although you won't hear the interesting sound of cloth fulling anymore, Mt Yoshino is a fascinating destination, sitting on the crest of a ridge extending to the heart of the Yoshino mountains. Located in Nara Prefecture, Mt Yoshino is a major religious and literary site. Its peaks were once climbed chiefly for devotional purposes by "mountain ascetics." Several important religious and pilgrimage destinations are located on and around Mt Yoshino, including Kinpusenji Temple, with the Zaodo  whose principal image is Zao Gongen. The hall is the second largest wooden building in Japan (after the Daibutsuden of Todaiji) and possesses great architectural beauty. Other interesting temples in the area are Nyoirinji and Chikurinji. As shrines go, we have the Yoshimizu Shrine, the Yoshino-Mikumari Shrine (built in the Momoyama period), the Kinpu Shrine and the Kokeshimizu Shrine, which stands in the vicinity of the site of the hermitage of the famous 12th c. Buddhist priest and poet Saigyo.

The area is renowned for its more than 30,000 flowering cherry trees, which have inspired Japanese waka poetry for centuries, including the 10th century poetry compilation Kokinshu and the above-mentioned Saigyo. Yoshino's cherry trees were planted in four groves at different altitudes, so they would come into bloom at different times in spring. Find more information about Yoshino and ways to get there on the Visit Nara website.

References: Pictures of the Heart, The Hyakunin Isshu in Word and Image by Joshua S. Mostow (University of Hawai'i Press, 1996); One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each, by Peter MacMIllan (Penguin Classics); Traditional Japanese Poetry, An Anthology, by Steven D. Carter (Stanford University Press, 1991); Hyakunin Isshu by Inoue Muneo, etc. (Shinchosha, 1990); Genshoku Hyakunin Isshu by Suzuki Hideo, etc. (Buneido, 1997); Chishiki Zero kara no Hyakunin Isshu, by Ariyoshi Tamotsu (Gentosha); Hyakunin Isshu Kaibo Zukan, by Tani Tomoko (X-Knowledge);  Ogura Hyakunin Isshu at Japanese Text Initiative (University of Virginia Library Etext Center); Hyakunin Isshu wo aruku by Shimaoka Shin (Kofusha Shuppan); Hyakunin Isshu, Ocho waka kara chusei waka e by Inoue Muneo (Chikuma Shoin, 2004); Basho's Haiku (2 vols) by Toshiharu Oseko (Maruzen, 1990); The Ise Stories by Joshua S. Mostow and Royall Tyler (University of Hawai'i Press, 2010); Kokin Wakashu, The First Imperial Anthology of Japanese Poetry by Helen Craig McCullough (Stanford University Press, 1985); Kokinshu, A Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern by Laurel Rasplica Rodd and Mary Catherine Henkenius (University of Tokyo Press, 1984); Kokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1994); Shinkokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1995); Taketori Monogatari-Ise Monogatari-Yamato Monogatari-Heichu Monogatari (Shogakkan, 1994).

    Illustration: Wikipedia. Photo Mt Yoshino: own work.

    Hyakunin Isshu Index

 

Hyakunin Isshu (One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each): Poem 93 (Minamoto no Sanetomo)

  Hyakunin Isshu, Poem 93

Translation and comments by Ad Blankestijn
(version September 2022)


if only this world
could always remain the same!
how moving the sight
of small fisher boats
being pulled on to shore

yo no naka wa
tsune ni mo ga mo na
nagisa kogu
ama no obune no
tsuna de kanashi mo

世の中は
つねにもがもな
なぎさこぐ
あまの小舟の
綱手かなしも

Minamoto no Sanetomo 源実朝 (1192-1219)

[Painting of Minamoto no Sanetomo by Yashima Gakutei, 1825]

A simple poem about small fisher boats at the coast of Kamakura. Another poem about which Japanese commentators like to play the "honkadori" game (guessing which poems are lying at the basis of the present one), but it is perfect on its own.

Notes

- tsune ni mogamo na: an archaic expression that also appears in the Manyoshu. "gamo" expresses a wish, "mogamo na" means "how I wish it were like this."
- nagisa kogu: paddling in the surf
- tsuna de: the ropes to tow the boats with
- kanashi: not "sad" here, but rather 愛し: lovely, adorable

The Poet

Minamoto no Sanetomo (1192-1219) was the third shogun of the Kamakura shogunate. He was the second son of the Kamakura shogunate founder, Minamoto no Yoritomo. His mother was Hojo Masako and his older brother was second Kamakura shogun Minamoto no Yoriie. He was an accomplished waka poet, writing over 700 poems between the age 17 and 22 while he was tutored by Fujiwara no Teika. He published his private waka collection Kinkai Wakashu and has 93 poems in imperial anthologies. With Saigyo, he was considered as one of the greatest poets of his day. Sanetomo had a tragic destiny and was assassinated by his nephew under heavy snow in February 1219 at the Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine in Kamakura. His nephew, Kugyo, came out from beside the stone stairway of the shrine. For his act, he was himself beheaded only a few hours later, thus bringing the Seiwa Genji line of the Minamoto clan and their rule in Kamakura to a sudden end. What followed was the rule of the Hojo regents.

