Japanese women writers from a thousand years ago

Utakai Hajime (歌会始, Imperial New Year's Poetry Reading) was held at the hall named Matsu-no-Ma(松の間) of the Imperial Palace on January 16. The reading of traditional tanka poetry is convened by the Emperor.  This year's theme was "ritsu(立)" and next year's theme is "sei(静)". "立" literally means "stand", but this character is used in various idioms. This ceremony includes only chants of traditional tanka poems.

Tanka (literally, short poems) is a type of waka poetry, and has a five-line poem with the 5-7-5-7-7 syllable structure. Choka (literally, long poems) generally consist of more than 10 to more than 20 lines with alternatively five and seven syllables and a couplet of seven syllables at the end. As choka (literally, long poems) became less popular, waka came to refer to tanka.

In connection with this ceremony, I am going to introduce several waka poems of Japanese women writers from a thousand years ago.  In the Heian period(794 to 1185), many women were active as writers although they were not professional writers.

Izumi Shikibu's poem included in Ogura Hyakunin-isshu

あらざらむ　この世の外の　思ひ出に
今ひとたびの　逢ふこともがな
A-ra-za-ra-n Ko-no-yo-no-ho-ka-no
O-mo-i-de-ni
I-ma-hi-to-ta-bi-no A-u-ko-to-mo-ga-na

"I am going to die soon. As a memory to take to the afterlife, I am eager to meet you again."

Izumi Shikibu(和泉式部, c.976- ?) was one of Murasaki Shikibu's colleagues. She was well known as an excellent poet, and Murasaki Shikibu appreciated her talent in the Diary of Murasaki Shikibu. However, Izumi Shikibu had many love affairs. Murasaki condemned her as an immoral woman in it.





Koshikibu no Naishi(小式部内侍, 999-1025) was Izumi Shikibu's daughter.

She also served to Empress Shoshi as a lady-in-waiting and was known as a woman with many love affairs like her mother. She died in childbirth in her 20s.

Koshikibu no Naishi's poem included in Ogura Hyakunin-isshu

大江山 いく野の道の遠ければ
まだふみもみず 天の橋立
O-o-e-ya-ma I-ku-no-no-mi-chi-no To-o-ke-re-ba
Ma-da-fu-mi-mo-mi-zu A-ma-no-ha-shi-da-te

"One must cross over Mount Oe and pass through Ikuno before reaching Tango.It's a long way, so I haven't been to Amanohashidate yet. (I haven't received a letter from my mother.)"

Rumor had Izumi Shikibu ghostwrote for her daughter. A nobleman told her mockingly, "Did you send a messenger to Tango to ask your mother to ghostwrite a poem?" Izumi Shikibu was in Tango area. She replied to him with an excellent poem. Amanohashidate(天橋立) has long been known as one of famous viewing spots in Tango(current an area in Kyoto).

Akazome Emon's poem included in Ogura Hyakunin-isshu

やすらはで 寝なましものを 小夜更けて
かたぶくまでの 月を見しかな
Ya-su-ra-wa-de Ne-na-ma-shi-mo-no-wo
Sa-yo-fu-ke-te
Ka-ta-bu-ku-ma-de-no Tsu-ki-wo-mi-shi-ka-na

"If I had known you wouldn't come, I would have gone to sleep immediately. The night fell and I saw the moon setting in the west (while waiting for you.) "

Akazome Emon(赤染衛門, c.956–1041) was also one of Murasaki Shikibu's colleagues. Murasaki shows her veneration for Akazome Emon in her diary. Akazome Emon was happily married and also had interactions with Sei Shonagon.


Eiga monogatari (栄花物語, A Tale of Flowering Fortunes) describes the lives of Fujiwara no Michinaga and his family. It is believed to have been written by a number of authors. Akazome Emon is thought to have written the first thirty volumes. This tale was written entirely in kana(Japanese syllabary characters). It was a history tale by women and for women.


Ise no Taifu's poem included in Ogura Hyakunin-isshu

いにしへの　奈良の都の　八重桜
けふ九重に　にほひぬるかな
i-ni-shi-e-no na-ra-no-mi-ya-ko-no ya-e-za-ku-ra
kyo-u-ko-ko-no-e-ni ni-o-i-nu-ru-ka-na

"Double-flowered cherry blossoms from ancient capital Nara look beautiful in full bloom at the imperial court today."

Double-flowered cherry blossoms from Nara were presented to the Emperor. Although Ise no Taifu(伊勢大輔, c.989-c.1060) was a newcomer, she was chosen to receive the blossoms. Her predecessor was Murasaki Shikibu. She made up this poem on the spot by order of Michinaga.

Udaisho Michitsuna no haha's poem included in Ogura Hyakunin-isshu

なげきつつ ひとりぬる夜の 明くる間は
いかに久しき ものとかは知る
Na-ge-ki-tsu-tsu  Hi-to-ri-nu-ru-yo-no
A-ku-ru-ma-wa
I-ka-ni-hi-sa-shi-ki  Mo-no-to-ka-wa-shi-ru

"I spend lonely nights alone crying over you. How could you know how long the nights are?"

Michitsuna no haha /Udaisho Michitsuna no haha(右大将道綱母, c.935-995) was one of Fujiwara no Kaneie's eight wives and was Fujiwara no Michitsuna's mother. She is said to have been wondrous beautiful. She is famous as the author of the Gossamer Years(蜻蛉日記,Kagero Nikki). It is considered a forerunner of the women's diary genre, and greatly influenced the Tale of Genji.

