100 Poets:
Passions of the Imperial Court
In 2008, PIE Books in Tokyo published 100 Poets: Passions of the Imperial Court, a translation by Emiko Miyashita and Michael Dylan Welch of the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu (百人一首), sometimes referred to as “100 Poems by 100 Poets.” This bilingual 400-page art book features photographs by Ito Yukikazu, an introduction by Mutsuo Takahashi (which we also translated), and our translations of the poems. The Ogura Hyakunin Isshu collects waka poems (now commonly known as tanka) compiled in the thirteenth century by Fujiwara no Teika. The complete text of our translations appears below, together with images from the uta-garuta card game traditionally played at New Year using these poems in Japanese. At one time, the entire book, with photographs, poems, a digital karuta card game, and recordings of each poem read in Japanese by male and female voices, was also available as an iPad and iPhone application on iTunes, but it is no longer available. In addition, our translation of poem #33, by Ki no Tomonori, appeared on the back of 150,000,000 United States postage stamps in 2012, one of the best-selling stamps in U.S. history. + + + + +
Purchase the book on Amazon
Read David Burleigh’s Japan Times review (also available here)
Read more about the Ogura Hykunin Isshu
Read about the uta-garuta card game (see also karuta and competitive karuta)
See also Seattle Competitive Karuta Club
1 Tenji Tennō | Emperor Tenji
秋の田のかりほの庵の苫をあらみわが衣手は露にぬれつつ 天智天皇
aki no ta no kariho no io no toma wo arami waga koromode wa tsuyu ni nuretsutsu
a temporary lookout hut
by the ripening rice fields
has a rough rush-thatched roof—
my sleeves are kept
wet with the dews
2 Jitō Tennō | Empress Jitō
春すぎて夏来にけらし白妙のころもほすてふ天のかぐ山 持統天皇
haru sugite natsu kinikerashi shirotae no koromo hosuchō ama no kaguyama
spring is over
and summer must have come—
on heavenly Mount Kagu,
pure white clothes
are said to be drying
3 Kakinomoto no Hitomaro
あしひきの山鳥の尾のしだり尾のながながし夜をひとりかも寝む 柿本人麻呂
ashihiki no yamadori no o no shidario no naganagashi yo wo hitori kamo nen
on a rugged mountain peak
a copper pheasant falls asleep
drooping its lengthy tail—
must I too sleep alone
through this long long night?
4 Yamabe no Akahito
田子の浦にうち出でて見れば白妙の富士のたかねに雪はふりつつ 山部赤人
tagonoura ni uchiidete mireba shirotae no fuji no takane ni yuki wa furitsutsu
as I come out and look up
from the coast of Tagonoura,
the pure white snow keeps falling
on the lofty peak
of Mount Fuji
5 Sarumaru Daifu | Sarumaru, A Troupe Leader
おくやまにもみぢ踏み分け鳴く鹿の声聞くときぞ秋はかなしき 猿丸大夫
okuyama ni momiji fumiwake naku shika no koe kiku toki zo aki wa kanashiki
deep in the mountains
stepping though the fallen crimson leaves
a deer cries for his mate—
when I hear the voice
autumn melancholy deepens
6 Chūnagon Yakamochi | Middle Counsellor Yakamochi
かささぎのわたせる橋に置く霜の白きを見れば夜ぞふけにける 中納言家持
kasasagi no wataseru hashi ni oku shimo no shiroki wo mireba yo zo fukenikeru
a heavenly bridge
of milky-feathered magpies—
the whiteness of frost
on the Imperial staircase
reminds me of night’s deepening
7 Abe no Nakamaro
あまの原ふりさけ見れば春日なる御蓋の山にいでし月かも 阿倍仲麿
ama no hara furisakemireba kasuga naru mikasa n oyama ni ideshi tsuki kamo
when I raise my face
to look at the heavenly fields,
I see the same moon
that I saw arise in Kasuga
from Mount Mikasa
8 Kisen Hōshi | Monk Kisen