[The fatal staircase leading to the Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine. The large ginkgo tree to the left, where according to some reports the murderer lay in waiting, has since been uprooted by a storm.]

Visiting

(1) Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine, Kamakura (location of the assassination of Sanetomo). After defeating the rival Taira clan in 1180, Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147-1199), the founder of the Kamakura Shogunate, became the military ruler of Japan and set up his headquarters in Kamakura, making it the de facto capital of the nation. The first thing he did after his victory was to build a grand shrine to Hachiman, the tutelary deity of the Minamoto clan, and revere it as the God of War, to demonstrate his supremacy as a new dictator. Before the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the shrine was a large complex of religious structures that mixed elements of Shinto and Buddhism under the concept that Shinto deities were manifestations of Buddhism divinities. In other words, it was a syncretic mixture of Shinto and (Shingon) Buddhism, and therefore the Shrine was called “Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine Temple.” In its golden days, it had as many as 33 structures including those for Buddhists. If anything, Buddhists had more power than Shintoists, as the Shrine was for most part managed by Buddhist priests. The new government after the Meiji Restoration, however, purged Shinto of Buddhist elements in order to turn it into a “purely Japanese” state religion. As a result, many of the valuable structures and statues associated with Buddhism were destroyed, something which happened in many similar locations all over Japan. In fact, the history of the original religion of the Japanese was destroyed in this way. Fortunately, most Japanese still consider themselves as both Buddhists and Shintoists, so the old attitude has in a certain way survived.

The Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine stands in a beautiful location in the center of Kamakura and is very much worth a visit - don't forget to shed a tear at the spot where the great poet Sanetomo was assassinated at the age of only only 26. For information about access and the shrine's festivals, see the website of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu.

[Main gate of Jufukuji temple]

(2) Jufukuji Temple, Kamakura (the grave of Sanetomo). Little-known Jufukuji is the oldest Zen temple in Kamakura. It was founded by Hojo Masako (1157–1225), the wife of Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147–1199), the founder of the Kamakura shogunate. She was an important historical figure in her own right. In 1200, she invited the Buddhist priest Eisai to Kamakura to found the temple - Eisai is important in the history of Zen because it was he who, after being ordained in China, introduced it to Japan. Although very small now, in its heyday the temple used to have as many as 14 subtemples. Its Main Hall, which constitutes the bulk of its compound now, is closed to the public and can be seen only from the inner gate. In the temple's vast graveyard behind the main hall, inside caves called yagura, are buried all the chief priests of the temple. Two yagura are dedicated to Hojo Masako and her son Minamoto no Sanetomo. Among other graves here can be found not only those of Japanese celebrities including haiku poet Takahama Kiyoshi and novelist Osaragi Jiro, but also those of some foreigners, among them Countess Iso Mutsu (1867–1930) who wrote an interesting book about Kamakura. The graveyard is accessible to visitors. For access information, see the Visit Kamakura website.

References: Pictures of the Heart, The Hyakunin Isshu in Word and Image by Joshua S. Mostow (University of Hawai'i Press, 1996); One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each, by Peter MacMIllan (Penguin Classics); Traditional Japanese Poetry, An Anthology, by Steven D. Carter (Stanford University Press, 1991); Hyakunin Isshu by Inoue Muneo, etc. (Shinchosha, 1990); Genshoku Hyakunin Isshu by Suzuki Hideo, etc. (Buneido, 1997); Chishiki Zero kara no Hyakunin Isshu, by Ariyoshi Tamotsu (Gentosha); Hyakunin Isshu Kaibo Zukan, by Tani Tomoko (X-Knowledge);  Ogura Hyakunin Isshu at Japanese Text Initiative (University of Virginia Library Etext Center); Hyakunin Isshu wo aruku by Shimaoka Shin (Kofusha Shuppan); Hyakunin Isshu, Ocho waka kara chusei waka e by Inoue Muneo (Chikuma Shoin, 2004); Basho's Haiku (2 vols) by Toshiharu Oseko (Maruzen, 1990); The Ise Stories by Joshua S. Mostow and Royall Tyler (University of Hawai'i Press, 2010); Kokin Wakashu, The First Imperial Anthology of Japanese Poetry by Helen Craig McCullough (Stanford University Press, 1985); Kokinshu, A Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern by Laurel Rasplica Rodd and Mary Catherine Henkenius (University of Tokyo Press, 1984); Kokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1994); Shinkokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1995); Taketori Monogatari-Ise Monogatari-Yamato Monogatari-Heichu Monogatari (Shogakkan, 1994).

    Photo: Wikipedia

    Hyakunin Isshu Index

 

Hyakunin Isshu (One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each): Poem 92 (Lady Sanuki)

   Hyakunin Isshu, Poem 92

Translation and comments by Ad Blankestijn
(version September 2022)


my sleeves are like
rocks out at sea
even at ebb-tide hidden from view
unknown to anyone
and never for a moment dry

waga sode wa
shiohi ni mienu
oki no ishi no
hito koso shirane
kawaku ma mo nashi

わが袖は
潮干に見えぬ
沖の石の
人こそしらね
かはくまもなし


Lady Sanuki 二条院讃岐 (ca. 1141-1217)

A very straightforward poem and an interesting play with conventions - sleeves were wet because of the tears shed on behalf of a fickle lover. Like underwater rocks, far from the shore, here the sleeves are always wet and at the same time hidden from view.