Kaneie approached her enthusiastically, but he got tired of her soon. Her husband had his official wife and many mistresses. The form of marriage in those days involved commuting relationships.
She composed this poem shortly after she gave birth to Michitsuna around 20 years of age, in 955. She was furious when she found out he had taken another mistress. One day, He visited her for the first time in quite a while. He asked her to open the gate, but she didn't open it. He felt offended and went home.she sent him this poem with a withered chrysanthemum flower.

She was a jealous and temperamental woman. She resented her husband, was jealous of his official wife and loved her only child. She was far below Kaneie socially, so her son's promotion was delayed. Kaneie's official wife gave birth to powerful brothers, Fujiwara no Michitaka and Michinaga.

In her mid-thirties, 970, she secluded herself at Ishiyama-dera Temple in the 7th month after she had a falling out with Kaneie . He visited the temple in the 8th month and they got back together. The following year, she secluded herself at a mountain temple to enter a nunnery, but he got her back. She got over her husband, and came to expect from her son.

The following year, she adopted a girl between Kaneie and another woman. She moved outside the city and lost access to him. Her diary ended at around the age of 40. She died 20 years later, in 995.

In fact, she and Kaneie spent New Year's Day together every year until around 970. When she secluded herself at Ishiyama-dera, he joked to amuse her. Her sister laughed hugely, but she stopped herself from laughing. She was good at sewing. He sent her rolls of cloth before major events, and made her make formal costumes.

He was a member of the Fujiwara family with power, and took over a leadership position. Nevertheless, her diary were widely read among nobles.



Sugawara no Takasue no musume (菅原孝標女, 1008-c.1059) was Michitsuna no haha's niece, but Takasue no musume was born after Michitsuna no haha died.  She is known for her travel diary, the Sarashina nikki(更科日記).

We learn about classical Chinese and Japanese literature in high school. This diary appeared in my school text book. For high school students, this diary might be more suitable than other ones. I thought it was a tedious story in high school. I was only interested in erupting Mount Fuji in the diary. Now I feel close to her unspectacular life.

She grew up at her father's post, in Kazusa(current central Chiba Prefecture).  At the age of 13, his father finished out his term and she went to Kyoto in the company of him. She lost a sibling, got hooked on the Tale of Genji and other stories, served as a lady-in-waiting at the Imperial court, got married at around the age of 33, gave birth to three children, sought solace in religion, and lost her husband at the age of 51. Her diary ended at the age of 52.


Ki no Tsurayuki (紀 貫之, ?-945) was a famous male poet. He wrote the Tosa Diary in kana characters pretending to be a woman.  It's a story of travel from Tosa(current Kochi Prefecture) to Kyoto. It had great influence on the development of women's literature.

Murasaki Shikibu hated Sei Shonagon

Ogura Hyakunin-isshu used in the karuta competition is a famous poetry anthology and contains one hundred waka poems by hundred poets including Murasaki Shikibu (紫式部, c.970 or 973-c.1014 or 1025), Sei Shonagon(清少納言, c.966-1025).  The Tale of Genji was written by Murasaki Shikibu.
Sei Shonagon is also famous as the author of "the Pillow Book(枕草子, Makurano Soshi)." 

Both Murasaki Shikibu and Sei Shonagon were their court names. Their real names are unknown. Murasaki Shikibu's first court name was To Shikibu(藤式部) and To(藤) was named for her family name Fujiwara(藤原). Sei(清) in Sei Shonagon was also named for her family name Kiyohara(清原). Shikibu and Shonagon were derived from their fathers'(or brothers') official titles.



Sei Shonagon's poem on a karuta card

 Sei Shonagon's poem in Ogura Hyakunin-isshu

夜をこめて　鳥の空音は　謀るとも
よに逢坂の　関は許さじ
Yo-wo-ko-me-te   To-ri-no-so-ra-ne-wa
Ha-ka-ru-to-mo
Yo-ni-o-u-sa-ka-no   Se-ki-wa-yu-ru-sa-ji

"If you say cock-a-doodle-doo before daybreak in order to deceive a gatekeeper(me) , the gate of a checkpoint will not open (I will never meet you.)"

This poem is based on a story in the Chinese ancient history book, the Records of the Grand Historian(史記.)

A poet's name and only the first phrase was written on the karuta card until the end of the Edo period.



Sei Shonagon's father, Kiyohara no Motosuke(清原 元輔) and her great-grandfather, Kiyohara no Fukayabu(清原 深養父), were famous poets and the anthology contains their poems.

When starting to serve as a lady-in-waiting to Empress Teishi at the imperial court around 993, Sei Shonagon was a divorced mother with a son. Empress Teishi's father, Fujiwara no Michitaka, had held power but died of illness in 995. His younger brother, Fujiwara no Michinaga, arrived in power. Michinaga used every available means to hold on power. Teishi's position became precarious when she lost the backing of powerful figures. Although she gave birth to a son in 999, she died in childbirth in 1001.

Shonagon abandoned her service at the court shortly after the empress's death. She got married again and gave birth to a daughter who served as a lady-in-waiting to Empress Shoshi later. She had interactions with some acquaintances including Izumi Shikibu, Akazome Emon after she left her position. From an Akazome Emon's poem we can see that she lived in her father's former dilapidated home in her later years.

