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New Blog Page
Hello, I’ve been making small updates to the blog apart from the poems themselves. The main change is that I’ve added a new “page” that talks about the history of Imperial poetry anthologies. Poetry collections were very popular in the “classical age” of Japanese history, when Court nobles cultivated the finer arts and wrote lots…
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Autumn Mist and Rain: Poem 87
It’s been a while, but I wanted to start off with a nice, descriptive poem: Japanese Romanization Translation むらさめの Murasame no While the raindrops of 露もまだひぬ Tsuyu mo mada hinu the passing shower have not yet dried from まきの葉に Maki no ha ni near the leaves of the evergreens, 霧立ちのぼる Kiri tachinoboru the mist is…
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Sleepless Nights: Poem Number 85
Whereas the last love poem expressed love and anxiety after a first-meeting, this poem is quite a different story: Japanese Romanization Translation 夜もすがら Yo mo sugara All through the night 物思ふ頃は Mono omou koro wa recently, as I dwell on things, 明けやらぬ Ake yaranu even the gap between the doors ねやのひまさへ Neya no hima sae…
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The Final Ten Poems
Hello Dear Readers, I am down to the last 10 poems of the Hyakunin Isshu! I started this blog in January of 2011, but I didn’t expect it to last almost 3 years or gain this many readers. It’s been a real treat. However, with only 10 poems left in the Hyakunin Isshu, I’m trying…
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The Plovers’ Cry: Poem Number 78
As the weather gets colder, I’ve been saving this one for a time like this: Japanese Romanization Translation 淡路島 Awaji shima The crying voices かよふ千鳥の Kayou chidori no of the plovers who visit なく声に Naku koe ni from Awaji Island— いくよねざめぬ Ikuyo nezamenu how many nights have they awakened him, すまの関守 Suma no sekimori the…
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Disheleved: Poem Number 80
A clever morning-after love poem that I felt was fun to share: Japanese Romanization Translation 長からむ Nagakaran I do not even know 心もしらず Kokoro mo shirazu how long your feelings will last. 黒髪の Kurokami no My long black hair みだれてけさは Midarete kesa wa is all disheveled and, this morning, 物をこそ思へ Mono wo koso omoe my…
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Lamentations: Poem Number 86
Another Autumn moon poem, but with an interesting twist: Japanese Romanization Translation なげけとて Nageke tote “Lament!” does it say? 月やは物を Tsuki ya wa mono wo Is it the moon that makes me 思はする Omowasuru dwell on things? —No, and yet, かこちがほなる Kakochi gao naru look at the tears flowing down わがなみだかな Waga nami dakana my…
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Nostalgia: Poem Number 84
This is kind of a cool, unusual poem to find in the Hyakunin Isshu, but something we can all appreciate: Japanese Romanization Translation ながらへば Nagaraeba If I live on longer, またこの頃や Mata kono koro ya shall I again, I wonder, しのばれむ Shinobaren yearn for these days? 憂しと見し世ぞ Ushi to mishi yo zo The world that…
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Where to Purchase Hyakunin Isshu “Karuta” Cards
Edit: Revamped this page in January 2023 with a lot more information, updated Google Maps links and so on. One of the best ways to appreciate and celebrate the Hyakunin Isshu anthology (besides reading and reciting the poetry) is to play the traditional card game called karuta. I’ve written about it here, here and here…
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Waves and Clouds: Poem Number 76
This is a kind of continuation of the last poem, and is one of the most vivid in the Hyakunin Isshu: Japanese Romanization Translation わたの原 Wata no hara As I row out into こぎ出でて見れば Kogi idete mireba the wide-sea plain and look 久方の Hisakata no all around me— 雲井にまよふ Kumoi ni mayou the white waves…
The Hyakunin Isshu
A Hundreds Poems by a Hundred Poets
The Hyakunin Isshu 