Notes

- shiyohi: ebb tide
- oki: offing, out at sea
- hito koso shirane: this can point in general at "people" (as I have translated it), but at the same time it points at the specific person of the lover

The Poet

Lady Sanuki was the daughter of Minamoto no Yorimasa, a prominent warrior who plays a major role in The Tale of the Heike. She served Ninshi, the consort of Emperor Go-Toba. 73 of her poems were selected for the Senzaishu and other imperial anthologies. She has her own collection of poems.

Visiting

Oki no Ishi, Tagajo, Miyagi Prefecture. Taga Castle was a fortification built in the late Nara period at the time that the Yamato court sent a number of military expeditions to what is now the Tohoku region of northern Japan to bring the local Emishi tribes under its control. The Tagajo Stele (Tsubo no Ishibumi) is a stone stele with a Nara period inscription that gives distances to the capital at Nara, the province of the Emishi, and other regions. Basho visited it on his Oku no Hosomichi journey and was moved to tears by the memorial. What is interesting for us is that nearby also the Oki no Ishi (“Rock in the Offing”) can be found which is referred to in our poem. It is a curious pile of overlapping rocks standing in a pond. It looks very much like a fake utamakura that was manufactured long after the date! Nearby is another utamakura, Sue no Matsuyama, which is a scenic spot located on a small hill – “Sue no Maysuyama” is mentioned in Hyakunin Isshu Poem 42. You can find a picture of Oki no Ishi at Google Maps.

References: Pictures of the Heart, The Hyakunin Isshu in Word and Image by Joshua S. Mostow (University of Hawai'i Press, 1996); One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each, by Peter MacMIllan (Penguin Classics); Traditional Japanese Poetry, An Anthology, by Steven D. Carter (Stanford University Press, 1991); Hyakunin Isshu by Inoue Muneo, etc. (Shinchosha, 1990); Genshoku Hyakunin Isshu by Suzuki Hideo, etc. (Buneido, 1997); Chishiki Zero kara no Hyakunin Isshu, by Ariyoshi Tamotsu (Gentosha); Hyakunin Isshu Kaibo Zukan, by Tani Tomoko (X-Knowledge);  Ogura Hyakunin Isshu at Japanese Text Initiative (University of Virginia Library Etext Center); Hyakunin Isshu wo aruku by Shimaoka Shin (Kofusha Shuppan); Hyakunin Isshu, Ocho waka kara chusei waka e by Inoue Muneo (Chikuma Shoin, 2004); Basho's Haiku (2 vols) by Toshiharu Oseko (Maruzen, 1990); The Ise Stories by Joshua S. Mostow and Royall Tyler (University of Hawai'i Press, 2010); Kokin Wakashu, The First Imperial Anthology of Japanese Poetry by Helen Craig McCullough (Stanford University Press, 1985); Kokinshu, A Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern by Laurel Rasplica Rodd and Mary Catherine Henkenius (University of Tokyo Press, 1984); Kokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1994); Shinkokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1995); Taketori Monogatari-Ise Monogatari-Yamato Monogatari-Heichu Monogatari (Shogakkan, 1994).

    Illustration: Wikipedia

    Hyakunin Isshu Index

 

Hyakunin Isshu (One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each): Poem 91 (Fujiwara no Yoshitsune)

       Hyakunin Isshu, Poem 91

Translation and comments by Ad Blankestijn
(version September 2022)


when the crickets
cry in the frosty night,
do I have to sleep alone
on the cold reed-mat
spreading out my robe just for one?

kirigirisu
naku ya shimo yo no
samushiro ni
koromo katashiki
hitori kamo nen

きりぎりす
鳴くや霜夜の
さむしろに
衣かたしき
ひとりかも寝む

Fujiwara no Yoshitsune 九条良経 (1169-1206)

[Cricket]

Both a love poem and a poem about the sadness and loneliness of autumn. Has been artfully pieced together from allusions to / quotes from older poetry, which means that Japanese commentators like to play the "honkadori" game (guessing which poems are lying at the basis of the present one). It was composed in 1200 for a poem sequence commissioned by Emperor Go-Toba.

Notes

- kirigirisu: cricket, grasshopper, an insect typical of autumn.
- naku ya shimo-yo no: ya is an intensifier; shimo-yo is a "night during which frost falls."
- samushiro: kakekotoba. ”Mushiro" is a "woven mat made of straw." This puns with "samushi," "cold."
- koromo katashiki: in the Heian period, people slept under their robes (koromo). When lovers slept together, they would spread out their robes together. "Katashiki" means that the robe is spread out just for one person, in other words, the poet has to sleep alone.
- hitori kamo nemu: "hitori de neru no de aro ka na." "-mu" indicates an assumption.

The Poet

Fujiwara no Yoshitsune (1169-1206), also known as Kujo Yoshitsune, was the son of regent Kujo Kanezane; his grandfather was Jien (poem 95). He is also known by his title "The Go-Kyogoku Regent and Former Chancellor." He held the regent position from 1202 to 1206. Kujo Michiie was his son. He was a member of the Mikohidari poetic family and served as editor of the Shinkokinshu and author of the anthology's Japanese preface. Although he died young, he has 319 poems in the Senzaishu and later imperial anthologies; his personal collection is also extant.