It is thought that she started to write the Pillow Book around 996 and finished it between 1001 and 1010. It was the hardest time for Teishi and her, but her book tells on a happy note.



Murasaki Shikibu's poem on a karuta card

 Murasaki Shikibu's poem in Ogura Hyakunin-isshu

めぐりあひて　見みしやそれとも　わかぬ間に
雲がくれにし　夜半の月かな
Me-gu-ri-a-i-te   Mi-shi-ya-so-re-to-mo
Wa-ka-nu-ma-ni
Ku-mo-ga-ku-re-ni-shi   Yo-wa-no-tsu-ki-ka-na

"It had been a long time since we had met, but you returned home as soon as I recognized you. You are like the moon late at night. It soon losts itself in the clouds."

This is a poem about a childhood friend who had not seen her for a while.
The friend came to say goodbye to her at the end of autumn before going far away. Her childhood friend probably accompanied her father(or husband) when he left for his new post.


Shikibu's father, Fujiwara no Tametoki(藤原 為時), was a mid-ranking aristocrat. He was a waka poet as well as a composer of Chinese poems. he was an antisocial person. Shikibu lost her mother in her infancy. Her father lost his position at the court, but his major source of income were his territory. He focused his efforts on her education. She learned the study of the Chinese classics.

In her late 20s, she got a proposal from a friend of her father's.  He had a son older than her and some mistresses.  She felt reluctant to marry him.  She accompanied her father when he left for his new post.  He continued approaching her while she stayed in the country. She spent only one year there.  After returning to Kyoto, she married him in 998.

The typical aristocratic lady in those years would marry in her mid-teens. There is one theory that it was her second marriage, but no evidence has been found to prove the hypothesis.

She gave birth to a daughter in 999, but her husband had entirely ceased to show up at her home. The form of marriage in those days involved commuting relationships. In addition, her husband died only three years after their marriage in 1001. His death left her in a daze. She felt insecure about her future.
After her husband's death, she started to write the tale to dispel the anxiety over her future and showed it to her friends. The tale became greatly talked about among people.

She started to serve as a lady-in-waiting to Teishi's rival and co-empress, Empress Shoshi in strong demand from Michinaga around 1005. The empress had several literary ladies-in-waiting.
Her colleagues included Akazome Emon(赤染衛門, c.956–1041), Izumi Shikibu(和泉式部, c.976- ?), Ise no Taiu(伊勢大輔, c.989-c.1060.）

Empress Shoshi gave birth two sons in 1008 and 1009.
Some say she became mistress to Michinaga during her service. The truth cannot be known.
It is generally believed that she finished the Tale of Genji and the Diary of Murasaki Shikibu in 1010.
She attended the imperial court at least until 1013.

In contrast to outgoing Sei Shonagon, Murasaki Shikibu was a reflective thinker. They were not acquainted, but Shikibu reckoned Shonagon as a rival. In the Tale of Genji, Shikibu criticized Sei Shonagon implicitly.

In the tale, Murasaki Shikibu says that the winter bright moon casting a beautiful light over the snowy landscape is not far behind from spring flowers and autumn leaves. The autumn moon has been praised since ancient times. The winter moon wasn't thought to be worth viewing, but it came to be praised.
This text invoked a poem by Sei Shonagon's father. He was a famous poet and praises the winter moon in his poem, but his daughter says the moon in the 12th month is tasteless in her Pillow Book. However, the description of the moon in the 12th month doesn't appear in the currently existing Pillow Book. (The 12th month in the lunar calendar corresponds approximately to January in the Gregorian calendar.)

Shikibu wrote about other ladies-in-waiting at court including Sei Shonagon in The Diary of Murasaki Shikibu (紫式部日記, Murasaki Shikibu Nikki.)  It is counted among diary literature which is a type of literature written like a diary.
In the diary, Shikibu makes a series of stinging remarks to Sei Shonagon:

"Sei Shonagon is very arrogant. She thinks herself so clever and litters her writings with Chinese characters, but when you look at them carefully you will find many errors. Those who want to behave as if they were superior to others will lower their reputation. Will their future be brighter?"

Talented women evoked envy and were greeted with hostility by many people.
It was common for men to read and write in Chinese characters, so most people have hard feelings toward a woman who could read Chinese classics. Shonagon expressed her talent openly. Due to the influence of medieval thought that talented women lead to misfortune, lots of anecdotes about Sei Shonagon's reduced circumstance were left behind.

Shikibu was concerned about what other people think of her, and she tried not to stand out. She was unwilling to serve at court.
However, she had a sense of humor. The Tale of Genji contains some humorous episodes. She had capacity for detached observation. Sometimes she sees things through men's eyes in the tale.
Some people say Shikibu had it in for Shonagon because she wrote something bad about Shikibu's husband in the Pillow Book.
Shonagon said nothing about Shikibu. She may not have been able to criticize Shikibu who was a MIchinaga's  favorite.

the statue of Murasaki Shikibu at Ishiyama-dera Temple in Shiga Prefecture:

According to legend, Murasaki Shikibu started writing the Tale of Genji or got ideas for it at the temple.

photo by 高画質壁紙写真集無料壁紙

Michizane and Japanese syllabaries

It snowed today.
The shrines called Tenman-gu(or tenjin) enshrine Sugawara Michizane(菅原道真,845-903) . He loved ume blossoms, so the shrine crest of tenman-gu is a ume blossom.
Many ume trees have yet to bloom, but they are likely to bloom this week.


Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine(北野天満宮) in Kyoto
 on March 9, 2006
photo by 高画質壁紙写真集無料壁紙

Many tenman-gu shrines hold Ume Blossom Festival(Baika-sai, 梅花祭) on February 25th because he died on the 25th day of the second lunar month (on March 26th according to the Julian calendar) in 903.

Sone Tenman-gu Shrine(曽根天満宮) in Hyogo Prefecture
photo by 神戸観光壁紙写真集

In Tokyo, Ume festivals are being held at Kameido Tenjin(亀戸天神) from February 4th to March 4th and at Yushima Tenman-gu(湯島天満宮) in Tokyo from February 8th to March 8th.


Tobi-ume at Dazaifu Tenman-gu in Fukuoka Prefecture
Photo by Yokaphoto.net

He gave a waka poem to the ume blossoms in his garden when being relegated to Dazaifu.

東風吹かば にほひおこせよ 梅の花
あるじなしとて 春を忘るな
"ume blossoms, when the wind is in the east, carry the smell of you all the way to me on the wind. even if I'm not here, never forget to bloom in spring."


Tobi-ume at Dazaifu Tenman-gu in Fukuoka Prefecture
Photo by Yokaphoto.net

Legend has it that a ume tree in his garden followed him to Dazaifu in the air. Dazaifu Tenman-gu Shrine(大宰府天満宮) has a ume tree named Tobi-ume(飛梅). The tree is said to have followed him to Dazaifu.





ume blossoms and statue of  ox
at Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine(北野天満宮)
 in Kyoto on March 9, 2006
photo by 高画質壁紙写真集無料壁紙

Tenman-gu shrines also have a statue of the ox that is regarded as the messenger of the god. A theory says that he was born at the hour of the ox on the day of the ox in the month of the ox in the year of the ox.




Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine(北野天満宮)
in Kyoto on March 9, 2006
photo by 高画質壁紙写真集無料壁紙

Michizane was a minor aristocracy but a prominent scholar. He went by the rules. Tokihira was a scion of a political master. he adapted to circumstances. They didn't get along well with each other, but both of them keenly felt the need to undertake political and economic reforms.



Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine(北野天満宮)
in Kyoto on March 9, 2006
photo by 高画質壁紙写真集無料壁紙

A constitutional government modeled after that of the Tang dynasty worked poorly. The expansion of aristocrats' private properties led to less tax revenue, and the nation's finances were in a critical condition. Japan could no longer rely on China because the Tang dynasty was on the verge of breaking down.




Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine(北野天満宮)
in Kyoto on March 9, 2006
photo by 高画質壁紙写真集無料壁紙

Although Michizane tried to impose a tax on their private properties, it triggered a massive protest among powerful aristocrats who held fast to vested interests. Fujiwara no Tokihira(藤原時平,871-909) ousted Michizane from power.

However, he continued Michizane's efforts to promote political and economic reform and enacted a law to prevent powerful aristocrats including Tokihira himself from increasing private properties.
As a result, his economic reform was not very effective because he adhered fundamentally to the exsiting system.

Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine(北野天満宮)
in Kyoto on March 9, 2006
photo by 高画質壁紙写真集無料壁紙

Some people say that he came up with a way to use 'domestically-produced' letters called kana to change the mentality of bureaucrats who placed China above anything else. In those days, official documents were written in Chinese. Michizane was also famous as a excellent composer of Chinese poems.




Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine(北野天満宮)
in Kyoto on March 9, 2006
photo by 高画質壁紙写真集無料壁紙

Ancient Japan had no writing system, so an ancient writing system employed Chinese characters to represent the Japanese language.
Each Chinese character represents a single syllable, but it needs many brushstrokes.
Kana (hiragana and katakana, both Japanese syllabary characters) were created by simplifying Chinese characters to be written faster in the 9th century.

Sone Tenman-gu Shrine(曽根天満宮) in Hyogo Prefecture
photo by 神戸観光壁紙写真集

The characters were regarded merely as the simplified forms of Chinese characters. So kana was as sort of a subculture that was mainly used by female and lower-class male aristocrats. Most of the high-level male aristocrats used Chinese characters that were approved as official ones.

Tokihira received Imperial command to compile the first anthology of poems.  He ordered some middle and lower class bureaucrats including Ki no Tsurayuki(紀貫之) to compile Kokin Wakashu(A Collection of Ancient and Modern Japanese Poetry) written in Chinese and kana characters.
This anthology led Kana characters to become more popular and part of mainstream culture, and it paved the way for the rise of female writers such as Murasaki Shikibu(紫式部), Sei Shonagon(清少納言).

If flower was mentioned in those days, it would remind nobles of ume blossom. Ume came from China and its blossom was a flower that symbolized China.
However, flower came to mean cherry blossom in Japan in the middle of the Heian Period when the Chinese culture became less influential and an indigenous culture developed in every aspect.

Tokihira made no attempt to reach the highest position of power called Sessho kanpaku(regent and chief adviser to the Emperor). His younger brother Tadahira obtained real political power after he died at the age of 39, and it was transmitted to Tadahira's descendants. Tokihira's descendants were not promoted.
There was a rumor circulating that his early death was attributed to the curse of Michizane's vengeful spirit. He has been portrayed as the villain hostile to Michizane.