わが庵は都のたつみしかぞ住む世をうぢ山と人はいふなり 喜撰法師
waga io wa miyako no tatsumi shika zo sumu yo wo ujiyama to hito wa iu nari
my hut, if you ask,
is to the capital’s southeast
where I live serenely—
yet people say I’ve renounced the world
only to live dismally in Mount Uji
9 Ono no Komachi
花のいろはうつりにけりないたづらに我身世にふるながめせしまに 小野小町
hana no iro wa utsurinikeri na itazura ni waga mi yo ni furu nagame seshi ma ni
the beauty of cherry blossoms
has passed its peak
in vain
while I looked idly
at the endless rain
10 Semimaru
これやこの行くも帰るも別れてはしるもしらぬもあふ坂の関 蝉丸
kore ya kono yuku mo kaeru mo wakarete wa shiru mo shiranu mo ōsaka no seki
so this is the place
where all who come and go,
both friends and strangers,
meet again after parting—
the gate at Meeting Hill
11 Sangi Takamura | Consultant Takamura
わたのはら八十島かけてこぎいでぬと人には告げよ蜑のつりぶね 参議 篁
watanohara yasoshima kakete kogiidenu to hito ni wa tsuge yo ama no tsuribune
my boat has rowed out
on the vast expanse of waters
amid the eighty islands—
tell this to my loved one,
you who fish in fishing boats
12 Sōjō Henjō | High Priest Henjō
あまつ風くものかよひ路ふきとぢよ乙女のすがたしばしとどめむ 僧正遍昭
amatsukaze kumo no kayoiji fukitoji yo otome no sugata shibashi todomen
winds high in the sky
please blow and block
the gateway of clouds—
I wish to admire a little longer
the heavenly maidens’ figures
13 Yōzei’in | Retired Emperor Yōzei
筑波嶺のみねより落つるみなの川こひぞつもりて淵となりぬる 陽成院
tsukubane no mine yori otsuru minanogawa koi zo tsumorite fuchi to narinuru
from the peak of Mount Tsukuba
the Man-Woman River started to flow—
so, too, my love has grown
from a thin stream
to a deepening pool
14 Kawara no Sadaijin | The Kawara Minister of the Left
みちのくのしのぶもぢずりたれゆゑに乱れそめにし我ならなくに 河原左大臣
michinoku no shinobumojizuri tare yue ni midaresomenishi ware naranaku ni
like Michinoku’s disheveled cloth
of randomly printed patterns,
my heart is in disarray—
who but you, dear,
is to blame?
15 Kōkō Tennō | Emperor Kōkō
君がため春の野にいでて若菜摘むわが衣手に雪は降りつつ 光孝天皇
kimi ga tame harunono ni idete wakana tsumu waga koromode ni yuki wa furitsutsu
for you alone
I come out to the spring fields
to gather young herbs—
as I pick them, the snow keeps falling
onto my full sleeves
16 Chūnagon Yukihira | Middle Counsellor Yukihira
たちわかれいなばの山の峰におふるまつとしきかばいま帰りこむ 中納言行平
tachiwakare inaba no yama no mine ni ouru matsu to shi kikaba ima kaerikon
it is time to depart,
yet if I hear that you pine for me,
for the pines that grow
on the peak of Mount Inaba,
I shall return right away
17 Ariwara no Narihira no Ason | Ariwara no Narihira, Court Noble
ちはやぶる神代もきかず龍田川からくれなゐに水くくるとは 在原業平朝臣
chihayaburu kamiyo mo kikazu tatsutagawa karakurenai ni mizu kukuru to wa
not known even in the reign of gods
mighty enough to penetrate a thousand rocks:
the beauty of Tatsuta River,
tie-dying the water
in foreign crimson
18 Fujiwara no Toshiyuki no Ason | Fujiwara no Toshiyuki, Court Noble
住の江の岸による波よるさへやゆめのかよひ路人めよくらむ 藤原敏行朝臣
suminoe no kishi ni yoru nami yoru sae ya yume no kayoiji hitome yokuran
the waves washing
the shores of Suminoe—
even at night, in my dream,
on the passage that carries me to you
I hesitate, avoiding to be seen Fujiwara no Toshiyuki, Court Noble
19 Ise
難波潟 みじかき芦のふしの間も逢はでこの世をすぐしてよとや 伊勢
naniwagata mijikaki ashi no fushinoma mo awade kono yo wo sugushite yo toya
are you saying you won’t see me
in this lifetime,
not even as briefly
as between the joints in the reeds
at Naniwa lagoon?