References: Pictures of the Heart, The Hyakunin Isshu in Word and Image by Joshua S. Mostow (University of Hawai'i Press, 1996); One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each, by Peter MacMIllan (Penguin Classics); Traditional Japanese Poetry, An Anthology, by Steven D. Carter (Stanford University Press, 1991); Hyakunin Isshu by Inoue Muneo, etc. (Shinchosha, 1990); Genshoku Hyakunin Isshu by Suzuki Hideo, etc. (Buneido, 1997); Chishiki Zero kara no Hyakunin Isshu, by Ariyoshi Tamotsu (Gentosha); Hyakunin Isshu Kaibo Zukan, by Tani Tomoko (X-Knowledge);  Ogura Hyakunin Isshu at Japanese Text Initiative (University of Virginia Library Etext Center); Hyakunin Isshu wo aruku by Shimaoka Shin (Kofusha Shuppan); Hyakunin Isshu, Ocho waka kara chusei waka e by Inoue Muneo (Chikuma Shoin, 2004); Basho's Haiku (2 vols) by Toshiharu Oseko (Maruzen, 1990); The Ise Stories by Joshua S. Mostow and Royall Tyler (University of Hawai'i Press, 2010); Kokin Wakashu, The First Imperial Anthology of Japanese Poetry by Helen Craig McCullough (Stanford University Press, 1985); Kokinshu, A Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern by Laurel Rasplica Rodd and Mary Catherine Henkenius (University of Tokyo Press, 1984); Kokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1994); Shinkokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1995); Taketori Monogatari-Ise Monogatari-Yamato Monogatari-Heichu Monogatari (Shogakkan, 1994).

    Photo and illustration: Wikipedia

    Hyakunin Isshu Index

 

Hyakunin Isshu (One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each): Poem 90 (Inpumon'in no Taiyu)

         Hyakunin Isshu, Poem 90

Translation and comments by Ad Blankestijn
(version September 2022)


let me show it!
the sleeves of the fishermen
of Ojima
though wetter than wet
do not change color like mine

misebaya na
Ojima no ama no
sode dani mo
nure ni zo nureshi
iro wa kawarazu

見せばやな
雄島のあまの
袖だにも
ぬれにぞぬれし
色はかはらず

Inpumon'in no Taiyu 殷富門院大輔 (ca. 1131-1200)

This poem was composed on the topic of "love" at a waka contest. It is an allusive variation (honkadori) and at the same time a rebuttal of a poem by Minamoto no Shigeyuki, which was not included in the Hyakunin Isshu (another poem by him was included, poem 48). Shigeyuki's poem runs as follows:

Matsushima!
only the fishermen
fishing on the shore of Ojima
can have sleeves
as soaked as mine

Matsushima ya | Ojima no iso ni | asari seshi | ama no sode koso | kaku wa nureshika

Matsushima has often been used as a pillow word in waka poetry since the Heian period (794-1185). Minamoto Shigeyuki's poem was probably the first poem written about Matsushima. It is believed he really visited Mutsu Province (the eastern part of the present-day Tohoku Region, including Matsushima), so he may have composed this poem after actually seeing the scenery of Matsushima (generally speaking poets didn't travel a lot outside the capital of Heiankyo and place names were often conceptual, or based on screen paintings).

Notes

- misebaya na: misetai mono desu, "let me show these" - "these" points at the poet's sleeves that have changed color because of her many tears.
- Ojima: "Male Island," one of the larger islands in Matsushima (see below).
- ama no sode dani mo: the sleeves of the fishermen who work at sea and therefore get wet sleeves.

The Poet

Inpumon'in no Taiyu (ca. 1131-1200) was a daughter of Fujiwara no Nobunari and served Princess Ryoshi, the daughter of Emperor Go-Shirakawa, who was called "Inpumon'in". She was a member of the poetic circle of Shun'e (poem 85) and participated in many waka contests. She has 63 poems in the Senzaishu and other imperial collections; a personal collection is also extant.

[Ojima Island]

Visiting

Matsushima, close to the northern city of Sendai, is one of Japan's Three Famous Views. Matsushima means "Pine Islands," and refers to the hundreds of small islands that lie before the coast. The working of wind and waves has kneaded them into strange shapes, on which viewers can freely exercise their imagination. On all islands pine trees cling to the scarce soil in grotesque poses. Unfortunately, mass tourism and commercialism have spoiled the bay. The large temple compound of Zuiganji is the only quiet place in Matsushima - as well as nearby Ojima Island.

Crossing a vermilion-lacquered bridge, one comes to Oshima Island, where 108 rock caves are said to have existed. Although only about 50 remain today, there are many stone monuments that were once stone pagodas for the dead to pray for their rebirth in the Pure Land, as well as other stone pagodas in the rock caves. Many Buddhist names have been carved in the walls, giving the island the sense of a sacred place. A cave is all that is necessary for Zen, and as a bonus nature provides the view of the island-dotted bay, of rocks and pines molded in fantastic shapes, so beautiful that it rendered even Basho (who visited Matsushima in 1689) speechless - the tradition tells that the great poet was so paralyzed by the scenic grandeur that he could not capture it in a haiku. But this is a place of Zen and in the poet's "no-words" all words are contained.