Chinese characters were used in the Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese languages. Vietnam abolished Chinese characters from its language in 1954. In Korea, Chinese characters are used at a low frequency. Korean people use Hangul(Korean phonetic characters) on a daily basis. Unlike Japan, Hangul was promulgated by Sejong the Great(the fourth king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea) in 1466.

karuta

Ceremony of the First Karuta Play of the New Year is held on January 3rd at Yasaka-jinja Shrine(八坂神社) in Kyoto and on January 8th at Omi Jingu Shrine.

Iroha-garuta is the most traditional karuta, each of which starts with one of the 47 characters of the old Japanese alphabet. Forty-seven Japanese proverbs are written on cards for reading and the 47 characters and pictures are written on cards for taking.

This alphabet is also a poem which consists of 47 different letters.

いろはにほへと ちりぬるを
わかよたれそ つねならむ
うゐのおくやま けふこえて
あさきゆめみし ゑひもせす

i-ro-ha-ni-ho-he-to chi-ri-nu-ru-wo
wa-ka-yo-ta-re-so tsu-ne-na-ra-mu
u-wi-no-o-ku-ya-ma ke-fu-ko-e-te
a-sa-ki-yu-me-mi-shi we-hi-mo-se-su

This poem have several possible meanings. One of them is as follows.

The petals fall after blooming.
Everything changes in this world.
I got over a steep mountain in my life today.
I don't want to dream an empty dream when being sober.

Iroha-garuta cards for taking

Karuta / Gilgongo


Iroha-garuta cards for reading and taking

(c) .foto project




Kyogi Karuta





Karuta Practice / JoshBerglund19









Karuta Practice / JoshBerglund19





Ogura Hyakunin-isshu karuta

(1) cards made in the Edo Period(1603-1868)

in the late Edo period

the poem of Empress Jito (持統天皇, 645-702)

春すぎて　夏来にけらし　白妙の
衣ほすてふ　天の香具山

Only the upper poem is written on cards made in the Edo Period.






in the late 17th century
Empress Jito




in the mid Edo period
Empress Jito


















(2) cards made in the Meiji Period(1868-1912)



Empress Jito



Empress Jito

















(3) cards made in the Taisho Period(1912-1926)


Empress Jito



Empress Jito





Empress Jito




Empress Jito



Moon Viewing

Hot humid weather has lasted. I've got tired because of the summer heat. Many people have been rushed to hospitals with heat stroke.


September 12th corresponds to the 15th day of the 8th month in the lunar calendar this year. Moon Viewing is held on this day. It derives from the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival.

We see a rabbit pounding steamed rice on the moon surface.

座り兎の巾着袋ーデザイン/内林泰子
"drawstring bag in the shape of a sitting rabbit" designed by Yasuko Uchibayashi

It's like a rakugo storyteller who kneels on a cushion with a folding fan in its hand.

Mie Kuwabara, Chirimen-de-Tsukuru-Saikumono-to-Oshie,(Tokyo:Ondori-sha,1999),P.24.
桑原実絵・浜肇子・要海三枝子著,ちりめんで作る細工ものと押し絵(東京:雄鶏社,1999年),p24.


There is a custom called Tsukimi-dorobo(月見泥棒) like Trick-or-treating on Halloween in some areas.

The moon on this day is also called Imo-meigetsu (芋名月). Imo refers to tubers. Moon viewing is thought to have been also a celebration for the first taro harvest.

On this day, people used to be allowed to eat taros out in their neighbors' fields in many areas. But there was a limit to the amount of them.

In some areas, children used to be allowed to sneak rice dumplings out of the neighbors' houses. But the dumpling was limited to one per child. It was a thrill-seeking behavior for children. Adults considered that the moon ate the dumplings.  The community as a whole watched children grow up.

In another areas, they visit their neighbors and ask for sweets, saying "Give me Otsukimi(sweets)!" They say "Thank you" when leaving.
Recently, people leave a basket of sweets around the entrance. Some children don't give thanks to them, take all of sweets, make a scene when seeing empty basket and come from different towns. For some children, it's only an oppotunity to get sweets for free.


full moon on September 12th


秋風に　たなびく雲の　絶え間より
もれ出づる月の　影のさやけさ
A-ki-ka-ze-ni  Ta-na-bi-ku-ku-mo-no  Ta-e-ma-yo-ri
Mo-re-i-zu-ru-tsu-ki-no  Ka-ge-no-sa-ya-ke-sa


"Moonlight breaks through the clouds flowing in the autumn breeze, it's so bright and clear," written by Sakyo no Daibu Akisuke(左京大夫顕輔, 1090～1155)


This accessible waka poem is included in "one hundred waka poems," a famous poetry anthology selected by Fujiwarano Teika in the Heian period.

名月や  池をめぐりて  夜もすがら
Me-i-ge-tsu-ya  I-ke-wo-me-gu-ri-te  Yo-mo-su-ga-ra

"The harvest moon, while pacing around the pond, I saw the dawn break," written by Matsuo Basho(松尾芭蕉) on the 15th day of the 8th month in the lunar calendar(corresponding to October 2nd in the Gregorian calendar) in 1686.

He held a Moon-viewing party with haiku poets at his hermitage in Fukagawa, Tokyo. They enjoyed the harvest moon on a boat in the Sumida River.
He moved to Fukagawa and became a monk in 1680. Besides composing haiku poems, he got coaching from a Zen monk.


