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Now that fall is full swing this poem seemed fitting: Japanese Romanization Translation 小お倉山 Ogurayama O autumn leaves みねのもみぢじ葉 Mine no mojijiba on the peak of Ogura Hill, 心あらば Kokoro araba if you have a heart, 今ひとたびの Ima hitotabi no I would that you would wait みゆき待たなむん Miyuki matanan for one more royal progress. Translation…
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At last, faithful readers, we come to the final poem of the Hyakunin Isshu, composed by the anthology’s compiler himself! Japanese Romanization Translation こぬ人を Konu hito wo For the man who doesn’t come まつほおの浦の Matsuo no ura no I wait at the Bay of Matsuo— 夕ゆうなぎに Yunagi ni in the evening calm やくやもしほおの Yaku ya…
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My favorite season, Autumn, is fast approaching so I thought this would be a good poem: Japanese Romanization Translation あらし吹く Arashi fuku It’s the autumn leaves 三室の山の Mimuro no yama no of the hills of Mimuro, もみぢじ葉は Momijiba wa where the tempests blow, 龍田の川がわの Tatsuta no kawa no that are the woven brocade floating にしきなりけり…
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This poem may look straightforward, but it turns out that this is a technical masterpiece: Japanese Romanization Translation みかの原 Mika no hara Like Izumi River わきてながるる Wakite nagaruru that wells up and flows, 泉川いずみがわ Izumi-gawa dividing the Moors of Urns いつ見きとてか Itsu mi kitote ka when did I see her, I wonder, 恋こいしかるらむん Koishi karuran…
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Hi folks, after a long break due to work obligations, I am back and happy to post this excellent poem by my favorite author in the Hyakunin Isshu: Japanese Romanization Translation このたびは Kono tabi wa This time around ぬさもとりあへえず Nusa motori aezu I couldn’t even bring the sacred streamers 手向山 Tamuke yama —Offering Hill— もみぢじのにしき…
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This is a poem a like a lot from the Hyakunin Isshu that vividly expresses the mood of Autumn: Japanese Romanization Translation 八重えむぐら Yaemugura To the lonely house しげれる宿の Shigereru yado no where the weeds, eight layers deep, さびしきに Sabishiki ni have grown rank, 人こそ見えね Hito koso miene not a soul can be seen— 秋は来にけり…
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This is another iconic poem about Autumn and also happens to be the first poem in the Hyakunin Isshu: Japanese Romanization Translation 秋の田の Aki no ta no In the autumn fields かりほおのいほおの Kario no io no the hut, the temporary hut, とまのあらみ Toma no arami its thatch is rough わが衣出は Waga koromo de wa and…
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This poem, the fifth in our series devoted to the women of the Hyakunin Isshu, is by one of the most famous women of her era, Lady Izumi: Japanese Romanization Translation あらざらむん Arazaran Among my memories この世の外の Kono yo no hoka no of this world, from whence 思ひい出に Omoide ni I will soon be gone,…
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This is the final poem in our series dedicated to Valentine’s Day: Japanese Romanization Translation かくとだに Kaku to dani Can I even say えやはいぶきの Eyawa ibuki no “I love you this much”?—No, and so さしも草 Sashimogusa you do not know of it さしも知らじな Sashimo shiraji na anymore than of the sashimo grasses of Ibuki, もゆる思ひいを…
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This is the third poem in the series dedicated to Valentine’s Day: Japanese Romanization Translation 名にしおはわば Na ni shi owaba If they bear such names: 逢おう坂山の Osakayama no the “come-sleep vine” of さねかづずら Sanekazura “Meeting-Slope Hill” — 人にしられで Hito ni shirarede how I wish there was a way to come to you, くるよしもがな Kuru yoshi…
The Hyakunin Isshu 