See the Matsushima Kanko website for more information about Matsushima and how to get there.

References: Pictures of the Heart, The Hyakunin Isshu in Word and Image by Joshua S. Mostow (University of Hawai'i Press, 1996); One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each, by Peter MacMIllan (Penguin Classics); Traditional Japanese Poetry, An Anthology, by Steven D. Carter (Stanford University Press, 1991); Hyakunin Isshu by Inoue Muneo, etc. (Shinchosha, 1990); Genshoku Hyakunin Isshu by Suzuki Hideo, etc. (Buneido, 1997); Chishiki Zero kara no Hyakunin Isshu, by Ariyoshi Tamotsu (Gentosha); Hyakunin Isshu Kaibo Zukan, by Tani Tomoko (X-Knowledge);  Ogura Hyakunin Isshu at Japanese Text Initiative (University of Virginia Library Etext Center); Hyakunin Isshu wo aruku by Shimaoka Shin (Kofusha Shuppan); Hyakunin Isshu, Ocho waka kara chusei waka e by Inoue Muneo (Chikuma Shoin, 2004); Basho's Haiku (2 vols) by Toshiharu Oseko (Maruzen, 1990); The Ise Stories by Joshua S. Mostow and Royall Tyler (University of Hawai'i Press, 2010); Kokin Wakashu, The First Imperial Anthology of Japanese Poetry by Helen Craig McCullough (Stanford University Press, 1985); Kokinshu, A Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern by Laurel Rasplica Rodd and Mary Catherine Henkenius (University of Tokyo Press, 1984); Kokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1994); Shinkokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1995); Taketori Monogatari-Ise Monogatari-Yamato Monogatari-Heichu Monogatari (Shogakkan, 1994).

    Photo: Wikipedia

    Hyakunin Isshu Index

 

Hyakunin Isshu (One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each): Poem 88 (Kokamon'in no Betto)

        Hyakunin Isshu, Poem 88

Translation and comments by Ad Blankestijn
(version September 2022)


due to one brief night together
short as a cut
of a reed from Naniwa bay
must I exhaust myself like the channel markers
and continue to love you for the rest of my days?

Naniwa e no
ashi no karine no
hitoyo yue
mi o tsukushite ya
koi wataru beki

難波江の
芦のかりねの
一夜ゆへ
身をつくしてや
恋わたるべき

Kokamon'in no Betto 皇嘉門院別当 (late 12th c.)

[Kokamon'in no Betto]

According to the headnote in the Senzaishu, this poem was composed for a waka contest on the topic of "Love: meeting at a travel lodging." The poem is an allusive variation (honkadori) of poem 20 by Motoyoshi. I have tried to bring out the pivot words (kakekotoba) in my translation, which however makes some lines rather long.

Notes

- Naniwa-e: the Bay of Osaka (Osaka was in ancient times called "Naniwa"). As Macmillan mentions, in Teika's time the Inlet of Naniwa was a place famous for meeting pleasure girls.
- karine: pivot word, meaning both "cut root" ("a reed's joint cut at the root") and "temporary sleep." "Temporary sleep" points at lovers sleeping together for one brief night. The reeds of Naniwa are often used as a metaphor for a short time span, as in poem 19 by Lady Ise.
- hito-yo: pivot word, meaning both "one joint/segment (of a reed)" and "one night"
- mi wo tsukushite: pivot word, meaning both "exhausting myself" and "channel marker (for boats in Naniwa Bay)." Channel markers are frequently mentioned in love poetry; as these buoys were made of wood, they decayed quickly in salt water.
- wataru: tsuzukeru, continue. "-beki" indicates conjecture.

The Poet

Kokamon'in no Betto (late 12th c.) was the daughter of Minamoto no Toshitaka. She served as lady-in-waiting to Empress Seishi (1122-11181), the wife of Emperor Sutoku, who after taking the tonsure at the end of her life was known as Kokamon'in. Relatively unknown, she has only 9 poems in the Senzaishu and other imperial anthologies. According to Mostow, Teika probably included this poem by a relatively insignificant poet to echo poem 20 by Motoyoshi.

References: Pictures of the Heart, The Hyakunin Isshu in Word and Image by Joshua S. Mostow (University of Hawai'i Press, 1996); One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each, by Peter MacMIllan (Penguin Classics); Traditional Japanese Poetry, An Anthology, by Steven D. Carter (Stanford University Press, 1991); Hyakunin Isshu by Inoue Muneo, etc. (Shinchosha, 1990); Genshoku Hyakunin Isshu by Suzuki Hideo, etc. (Buneido, 1997); Chishiki Zero kara no Hyakunin Isshu, by Ariyoshi Tamotsu (Gentosha); Hyakunin Isshu Kaibo Zukan, by Tani Tomoko (X-Knowledge);  Ogura Hyakunin Isshu at Japanese Text Initiative (University of Virginia Library Etext Center); Hyakunin Isshu wo aruku by Shimaoka Shin (Kofusha Shuppan); Hyakunin Isshu, Ocho waka kara chusei waka e by Inoue Muneo (Chikuma Shoin, 2004); Basho's Haiku (2 vols) by Toshiharu Oseko (Maruzen, 1990); The Ise Stories by Joshua S. Mostow and Royall Tyler (University of Hawai'i Press, 2010); Kokin Wakashu, The First Imperial Anthology of Japanese Poetry by Helen Craig McCullough (Stanford University Press, 1985); Kokinshu, A Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern by Laurel Rasplica Rodd and Mary Catherine Henkenius (University of Tokyo Press, 1984); Kokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1994); Shinkokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1995); Taketori Monogatari-Ise Monogatari-Yamato Monogatari-Heichu Monogatari (Shogakkan, 1994).