20 Motoyoshi Shinnō | Prince Motoyoshi
わびぬれば今はたおなじ難波なるみをつくしても逢はむとぞ思ふ 元良親王
wabinureba ima hata onaji naniwa naru mi wo tukushite mo awan to zo omou
my depression has deepened
since our rumour circulated,
but to me it no longer matters—
like Naniwa’s selfless channel markers,
I must sacrifice myself to see you
21 Sosei Hōshi | Priest Sosei
いま来むといひしばかりに長月の有明の月を待ちいでつるかな 素性法師
iishi bakari ni nagatsuki no ariakenotsuki wo machiidetsuru kana
because you wrote
that you would come soon,
I have waited
till the rise of the morning moon
this ninth month
22 Fun’ya no Yasuhide
ふくからに秋の草木のしをるればむべ山風をあらしといふらむ 文屋康秀
fuku kara ni aki no kusaki no shiorureba mube yamakaze wo arashi to iuran
as it blows,
the autumn grass and trees
wither at once—
now I see why this mountain wind
is called a storm
23 Ōe no Chisato
月みればちぢに物こそかなしけれわが身ひとつの秋にはあらねど 大江千里
tsuki mireba chiji ni mono koso kanashikere wagami hitotsu no aki ni wa aranedo
as I look at the moon,
my mind is torn to a thousand pieces,
sinking me into sadness,
although this autumn
is not for me alone
24 Kanke | The House of Sugawara
このたびはぬさもとりあへず手向山もみぢのにしき神のまにまに 菅家
kono tabi wa nusa mo toriaezu tamukeyama momiji no nishiki kami no manima ni
on this pressing journey
I have no sacramental strips of silk
to offer the gods
but Mount Tamuke’s brocade of tinted leaves—
please accept them as you please
25 Sanjō no Udaijin | The Sanjō Minister of the Right
名にし負はば逢坂山のさねかづら人に知られで来るよしもがな 三条右大臣
na ni shi owaba ōsakayama no sanekazura hito ni shirarede kuru yoshi mogana
if you hold the power of your name,
oh Meeting Hill’s sleep-together vine,
then I wish your charm
would haul my love in closer
unnoticed by anyone
26 Teishinkō | Lord Teishin
をぐらやま峰の紅葉こころあらばいまひとたびのみゆきまたなむ 貞信公
ogurayama mine no momijiba kokoro araba ima hitotabi no miyuki matanan
Mount Ogura,
your peak covered with tinted leaves—
if you have a heart,
please stay tinted
till the next royal visit
27 Chūnagon Kanesuke | Middle Counsellor Kanesuke
みかの原わきてながるるいづみ川いつ見きとてか恋しかるらむ 中納言兼輔
mikanohara wakite nagaruru izumigawa itsu miki tote ka koishikaruran
here on the Mika Plain
the River Izumi springs forth
and surges through—
when have I met you? I haven’t,
yet I yearn for you as if I had
28 Minamoto no Muneyuki no Ason
Minamoto no Muneyuki, Court Noble
山里は冬ぞさびしさまさりける人目も草もかれぬとおもへば 源宗于朝臣
yamazato wa fuyu zo sabishisa masarikeru hitome mo kusa mo karenu to omoeba
in a mountain village
winter is the most lonely,
for the comings and goings
of all the people
dry up with the grasses
29 Ōshikōchi no Mitsune
心あてに折らばや折らむはつ霜の置きまどはせるしらぎくの花 凡河内躬恒
kokoroate ni oraba ya oran hatsushimo no okimadowaseru shiragiku no hana
if I pluck
a white chrysanthemum,
I must pluck by guesswork
after the first frost
has disguised them
30 Mibu no Tadamine
有明のつれなくみえしわかれより暁ばかり憂きものはなし 壬生忠岑
ariake no tsurenaku mieshi wakare yori akatsuki bakari uki mono wa nashi
since our parting
when the morning moon
looked so indifferent,
no other time but dawn
makes me suffer
31 Sakanoue no Korenori
朝ぼらけ有明の月と見るまでに吉野の里にふれるしら雪 坂上是則
asaborake ariakenotsuki to miru made ni yoshino no sato ni fureru shirayuki
daybreak—
bright enough to suggest
it’s the dawn moon,
the snow’s whiteness
on Yoshino village
32 Harumichi no Tsuraki
山川に風のかけたるしがらみは流れもあへぬもみぢなりけり 春道列樹
yamagawa ni kaze no kaketaru shigarami wa nagare mo aenu momiji narikeri
the wind-placed weir
in a mountain stream
is, as it happens,
the tinted fallen leaves
unable to flow
33 Ki no Tomonori
ひさかたのひかりのどけき春の日にしづ心なく花の散るらん 紀友則
hisakata no hikari nodokeki harunohi ni shizugokoro naku hana no chiruran
the light filling the air
is so mild this spring day
only the cherry blossoms
keep falling in haste—
why is that so?
34 Fujiwara no Okikaze
誰をかもしる人にせん高砂の松もむかしの友ならなくに 藤原興風
tare wo kamo shiru hito ni sen takasago no matsu mo mukashi no tomo naranaku ni
at my great age
when all my friends are gone,
with whom can I make friends?