ひとつ家に  遊女も寝たり  萩と月
Hi-to-tsu-ya-ni  Yu-u-jo-mo-ne-ta-ri  Ha-gi-to-tsu-ki

"At the same inn, a prostitute also stays, bush clover and the moon," written by Matsuo Basho at an inn in Niigata on the 12th day of the 7th month in the lunar calendar(corresponding to August 26th in the Gregorian calendar) in 1689.

Basho wearing monk's stole and a colorful prostitute stay at the same inn. In its yard, bush clovers are blooming beautifully in the moonlight. A combination of bush clovers and the moon is something akin to that of monk and prostitute.

fallen leaves

秋は来ぬ　紅葉は宿に　ふりしきぬ　道ふみ分けて　とふ人はなし 　(よみびとしらず,「古今和歌集」)


"Autumn has come, my garden is covered with fallen leaves, nobody wades through a pile of fallen leaves to my house", author unknown in "The Kokin Wakashu".

A female writer composed this poem. Her lover might have had a change of mind. He didn't come to her anymore. When I read this poem for the first time, I had a different image of it because she stated firmly. I thought a reclusive person wrote this poem.

photo：KYOTOdesign

Fukiyose(吹き寄せ)

These dried confections represent drifted fallen leaves of trees such as a ginkgo, a maple and a pine. There is also an acorn.

The leaves on the ginkgo trees along Gaien-dori in Tokyo have been colored. Fallen gingko nuts that was run over by a car smell ripe, but they are delicious.

Icho(銀杏)

This is nerikiri(a mixture of sweet white bean paste and soft cakes of pounded rice).

Icho(銀杏)

This is yokan(hardened bean paste by kanten).

waka poems about the moon

此の世をば　わが世とぞ思ふ　望月の　かけたることの　なしと思へば

"The world is my oyster, I lack for nothing like the full moon," written by Fujiwara no Michinaga(藤原道長,966-1028)

But the full moon has nothing else to do but wane.
Michinaga was ensconced in a high seat of power.  Murasaki Shikibu(紫式部) is a private tutor of his daughter.



天の原 ふりさけ見れば　春日なる　三笠の山に　出でし月かも

"When raising my head skyward, I found the moon, it could be the same moon that rises over the Hill of Mikasa in Kasuga,"written by Abe no Nakamaro (阿倍仲麻呂, c.701-c.770)

He was a scholar, administrator and waka poet in the Nara period.  He went to the Chinese Tang dynasty as one of Japanese Missions to Imperial China in 717. Kibi no Makibi(吉備真備) and the Buddhist monk Genbou(玄昉) were fellow passengers.
To survey international circumstances or advanced technologies and to collect Buddhist scriptures, the missions staked their lives on the voyage to China.

He passed the civil-service examination and achieved successful career as a bureaucrat in China. It was hard to receive a permission from the emperor to go home because Nakamaro found favor with the emperor.
In 753, his ship drifted down to the coast of Vietnam due to wrecking after he got permission to come back temporarily to Japan. He could not get a permission again. So he abandoned to return home and remained in China until his death.

His Chinese name was Zhao Heng (晁衡).  He was a close friend of the Chinese poets Li Bai(李白) and Wang Wei(王維), among others. Wang Wei was reluctant to leave Nakamaro in his poem when Nakamaro embarked for Japan. Li Bai grieved Nakamaro's ill-fated death in his poem when getting misinformation of his death.

He could not return home, but his waka poem was introduced into Japan.


Sei Shinsei (or Ino Manari, 井眞成) also remained in China during the same period.

In 2004, a Chinese university announced that his epitaph was discovered at a construction site. He had been unknown until the news made him famous. The epitaph lifted him up from obscurity.
Although it is thought that he is a member of the missions or an official and is from Fujiidera City in Osaka, his life is poorly understood.
He died in China, but his epitaph visited home in 2005.

For your information, the statue of the Chinese Buddhist priest Ganjin(鑑真) who was the founder of Toshodaiji(唐招提寺) also has visited home.　He visited Japan in response to a request from a Japanese emperor.　He attempted to visit Japan six times over strong protests of the Chinese emperor and his Chinese followers.

The original sentence of his epitaph is as follows.


贈尚衣奉御井公墓誌文并序
公姓井字眞成國號日本才稱天縱故能
■命遠邦馳騁上國蹈禮樂襲衣冠束帶
■朝難與儔矣豈圖強學不倦聞道未終
■遇移舟隙逢奔駟以開元廿二年正月
■日乃終于官弟春秋卅六皇上
■傷追崇有典詔贈尚衣奉御葬令官
■即以其年二月四日窆于萬年縣滻水
■原禮也嗚呼素車曉引丹旐行哀嗟遠
■兮頽暮日指窮郊兮悲夜臺其辭曰
■乃天常哀茲遠方形既埋于異土魂庶
歸于故鄕

"■" means illegible characters.
Two Japanese modern characters(即 and 既) are used in place of undisplayable characters.

The epitaph's summary:

His last name is 井 and his first name is 真成. He came from Japan.
He was endowed with tremendous talent and was dispatched on a mission to the Chinese Tang dynasty from a distant country.
He continued his civilized behavior and was so eager to learn, but he suddenly passed away at the age of 36 at a public dormitory in the 1st month in 734.
The emperor raised his official rank to "尚衣奉御"(department head of management of emperor's clothes) in mourning his death and had a funeral at national expense on the banks of the San River(滻水).
His splendid funeral was held in the procession including a white carriage and flag-flying.
People who attended the funeral heaved a sigh at the sight of the setting sun and headed for the cemetery in sorrow.
Although death is inevitable, people in his home country also would mourn the loss of him.
The remains are buried in a foreign country, but we sincerely hope that his soul will return home.

summer and fall

Today is the 1st day of the 7th month in the lunar calendar. Fall was thought to begin from this day. The following waka poem was made on the last day of summer.