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Hyakunin Isshu (One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each): Poem 86 (Saigyo)

       Hyakunin Isshu, Poem 86

Translation and comments by Ad Blankestijn
(version September 2022)


should I blame the moon
for making me dwell on things
as if commanding me to lament?
yet still the tears flow down
my reproachful face!

nageke tote
tsuki ya wa mono o
omowasuru
kakochi gao naru
waga namida kana

なげけとて
月やは物を
思はする
かこちがほなる
わがなみだかな

Saigyo 西行 (1118- 1190)

[Saigyo]

"Is it the moon that is causing me to be lost in thought, as if commanding me "Lament!" - No, that cannot be; and yet, as I gaze at the moon, my tears flow down just as if it were the moon's fault."

This is often read as a love poem, written in the persona of the resentful lover, but Saigyo was a deeply Buddhist poet, and I think it is best to interpret this poem as a philosophical complaint, or a general meditation on the human condition. Of course it is also possible to read the poem in a double sense, in which the moon is just as beautiful and out of reach as the beloved. In Buddhist poetry, the moon often is a symbol of enlightenment.

Notes

- tote: to itte
- ya wa: antonym, an expression which say the opposite of what the poet means
- kakochi: kakotsukeru, use something as a pretext

The Poet

Saigyo (1118-1190, real name Sato Norikiyo), was a Japanese poet and Buddhist monk. He was born in Kyoto to a wealthy family who had served the imperial court for generations. At the age of 23 he gave up his wife and children, went to Saga and became a monk of the Buddhist Shingon school. The status of a monk enabled him to live a comparatively free wandering life, in the course of which he created a wealth of poetry. He travels took him from the Kansai to Kamakura and northern Japan. But he spent most of his life living as a recluse on Mt Koya (where the head temple of the Shingon school stands) and Yoshino.

Saigyo exerted a great influence on later poets up to Sogi (1421-1502) and Basho (1644-1694). Contemporaries and later generations valued him as the archetype of the wandering poet and poet monk.

See my translations of 10 more poems by Saigyo in the series "Japanese Poetry."

References: Pictures of the Heart, The Hyakunin Isshu in Word and Image by Joshua S. Mostow (University of Hawai'i Press, 1996); One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each, by Peter MacMIllan (Penguin Classics); Traditional Japanese Poetry, An Anthology, by Steven D. Carter (Stanford University Press, 1991); Hyakunin Isshu by Inoue Muneo, etc. (Shinchosha, 1990); Genshoku Hyakunin Isshu by Suzuki Hideo, etc. (Buneido, 1997); Chishiki Zero kara no Hyakunin Isshu, by Ariyoshi Tamotsu (Gentosha); Hyakunin Isshu Kaibo Zukan, by Tani Tomoko (X-Knowledge);  Ogura Hyakunin Isshu at Japanese Text Initiative (University of Virginia Library Etext Center); Hyakunin Isshu wo aruku by Shimaoka Shin (Kofusha Shuppan); Hyakunin Isshu, Ocho waka kara chusei waka e by Inoue Muneo (Chikuma Shoin, 2004); Basho's Haiku (2 vols) by Toshiharu Oseko (Maruzen, 1990); The Ise Stories by Joshua S. Mostow and Royall Tyler (University of Hawai'i Press, 2010); Kokin Wakashu, The First Imperial Anthology of Japanese Poetry by Helen Craig McCullough (Stanford University Press, 1985); Kokinshu, A Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern by Laurel Rasplica Rodd and Mary Catherine Henkenius (University of Tokyo Press, 1984); Kokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1994); Shinkokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1995); Taketori Monogatari-Ise Monogatari-Yamato Monogatari-Heichu Monogatari (Shogakkan, 1994).

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Hyakunin Isshu (One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each): Poem 85 (Priest Shun'e)

     Hyakunin Isshu, Poem 85


during all the nights
that I spend full of longing
daylight refuses to come
and even the gaps in the shutters
are cruel to me


yo mo sugara
mono omou koro wa
ake yaranu
neya no hima sae
tsurenakarikeri

夜もすがら
物思ふ頃は
明けやらぬ
ねやのひまさへ
つれなかりけり

Priest Shun'e (1113–1191)

[Shun'e]

Written on the set topic of "love," this poem was composed from the point of view of the woman. She complains about her cruel lover, who doesn't show up, and while endlessly waiting, even the first signs of light don't come peeking through the gaps in the shutters (or the door) to end her vigil. 