even Takasago’s ancient double pine tree
cannot be my friend
35 Ki no Tsurayuki
人はいさ心もしらずふるさとは花ぞむかしの香ににほひける 紀貫之
hito wa isa kokoro mo shirazu furusato wa hana zo mukashi no ka ni nioikeru
I wonder about you
but cannot read your mind—
in this village where I used to visit,
the plum blossoms still smell sweetly
the way they always did
36 Kiyohara no Fukayabu
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 清原深養父
natsunoyo wa mada yoi nagara akenuru wo kumo no izuko ni tsuki yadoruran
the short summer night
begins to dawn, although it feels
like it is still evening—
where in the clouds
does the moon shelter
37 Fun’ya no Asayasu
しらつゆに風の吹きしく秋の野はつらぬきとめぬ玉ぞ散りける 文屋朝康
shiratsuyu ni kaze no fukishiku aki no no wa tsuranukitomenu tama zo chirikeru
in the autumn fields
the wind blows repeatedly
over the white dew—
each gust disperses
the pearls not strung
38 Ukon
わすらるる身をば思はずちかひてし人のいのちの惜しくもあるかな 右近
wasuraruru mi woba omowazu chikaiteshi hito no inochi no oshiku mo arukana
I should have known when we vowed
that I would be forgotten by you . . .
now that you have left me,
I worry about your life, you who swore
unchanging love before gods
39 Sangi Hitoshi | Consultant Hitoshi
浅茅生の小野のしのはらしのぶれどあまりてなどか人のこひしき 参議等
asajiu no ono no shinohara shinoburedo amarite nado ka hito no koishiki
like the thin bamboo
hidden in fields of cogon-grass,
I have tried to hide my love,
but I can no longer restrain myself—
why do I long so much for you?
40 Taira no Kanemori
しのぶれど色にいでにけりわが恋は物や思ふと人の問ふまで 平兼盛
shinoburedo iro ni idenikeri waga koi wa mono ya omou to hito no tou made
although I have tried
to hide my love in my heart,
it must show on my face—
people keep asking me
if I suffer from lovesickness
41 Mibu no Tadami
恋すてふわが名はまだき立ちにけり人知れずこそ思ひそめしか 壬生忠見
koisuchō wagana wa madaki tachinikeri hitoshirezu koso omoisomeshi ka
already the rumour
is being whispered around
that I’ve fallen in love,
yet I have just begun
to yearn for you in secret
42 Kiyohara no Motosuke
ちぎりきなかたみに袖をしぼりつつ末のまつ山浪こさじとは 清原元輔
chigiriki na katami ni sode wo shiboritsutsu suenomatsuyama nami kosaji to wa
do you not remember that we vowed,
as we wrung tears from our sleeves,
that the ocean waves
would never wash Sue’s Pine Hill,
that our hearts would never change
43 Gonchūnagon Atsutada | Acting Middle Counsellor Atsutada
あひ見ての後のこころにくらぶれば昔は物をおもはざりけり 権中納言敦忠
aimite no nochi no kokoro ni kurabureba mukashi wa mono wo omowazarikeri
compared to my heart
after spending a night with you,
my heart in the past,
before we met, hardly knew
the meaning of desperation
44 Chūnagon Asatada | Middle Counsellor Asatada
逢ふことの絶えてしなくはなかなかに人をも身をも恨みざらまし 中納言朝忠
au koto no taete shi naku wa nakanaka ni hito wo mo mi wo mo uramizaramashi
had I never met her
I would not feel
this bitter resentment at all
for her abject indifference
nor for my desperation
45 Kentokukō | Lord Kentoku
あはれともいふべき人はおもほえで身のいたづらになりぬべきかな 謙徳公
aware to mo iubeki hito wa omohoede mi no itazura ni narinu beki kana
I cannot even think
of anyone who might
take pity and love me . . .
am I to die in vain
with this longing?
46 Sone no Yoshitada
由良の門を渡る舟人かぢを絶えゆくへもしらぬ恋のみちかな 曽禰好忠
yuranoto wo wataru funabito kaji wo tae yukue mo shiranu koi no michi kana
a boatman
crossing Yura Strait,
has lost his rudder . . .