夏と秋と 行きかふ空の 通ひ路は かたへ涼しき　風やふくらむ(凡河内躬恒)
"On the sky two-lane road where going summer and comming fall go by each other, Is cool breeze blowing in the lane for comming fall?" written by Oushikouchi no Mitsune(c.859-925)

The Summer Solstice

Yesterday was Father's Day, but it's pale compared to Mother's Day.
Many people are very interested in the World Cup soccer games now.
Hanashoubu(花菖蒲:Japanese water iris) are now at their peak.

Warnings of heavy rains and local flooding are issued for Kyushu now.

五月雨を　集めてはやし　最上川（「奥の細道」松尾芭蕉）
"Gathering as much early summer rain as possible, the Mogami River comes rushing down in a torrent", written by Matsuo Bashou (松尾芭蕉,1644–1694) in "The Narrow Road to the Deep North".

Samidare(五月雨) literally means rain falling in the 5th month in the lunar calendar. Originally, it means rain falling in the rainy season.


The Summer Solstice occurs around June 21st each year.
It is marked by the longest day and shortest night of the year.

夏の夜は　まだ宵ながら　明けぬるを　雲のいづこに　月やどるらむ(「古今集」清原深養父)
"Summer nights are short, so I felt that dawn succeeded night during the early evening. Where in clouds does the moon spend night?", written by Kiyohara no Fukayabu(清原深養父), Sei Shounagon's great-grandfather.


五月闇　短き夜半の　うたたねに　花たちばなの　袖に涼しき(「新古今集」慈円)
"When I am dozing off at a short night in the rainy season, wind carries the smell of tachibana(橘:Citrus tachibana) and makes me feel the cool air through my sleeves", written by Jien(慈円,1155–1225), who was a Japanese poet, historian and Buddhist monk.

We have few sun exposure and rarely see the shining moon and stars in the rainy season. Satsuki-yami(五月闇) means moonless night or dark weather in the rainy season.



Seiryu(清流:limpid stream)
Sweetfishes are swimming in the limpid stream, and beans are used to resemble stones in the riverbed.

Kakitsubata (Rabbit-Ear Iris)

Kakitsubata(燕子花、杜若:Iris laevigata or Rabbit-Ear Iris):

It grows in shallow waters or marshy places and blooms in mid-to-late May. Its petals are partly white. Kakitsubata, ayame and hanasyoubu are confusingly similar in appearance.

Ayame(菖蒲、文目、綾目:Siberian iris or Iris sanguinea) blooms from Early May to Mid-June, prefers dry land and has partly-netted petals.
Hanasyoubu(花菖蒲:Iris ensata var. ensata) blooms from early June to late June, prefers wet land and its petals are partly yellow.

photos :
デジカメ動画フリー素材
http://dougafreesozai.com/index.html (Japanese version only)　　　


The exhibition "The National Treasure Irises Screens and Rimpa Paintings" is being held at the Nezu Museum(根津美術館) in Minami-Aoyama, Tokyo from April 24th to May 23rd. The highlight is the national treasure "Kakitsubata-zu-Byoubu(燕子花図屏風), which is a pair of gold-ground six-panel screens by Ogata Kourin(尾形 光琳,1658-1716).
The screens depict the scene of the 9th chapter of "The Tales of Ise".

The hero, Ariwara no Narihira(在原業平) made the following poem about kakitsubata in the tales.

唐衣
きつつ馴れにし
妻しあれば
はるばるきぬる
旅をしぞ思ふ
"I left behind my wife in the city of Kyoto, and now have come a long way.
Like comfortable clothes, we have come to be comfortable with one another.
The feeling of loneliness come home to me."


KA-ra-go-ro-mo (からごろも)
KI-tsu-tsu-na-re-ni-shi (きつつなれにし)
TSU-ma-shi-a-re-ba (つましあれば)
HA-ru-ba-ru-ki-nu-ru (はるばるきぬる)
TA-bi-wo-shi-zo-o-mo-u (たびをしぞおもう)

This poem includes "KA-KI-TSU-HA(BA)-TA" that is a word of five syllables.

The rabbit-ear irises in the museum's garden are being out of season.


かきつばた袋 デザイン：藤本正子
"drawstring pouch in the shape of rabbit-ear iris" designed by Masako Fujimoto

Shigeyoshi Inoue(ed.),Shiki-wo-Irodoru-chirimenzaiku(Tokyo:ONdori Sha,2000),P.13
井上重義監修,四季を彩るちりめん細工,雄鶏社,2000,P.13

Cherry blossom viewing at Japan Mint

I'm worried about a large earthquake in China and a volcanic eruption in Iceland.

Cherry Blossom Lane on the site of Japan Mint in Osaka is opened to the public for cherry blossom viewing from April 14th to 20th. On either side of the lane, 354 trees and 127 varieties are blooming.

I'm going to show you a waka poem featuring cherry blossoms.

花の色は　移りにけりな　いたづらに　わが身世にふる　ながめせし間に(小野小町)
"The color of cherry blossoms has faded while I was stranded because of rain. Likewise, my appearance has faded while I languished over love troubles", written by Ono no Komachi.