Notes
- yo mo sugara: the whole night
- mono omou koro wa: the longing for her cold lover. "koro wa" indicates that such a situation continues every night.
- neya no hima sae: "neya" is "bedroom." "hima" is a "gap." Here the gaps in the door or the shutters of the bedroom are meant. "Sae" means:  her lover is cruel, and even the gaps in the shutters are also cruel."
- tsurenakarikeri: "tsurenachi" is "cruel, cold." "-keri" indicates a sigh, a lament.

The Poet
Shun'e Hoshi was the son of Minamoto no Toshiyori (poem 74). He was tutored in waka composition by his father, but after the latter died he took monastic orders in Todaiji. In his residence in Shirakawa in Heiankyo he held poetry meetings and contests. Among his students was Kamo no Chomei, who recorded Shun'e's words in his Mumyosho. Shun'e has 83 poems in the Shikashu and other imperial collections; his personal poetry collection is also extant.

References: Pictures of the Heart, The Hyakunin Isshu in Word and Image by Joshua S. Mostow (University of Hawai'i Press, 1996); One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each, by Peter MacMIllan (Penguin Classics); Traditional Japanese Poetry, An Anthology, by Steven D. Carter (Stanford University Press, 1991); Hyakunin Isshu by Inoue Muneo, etc. (Shinchosha, 1990); Genshoku Hyakunin Isshu by Suzuki Hideo, etc. (Buneido, 1997); Chishiki Zero kara no Hyakunin Isshu, by Ariyoshi Tamotsu (Gentosha); Hyakunin Isshu Kaibo Zukan, by Tani Tomoko (X-Knowledge);  Ogura Hyakunin Isshu at Japanese Text Initiative (University of Virginia Library Etext Center); Hyakunin Isshu wo aruku by Shimaoka Shin (Kofusha Shuppan); Hyakunin Isshu, Ocho waka kara chusei waka e by Inoue Muneo (Chikuma Shoin, 2004); Basho's Haiku (2 vols) by Toshiharu Oseko (Maruzen, 1990); The Ise Stories by Joshua S. Mostow and Royall Tyler (University of Hawai'i Press, 2010); Kokin Wakashu, The First Imperial Anthology of Japanese Poetry by Helen Craig McCullough (Stanford University Press, 1985); Kokinshu, A Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern by Laurel Rasplica Rodd and Mary Catherine Henkenius (University of Tokyo Press, 1984); Kokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1994); Shinkokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1995); Taketori Monogatari-Ise Monogatari-Yamato Monogatari-Heichu Monogatari (Shogakkan, 1994).

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Hyakunin Isshu (One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each): Poem 84 (Fujiwara no Kiyosuke)

      Hyakunin Isshu, Poem 84


if I live longer
shall I again
yearn for the present time?
the world I once regarded as bitter
now is dear to me!

nagaraeba
mata konogoro ya
shinobaremu
ushi to mishi yo zo
ima wa koishiki

ながらへば
またこの頃や
しのばれむ
憂しと見し世ぞ
今は恋しき

Fujiwara no Kiyosuke (1104- 1177)

"If it is true that time heals all wounds, the poet may even look back with equanimity at the troubled times of today." Kiyosuke could be writing about the disappointments in his own life, such as the failure to have the Shoku Shikashu recognized as an official collection. Other commentators mention the general decline of the world, or the political disturbances of the Hogen era. It seems that he bases himself on a poem by Bai Juyi.

Notes
-nagaraeba: moshi ikinagaraete ita naraba
- "ya" indicates a light doubt; "mu" indicates a presumption. "ima ga natsukashiku omoiokosareru koto daro ka."
- ushi to mise yo: tsurai to omotte ita kakko

The Poet
Fujiwara no Kiyosuke (1104- 1177) was the second son of Akisuke (poem 79), from whom he inherited the leadership of the Rokujo school of poetry. He compiled the Shoku Shikashu for Emperor Nijo, but as his sponsor died before it was completed, it was prevented from becoming an official imperial anthology. He was one of the first to apply rules of choosing themes, participants and judges in the uta-awase poetry gatherings. His standards of judging poetry, made him a rival of Fujiwara no Shunzei. Kiyosuke has 94 poems in the Senzaishu and later imperial collections; a personal collection is also extant.

References: Pictures of the Heart, The Hyakunin Isshu in Word and Image by Joshua S. Mostow (University of Hawai'i Press, 1996); One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each, by Peter MacMIllan (Penguin Classics); Traditional Japanese Poetry, An Anthology, by Steven D. Carter (Stanford University Press, 1991); Hyakunin Isshu by Inoue Muneo, etc. (Shinchosha, 1990); Genshoku Hyakunin Isshu by Suzuki Hideo, etc. (Buneido, 1997); Chishiki Zero kara no Hyakunin Isshu, by Ariyoshi Tamotsu (Gentosha); Hyakunin Isshu Kaibo Zukan, by Tani Tomoko (X-Knowledge);  Ogura Hyakunin Isshu at Japanese Text Initiative (University of Virginia Library Etext Center); Hyakunin Isshu wo aruku by Shimaoka Shin (Kofusha Shuppan); Hyakunin Isshu, Ocho waka kara chusei waka e by Inoue Muneo (Chikuma Shoin, 2004); Basho's Haiku (2 vols) by Toshiharu Oseko (Maruzen, 1990); The Ise Stories by Joshua S. Mostow and Royall Tyler (University of Hawai'i Press, 2010); Kokin Wakashu, The First Imperial Anthology of Japanese Poetry by Helen Craig McCullough (Stanford University Press, 1985); Kokinshu, A Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern by Laurel Rasplica Rodd and Mary Catherine Henkenius (University of Tokyo Press, 1984); Kokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1994); Shinkokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1995); Taketori Monogatari-Ise Monogatari-Yamato Monogatari-Heichu Monogatari (Shogakkan, 1994).