so, too, the passage of my love
knows no destination
47 Egyō Hōshi | Priest Egyō
八重むぐらしげれる宿のさびしきに人こそ見えね秋は来にけり 恵慶法師
yaemugura shigereru yado no sabishiki ni hito koso miene aki wa kinikier
with its tangled growth of weeds
the estate looks desolate—
no visitor is coming
yet autumn
is my guest
48 Minamoto no Shigeyuki
風をいたみ岩うつ浪のおのれのみくだけてものを思ふころかな 源重之
kaze wo itami iwa utsu nami no onore nomi kudakete mono wo omou koro kana
strong winds
shatter the waves
against unmoved rocks—
so, too, I suffer alone
from unreturned love
49 Ōnakatomi no Yoshinobu no Ason
Ōnakatomi no Yoshinobu, Court Noble
Ōnakatomi no Yoshinobu, Court Noble
みかきもり衛士のたく火の夜はもえ昼は消えつつものをこそ思へ 大中臣能宣朝臣
mikakimori eji no taku hi no yoru wa moe hiru wa kietsutsu mono wo koso omoe
at the Imperial Palace gate,
the watch fires built in iron baskets
burn through the night like my desire,
then go out in daylight
like my discouraged heart
50 Fujiwara no Yoshitaka
君がため惜しからざりしいのちさへ長くもがなと思ひぬるかな 藤原義孝
kimi ga tame oshikarazarishi inochi sae nagaku mogana to omoinuru kana
I thought before
that I would give my life
for one night with you,
but now that we have met
I wish to live on and on
51 Fujiwara no Sanekata no Ason
Fujiwara no Sanekata, Court Noble
かくとだにえやはいぶきのさしも草さしもしらじな燃ゆる思を 藤原実方朝臣
kaku to dani eyawaibuki no sashimogusa sashimo shirajina moyuru omoi wo
how I wish to confess
my burning desire, but I cannot—
just as moxa herbs from Ibuki smolder
you may never suspect
my ardent passion
52 Fujiwara no Michinobu no Ason
Fujiwara no Michinobu, Court Noble
明けぬれば暮るるものとはしりながらなほ恨めしき朝ぼらけかな 藤原道信朝臣
akenureba kururu mono to wa shirinagara nao urameshiki asaborake kana
when the day breaks
I know that night will fall again,
yet how disappointing
this morning glow is
after spending this night with you
53 Udaishō Michitsuna no Haha
The Mother of the Commander of the Right Michitsuna
なげきつつひとりぬる夜の明くるまはいかに久しき物とかはしる 右大将道綱母
nagekitsutsu hitori nuru yo no akuru ma wa ikani hisashiki mono to kawa shiru
grieving alone in bed,
the time until dawn
passes ever so slowly,
but you, alas,
will never know
54 Gidōsanshi no Haha | The Mother of Associate Minister
忘れじの行末まではかたければ今日を限りの命ともがな 儀同三司母
wasureji no yukusue made wa katakereba kyō wo kagiri no inochi to mo gana
your vow
to never forget me
cannot be trusted for my lifetime—
thus I crave to make today
the last day of my life
55 Dainagon Kintō | Grand Counsellor Kintō
滝の音は絶えて久しくなりぬれど名こそ流れてなほきこえけれ 大納言公任
taki no oto wa taete hisashiku narinuredo na koso nagarete nao kikoekere
the waterfall’s sound
has ceased now
for many ages,
yet its fame flows on
and still is heard today
56 Izumi Shikibu
あらざらむこの世のほかの思ひ出にいまひとたびのあふこともがな 和泉式部
arazaran konoyo no hoka no omoide ni ima hitotabi no au koto mogana
after my passing
into the other world,
for a memory to cherish,
I wish to see you
just once more
57 Murasaki Shikibu
めぐり逢ひて見しやそれともわかぬまに雲がくれにし夜半の月かげ 紫式部
meguriaite mishi ya sore tomo wananu ma ni kumogakurenishi yowa no tsukikage
we met again by chance
but before I could tell
if it was really you,
the midnight moon vanished
into the clouds
58 Daini no Sanmi
ありま山ゐなの篠原かぜ吹けばいでそよ人を忘れやはする 大弐三位
arimayama ina no sasahara kaze fukeba ide soyo hito wo wasure yawa suru
near Mount Arima,
Ina’s field of bamboo grass
sways with the wind,
and now so do I—
how can I forget you?
59 Akazome Emon
やすらはで寝なましものを小夜ふけて傾ぶくまでの月を見しかな 赤染衛門
yasurawade nenamashi mono wo sayo fukete katabuku made no tsuki wo mishi kana
if I had known you would not come,
I would have gone to bed earlier,
but now, I have stayed up late
watching the moon
till it fell in the west
60 Koshikibu no Naishi
大江山いくのの道の遠ければまだふみも見ずあまの橋立 小式部内侍
ōeyama ikuno no michi no tōkereba mada fumi mo mizu ama no hashidate
the road to Mount Ōe, Ikuno fields,
and to Heaven’s Ladder is so very long—
I haven’t yet travelled the path,
nor have I seen
a letter from mother
61 Ise no Taifu
いにしへの奈良の都の八重ざくらけふ九重ににほひぬるかな 伊勢大輔
inishie no nara no miyako no yaezakura kyō kokonoe ni nioinuru kana
eightfold cherry blossoms
from the ancient capital of Nara—
today they bloom beautifully,
glowing in the sun
in this ninefold Imperial Palace
62 Sei Shōnagon
夜をこめて鳥のそらねははかるともよに逢坂の関はゆるさじ 清少納言
yo wo komete tori no sorane wa hakaru tomo yo ni ōsaka no seki wa yurusaji
while it is yet dark,
your crowing like a rooster
may deceive some folks,
but not Meeting Hill’s gate guards
who still will bar your passage