Ono no Komachi (小野小町, c.825—c.900) was a famous waka poet. She was also selected as one of the six most well known Waka poets (六歌仙 Rokkasen).

According to legend, she was a celestial beauty and beloved by many men.(Therefore "komachi" is used synonymously with a beauty.) A man was hopelessly devoted to her. She gave in to his persistence on condition that he had to come see her for 100 days in succession. On the 100th day, he suddenly died because of heavy snowfall.

In a noh play "Sotoba-komach(卒都婆小町)", Ono no Komachi comes on stage as an old beggar. The play depicts how she is haunted and tormented by the man's spirit.

Yukio Mishima (三島 由紀夫), a famous novelist in Japan, wrote a play with the same title "Sotoba-komach(卒塔婆小町)" based on the noh play. However, this story depicts beauty, love and death.
Everybody who tells her that she is beautiful is destined to die. Although she tried not to make her lover say so, he can't help but do it. She is destined to wait for him for 100 years.
The play is now on at a theater in Tokyo.

あだなりと　名にこそたてれ　桜花　年にまれなる　人も待ちけり(よみ人しらず)
"cherry blossoms last for few days. Some people say they are similar to an inconstant lover. But they are waitng for even one who rarely comes during a one-year period", author unknown.

a flurry of falling cherry blossoms

Cherry blossoms have begun to fall in Tokyo. Flower maturity in cherry blossom-viewing spots throughout Japan is accessible on the Internet.

久方の　光のどけき　春の日に　しづ心なく　花の散るらむ（古今集・紀友則）
"On such a tranquil sunny day, why are cherry blossoms fluttering down in such a rush?", written by Ki no Tomonori (紀友則,850–904).


confection named Hanafubuki(花吹雪:a flurry of falling cherry blossoms)

I threw the fallen petals high in the air when I took a walk with my dog under the cherry trees. while petals drifted down like confetti, she yelped with delight in her puppyhood.

She was given less than a year to live during the cherry blossom season a few years ago. While walking with my dog under the cherry trees, I came home to my bosom that we were not abele to see cherry blossoms together in the next spring.

Can I see cherry blossoms next spring? - I often hear that in Japanese classics, movies or TVdrams.


The petal floating on the water is called Hanaikada(花筏:petal raft). Because a petal of cherry blossoms floating down the river looks like a raft.

an original work of tsumami-zaiku(つまみ細工)

The anniversary of Buddha's death

About half of the cherry blossoms are in bloom on these chilly winter days.

願はくは　花の下にて　春死なむ　その如月の　もちづきのころ(西行)
"I wish to die under a cherry tree in full bloom on about the 15th day of the second month", written by Saigyou.

Today is the 15th day of the second month according to the lunar calendar and is also the anniversary of Buddha's death. Buddhist monk Saigyou wanted to breathe his last on the same date as the anniversary of Buddha's death while watching his much-loved cherry blossoms. They were not Somei-yoshino(Yoshino Cherry) but cherry trees of wild species.
at his request, he died on the 16th day of the second month in 1190(on March 23th according to the Julian calendar).

cherry blossoms

Cherry trees in Tokyo and Yokohama first bloomed today and will fully blossom in a week.
They are at their best in some areas.

世の中に 絶えて桜の なかりせば 春の心は のどけからまし(在原業平)
"If it were not for the cherry blossom, we would have a tranquil life in spring", written by Arihara no Narihira.

sakura-mochi(桜餅) :
There are two types of sakura-mochi. Both of them are wrapped with edible cherry leaves.


One is cherry-colored dumpling made of boiled and dried sticky rice called doumyouji-ko(道明寺粉). It's filled with bean paste.









The other is bean paste ball wrapped with a thin, cherry-colored and crepe-like pancake.
In the Edo Period, Yamamotoya(山本屋) near Chomei-ji temple(長命寺) brought out it as sakura-mochi.



Somei-yoshino(染井吉野:Yoshino Cherry):
Somei-yoshino is a cherry cultivar that gardeners and craftsman at Somei in Edo(now Tokyo) grew and offered.
it's not seed-propagated cultivar, so it can be propagated by seeding or grafting.
It has a major fault that its lifespan of about 60 years is lot shorter than that of wild species. a lot of somei-yoshino trees which were planted throughout Japan after World War Ⅱ have little time left to live. So attempts have been made to extend their life.
On the other hand, some people insist on replacing somei-yoshino trees with other species of cherry trees. They have concerned about undermining biodiversity by increasing only somei-yoshino trees.


kozakura(小桜:a little cherry blossom)










「桜袋」　デザイン:水口婉子
"drawstring pouch in the shape of a cherry blossom" designed by Tsuyako Mizuguchi
Tsuyako Mizuguchi(ed),Densyo-no-chirmenzaiku,(Tokyo：Graphsha inc.,1994),p.86.
水口婉子監修,「伝承のちりめん細工」,グラフ社,1994年,p.86.

a cherry blossom seen from underneath.



pouch turned upside down











ura-sakura-cho(裏桜蝶):
A cherry blossom seen from underneath is used to resemble a butterfly.

下中菜穂,「切り紙　もんきり遊び」,株式会社宝島社,2007年,P.8
Nabo Shimonaka, Kirigami Monkiri-asobi,(Tokyo:TAKARAJIMASHA,Inc.,2007),P.8