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Hyakunin Isshu (One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each): Poem 83 (Fujiwara no Shunzei)

     Hyakunin Isshu, Poem 83


in this world
the Way does not exist -
troubled, I entered
deep into the mountains
but even there I hear the deer crying

yo no naka yo
michi koso nakere
omoi iru
yama no oku ni mo
shika zo naku naru

世の中よ
道こそなけれ
思ひ入る
山のおくにも
鹿ぞ鳴くなる

Fujiwara no Shunzei (1114–1204)

[Shunzei, by Yosai]

According to the headnote, this poem was written on the subject of "deer" in a hundred poem sequence on the larger theme of "personal grievances. Traditional commentators have tried to figure out what was on the poet's mind, and have come up with the following list of possibilities: the idea of melancholy; the idea of one's own mortality; the political disorder of the world. In his collection of essays, On Haiku, Hiroaki Sato offers another explanation: he thinks it refers to Shunzei's decision not to take Buddhist vows.

Notes
- yo: indicates feeling
- michi: the Way (Buddhism)
- omoi-iru: a pivot word, "troubled," but also "to enter (the mountains)."
- shika zo naku naru: this refers to stags calling for their mates.

In other words, as Hiroaki Sato writes, "Despairing of the state of the world, he entered the mountains, the training ground for ascetics; but he found himself perturbed by stags calling for their mates and recognized that he himself wasn't yet capable of transcending lust and other worldly distractions" (Hiroaki Sato, On Haiku, New Direction Books, p. 29). The above translation is also based on Hiroaki Sato, for his explanation is very interesting.

Fujiwara no Shunzei was only 26 when he wrote this poem in 1140. He did take Buddhist vows much later, when he was in his sixties.

The Poet
Fujiwara no Shunzei (1114–1204), also known as Fujiwara no Toshinari, was noted for his innovations in the waka poetic form and compiling the Senzaishu ("Collection of a Thousand Years"), the seventh imperial anthology of waka poetry, completed in 1188. It was commissioned by the Cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa and contains 1,285 poems.

Shunzei was a descendant of the statesman Fujiwara no Michinaga and the son of Fujiwara no Toshitada of the Mikohidari branch of the influential aristocratic Fujiwara clan. Shunzei was the poetic arbiter of his day and the father of Teika (poem 97). He has 452 poems in the Shikashu and later imperial collections; a personal collection is also extant.

Senzaishu (Senzai Wakashu)

Senzaishu (千載和歌集, "Collection of a Thousand Years"), 20 scrolls, 1,285 poems, ordered by Cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa, probably completed in 1188, compiled by Fujiwara no Shunzei (also known as Toshinari)

Poems included in Hyakunin Isshu: 64, 67, 74, 75, 80, 81, 82, 83, 85, 86, 88, 90, 92, 95 (total 14)

References: Pictures of the Heart, The Hyakunin Isshu in Word and Image by Joshua S. Mostow (University of Hawai'i Press, 1996); One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each, by Peter MacMIllan (Penguin Classics); Traditional Japanese Poetry, An Anthology, by Steven D. Carter (Stanford University Press, 1991); Hyakunin Isshu by Inoue Muneo, etc. (Shinchosha, 1990); Genshoku Hyakunin Isshu by Suzuki Hideo, etc. (Buneido, 1997); Chishiki Zero kara no Hyakunin Isshu, by Ariyoshi Tamotsu (Gentosha); Hyakunin Isshu Kaibo Zukan, by Tani Tomoko (X-Knowledge);  Ogura Hyakunin Isshu at Japanese Text Initiative (University of Virginia Library Etext Center); Hyakunin Isshu wo aruku by Shimaoka Shin (Kofusha Shuppan); Hyakunin Isshu, Ocho waka kara chusei waka e by Inoue Muneo (Chikuma Shoin, 2004); Basho's Haiku (2 vols) by Toshiharu Oseko (Maruzen, 1990); The Ise Stories by Joshua S. Mostow and Royall Tyler (University of Hawai'i Press, 2010); Kokin Wakashu, The First Imperial Anthology of Japanese Poetry by Helen Craig McCullough (Stanford University Press, 1985); Kokinshu, A Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern by Laurel Rasplica Rodd and Mary Catherine Henkenius (University of Tokyo Press, 1984); Kokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1994); Shinkokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1995); Taketori Monogatari-Ise Monogatari-Yamato Monogatari-Heichu Monogatari (Shogakkan, 1994).

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