63 Sakyō no Daibu Michimasa | The Left City Commissioner Michimasa
今はただ思ひ絶えなむとばかりを人づてならでいふよしもがな 左京大夫道雅
ima wa tada omoitaenan to bakari wo hitozute narade iu yoshi mogana
all I wish for now is a way
to say in my own words, face to face,
and not through a messenger,
that I resign myself
to giving up our love
64 Gonchūnagon Sadayori | Acting Middle Counsellor Sadayori
朝ぼらけ宇治の川霧たえだえにあらはれわたる瀬瀬のあじろ木 権中納言定頼
asaborake uji no kawagiri taedae ni arawarewataru seze no ajirogi
the fog begins to clear
at dawn over the river Uji,
revealing the stakes
for wickerwork fishing nets
in the shallows here and there
65 Sagami
恨みわびほさぬ袖だにあるものを恋に朽ちなむ名こそをしけれ 相模
uramiwabi hosanu sode dani aru mono wo koi ni kuchinan na koso oshikere
bitterness and sorrow
keep my sleeves wet with tears,
yet they haven’t been ruined—
more to be pitied
is my love-wrecked reputation
66 Saki no Daisōjō Gyōson | Former Archbishop Gyōson
もとともにあはれと思へ山ざくら花よりほかに知る人もなし 前大僧正行尊
morotomo ni aware to omoe yamazakura hana yori hoka ni shiruhito mo nashi
join me, please,
mountain cherry tree,
in thinking akin of each other—
I have no one but your blossoms
to share my heart
67 Suō no Naishi
春の夜のゆめばかりなる手枕にかひなく立たむ名こそ惜しけれ 周防内侍
harunoyo no yume bakari naru tamakura ni kainaku tatan na koso oshikere
for this brief spring night’s dream
your faithless arm
could pillow my head—
yes, but how pointless the loss
of my reputation
68 Sanjōin | Retired Emperor Sanjō
心にもあらでうき世にながらへば恋しかるべき夜半の月かな 三条院
kokoro ni mo arade ukiyo ni nagaraeba koishikaru beki yowa no tsuki kana
although it is not my desire
to live longer
in this miserable world,
if I do, I will surely yearn
for tonight’s moon
69 Nōin Hōshi | Monk Nōin
あらし吹く三室の山のもみぢばは龍田の川のにしきなりけり 能因法師
arashi fuku mimuro no yama no momijiba wa tatsuta no kawa no nishiki narikeri
a storm blowing
the tinted maple leaves
of Mount Mimuro
has made a rich brocade
on the river Tatsuta
70 Ryōzen Hōshi | Monk Ryōzen
さびしさに宿を立ちいでてながむればいづこもおなじ秋のゆふぐれ 良暹法師
sabishisa ni yado wo tachiidete nagamureba izuko mo onaji aki no yūgure
overcome by loneliness
I step out from my hut,
but when I look around,
everywhere it is the same
autumn dusk
71 Dainagon Tsunenobu | Grand Counsellor Tsunenobu
夕されば門田の稲葉おとづれてあしのまろやに秋風ぞ吹く 大納言経信
yū sareba kadota no inaba otozurete ashi no maroya ni akikaze zo fuku
when evening comes
the ripe rice plants at my gate
make a rustling sound . . .
and the autumn wind blows
against my reed-thatched hut
72 Yūshi Naishinnō-ke no Kii
音に聞く高師の浜のあだ波はかけじや袖のぬれもこそすれ 祐子内親王家紀伊
oto ni kiku takashi no hama no adanami wa kakeji ya sode no nure mo koso sure
the famous waves
washing Takashi’s shore
are high and capricious,
but I will not let them
splash and drench my sleeves
73 Saki no Gonchūnagon Masafusa
Former Acting Middle Counsellor Masafusa
高砂の尾上のさくら咲きにけり外山のかすみ立たずもあらなむ 前中納言匡房
takasago no onoe no sakura sakinikeri toyama no kasumi tatazu mo aranan
on the ridge
of distant high mountains,
the cherry trees have bloomed—
I wish that the foothill haze
will not rise too high
74 Minamoto no Toshiyori no Ason
Minamoto no Toshiyori, Court Noble
うかりける人を初瀬の山おろしよはげしかれとはいのらぬものを 源俊頼朝臣
ukarikeru hito wo hatsuse no yamaoroshi yo hageshikare to wa inoranu mono wo
I pine for her in vain,
oh mountain wind from Hatsuse,
yet I did not pray to the kannon
to make her more harsh,
but to blow her to me
75 Fujiwara no Mototoshi
契りおきしさせもが露を命にてあはれことしの秋もいぬめり 藤原基俊
chigiriokishi sasemo ga tsuyu wo inochi nite aware kotoshi no aki mo inumeri
your promise,
as fragile as dew on a mugwort leaf,
has kept me alive,
but this year’s autumn, too,
seems to pass in vain
76 Hosshōji no Nyūdō Saki no Kanpaku Dajōdaijin
The Hosshōji Novice, Former Regent and Chancellor
わたの原こぎいでてみればひさかたの雲居にまがふ沖つ白波 法性寺入道前関白太政大臣
watanohara kogiidete mireba hisakata no kumoi ni magau okitsushiranami
as I row out
onto the flat ocean,
the white wave-crests
blend in the distance
with the heavenly clouds
77 Sutokuin | Retired Emperor Sutoku
瀬を早み岩にせかるる滝川のわれても末にあはむとぞ思ふ 崇徳院
se wo hayami iwa ni sekaruru takigawa no warete mo sue ni awan to zo omou
the swift current
blocked by a boulder
splits but meets again—
so too do I wish to be
one with you again
78 Minamoto no Kanemasa
淡路島かよふ千鳥のなく声にいく夜ねざめぬ須磨の関守 源兼昌
awajishima kayou chidori no naku koe ni ikuyo nezamenu suma no sekimori
from Awaji Island,
the plovers visit and cry—
for how many nights
have I, Suma’s barrier keeper,
been kept awake?
79 Sakyō no Daibu Akisuke | The Left City Commissioner Akisuke
秋風にたなびく雲の絶間よりもれいづる月のかげのさやけさ 左京大夫顕輔
akikaze ni tanabiku kumo no taema yori moreizuru tsuki no kage no sayakesa
breaking through
an opening in the clouds
that trail on the autumn wind—
how clear and pure
the moonlight
80 Taiken Mon’in no Horikawa
長からむ心もしらず黒髪のみだれてけさは物をこそ思へ 待賢門院堀川
nagakaran kokoro mo shirazu kurokami no midarete kesa wa mono wo koso omoe
I cannot know how long
your heart will stay unchanged—
my thoughts this morning
are as tangled as my black hair
after a night with you
81 Gotokudaiji no Sadaijin | The Gotokudaiji Minister of the Left
ほととぎす鳴きつる方をながむればただ有明の月ぞのこれる 後徳大寺左大臣
hototogisu nakitsuru kata wo nagamureba tada ariake no tsuki zo nokoreru
the long-awaited cuckoo’s cry—
as I turn to see
where it sang,
all I find is
the pale morning moon
82 Dōin Hōshi | Monk Dōin
思ひわびさても命はあるものを憂きにたへぬは涙なりけり 道因法師
omoiwabi sate mo inochi wa aru mono wo uki ni taenu wa namida narikeri
suffering from her indifference
and lamenting my heartbreak,
yet my life continues—
it is only my tears
that cannot bear such bitterness
83 Kōtaigū no Daibu Shunzei
Commissioner of the Grand Empress’ Household Office Shunzei
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 皇太后宮大夫俊成
yononaka yo michi koso nakere omoiiru yama no oku ni mo shika zo naku naru
from this world
we can never escape—
even deep in the mountains
where I come to contemplate,
the stag cries plaintively
84 Fujiwara no Kiyosuke no Ason | Fujiwara no Kiyosuke, Court Noble
ながらへばまたこの頃やしのばれむ憂しと見し世ぞいまは恋しき 藤原清輔朝臣
nagaraeba mata konogoro ya shinobaren ushi to mishi yo zo ima wa koishiki
should I live on,
I will fondly remember
this time of my life—
even the hard times of the past
are dear to me no
85 Shune Hōshi | Priest Shun’e
よもすがら物思ふころは明けやらぬ閨のひまさへつれなかりけり 俊恵法師
yomosugara monoomou koro wa akeyaranu neya no hima sae tsurenakarikeri
night after long night
as I lie pensively,
daybreak does not come easily—
even the gap between my bedroom doors
stays heartlessly dark
86 Saigyō Hōshi | Monk Saigyō
なげけとて月やは物を思はするかこち顔なるわが涙かな 西行法師
nageke tote tsuki ya wa mono wo omowasuru kakochigao naru waga namida kana
did the moon tell me
to lament my fate?
no, it did not,
yet my streaming tears
want to blame the moon
87 Jakuren Hōshi | Monk Jakuren
むらさめの露もまだひぬ真木の葉に霧たちのぼる秋のゆふぐれ 寂蓮法師
murasame no tsuyu mo mada hinu maki no ha ni kiri tachinoboru aki no yūgure
veiling the pine needles,
still wet with dew
from passing showers,
the fog rises high
this autumn twilight
88 Kōka Mon’in no Bettō | Intendant at Kōka Mon’in
難波江の芦のかり寝のひと夜ゆゑみをつくしてや恋ひわたるべき 皇嘉門院別当
naniwae no ashi no karine no hitoyo yue mi wo tsukushite ya koi wataru beki
just one night together,
brief as the joints between reeds
reaped from Naniwa Bay—
must I, for this faint love,
now sacrifice my life?
89 Shokushi Naishinnō | Princess Shokushi
玉の緒よ絶えなば絶えねながらへば忍ぶることの弱りもぞする 式子内親王
tama no o yo taenaba taene nagaraeba shinoburu koto no yowari mo zo suru
if the jeweled thread of life
is to be cut, then let it be cut—
for if I live on,
I may become too weak
to hide my secret love
90 Inpu Mon’in no Taifu
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 殷富門院大輔
misebaya na ojima no ama no sode dani mo nure ni zo nureshi iro wa kawarazu
although the drenched sleeves
of Ojima Island divers
never change their colour,
I wish to show you my sleeves
that run red from bloody tears
91 Gokyōgoku Sesshō Saki no Dajōdaijin
The Go-Kyōgoku Regent and Former Chancellor
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 後京極摂政前太政大臣
kirigirisu naku ya shimoyo no samushiro ni koromo katashiki hitori kamo nen
a cricket is chirping . . .
on the frosty night’s cold rush mat,
am I to lie on a sleeve
of my own nightgown
and sleep alone?
92 Nijōin no Sanuki
わが袖は潮干に見えぬ沖の石の人こそしらねかわくまもなし 二条院讃岐
waga sode wa shiohi ni mienu oki no ishi no hito koso shirane kawaku ma mo nashi
my drooping sleeves
are like offshore rocks
hidden even at low tide,
thoroughly drenched with tears,
with never a chance to dry
93 Kamakura no Udaijin | The Kamakura Minister of the Right
世の中はつねにもがもな渚こぐあまの小舟の綱手かなしも 鎌倉右大臣
yononaka wa tsune nimo gamo na nagisa kogu ama no obune no tsunade kanashi mo
I wish the world
to stay unchanged forever—
how stirring it is
to see a fisherman’s rowboat
towed from along the shore
94 Sangi Masatsune | Consultant Masatsune
みよしのの山の秋かぜ小夜ふけてふるさと寒く衣うつなり 参議雅経
miyoshino no yama no akikaze sayo fukete furusato samuku koromo utsu nari
the autumn wind blows
from the mountains of Yoshino
deep into the night—
as the ancient capital grows colder
the villagers beat fabric into softness
95 Saki no Daisōjō Jien | Former Archbishop Jien
おほけなくうき世の民におほふかなわがたつ杣に墨染の袖 前大僧正慈円
ōke naku ukiyo no tami ni ōu kana waga tatsu soma ni sumizome no sode
failing to know my place,
I wish to save people in this troubled world
as I start to dwell at Mount Hiei
by spreading out the black-dyed sleeves
of my monk’s habit
96 Nyūdō Saki no Dajōdaijin | The Novice and Former Chancellor
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 入道前太政大臣
hana sasou arashi no niwa no yuki narade furiyuku mono wa wagami narikeri
a windstorm tempts cherry blossoms
to scatter their petals over the garden—
no, it is not snow
that has fallen and accumulated
but my own age
97 Gonchūnagon Teika | Acting Middle Counsellor Teika
こぬ人をまつほの浦の夕なぎに焼くや藻塩の身もこがれつつ 権中納言定家
konu hito wo matsuho no ura no yūnagi ni yaku ya moshio no mi mo kogaretsutsu
I wait for my love in vain
in the suffocating evening calm
of Matsuho Bay
where seaweed is burnt for salt—
I too blaze with passion
98 Jūnii Ietaka | Junior Second Rank Ietaka
風そよぐならの小川のゆふぐれはみそぎぞ夏のしるしなりける 従二位家隆
kaze soyogu nara no ogawa no yūgure wa misogi zo natsu no shirushi narikeru
oak leaves rustle in the breeze,
and the twilight at Nara Brook
is already chilly—
only ritual washings show
that summer is still here
99 Gotobain | Retired Emperor Go-Toba
人もをし人もうらめしあぢきなく世を思ふゆゑに物思ふ身は 後鳥羽院
hito mo oshi hito mo urameshi ajikinaku yo wo omou yue ni monoomou mi wa
people are dear
and also hateful—
in this disappointing world,
I am positioned to care
and to think of the way life is
100 Juntokuin | Retired Emperor Juntoku
ももしきや古き軒端のしのぶにも猶あまりある昔なりけり 順徳院
momoshiki ya furuki nokiba no shinobu ni mo nao amariaru mukashi narikeri
under the old eaves
of the Imperial Palace,
memory ferns are thriving—
the glories of the old days
are ever more appealing