Summer
Round Four
Left
匂ふよりここちあだなる花ゆゑにのどけきはるの風もうらみじ
| niou yori kokochi adanaru hana yue ni nodokeki haru no kaze mo uramiji | From their fragrance Fickle feelings Do these blossoms have, so Peaceful spring’s Breezes I would likely not resent. |
7
Right (Win)
夏の夜のぬるほどもなく明けぬればあしたのまをぞかこちよせつる
| natsu no yo no nuru hodo mo naku akenureba ashita no ma o zo kakochiyosetsuru | On a summer night I’ve lacked time to sleep, and Dawn has come, so I’ll do it on the morrow— That is my excuse! |
8
Round Three
Left
氷とくはるたちくらしみよしののよしののたきのこゑまさるなり
| kōri toku haru tachikurashi miyoshino no yoshino no taki no koe masarunari | Ice melting Spring has come on scene, it seems; In fair Yoshino, Yoshino Falls’ Roar is fine, indeed! |
5
Right (Win)
はなの色はかすみにこめてみえずともかをだにぬすめ春の山風
| hana no iro wa kasumi ni komete miezu tomo ka o dani nusume haru no yamakaze | The blossoms’ hues Have blended with the haze, so I see them not, yet Their very scent is plundered by Spring’s breezes from the mountains. |
6
Winter
Left
冬くれば紅葉ふりしく神無月佐保の山辺はむべもりぬらん
| fuyu kureba momiji furishiku kaminazuki saho no yamabe wa mube morinuran | When the winter comes, Scarlet leaves, falling and scattering In the Godless Month, Upon the slopes of Mount Saho, Indeed, are at their finest. |
19
冬ごもりかれてみゆらん梅がえは今はた花の春はにほはん
| fuyugomori karete miyuran ume ga e wa ima hata hana no haru wa niowan | Sealed in winter, and All withered seeming, The plum tree’s branches, Now, for sure, the blossoms’ Spring will scent. |
20
冬みれば水もまかせぬ小山田にいつすき返し種をまきけん
| fuyu mireba mizu mo makasenu oyamada ni itsu sukikaeshi tane o makiken | ‘Tis winter, I see, so There’s no water to draw for The little mountain paddies: O, when might I till them, and Sow my seeds, I wonder? |
21
Right
時雨降る宿にすまへば冬の夜に錦とみゆる木木の花かな
| shigure furu yado ni sumaeba fuyu no yo ni nishiki to miyuru kigi no hana kana | Showers fall Upon the house where I do dwell, so Upon a winter’s night As brocade do seem The blossoming trees! |
22
ゆふだすき神の社にかけつればしもし降るにもたのもしきかな
| yūdasuki kami no yashiro ni kaketsureba shimo shi furu ni mo tanomashiki kana | Sacred mulberry cords Around the God’s shrine Are hung, so Even amidst the frost fall, The future does seem bright! |
23
白雲のふたへふりしくときは山うらはへとしはみどりなりけれ
| shiragumo no futae furishiku tokiwa yama ura hae toshi wa midori narikere | Clouds of white Lie scattered, twofold, upon The unchanging mountain: Stretching out behind, the year Is simply green. |
24
Singing Girls 妓女
あけぼのにかすみこめたる花よりもあかぬはいもがにほひなりけり
| akebono ni kasumi kometaru hana yori mo akanu wa imo ga nioi narikeri | At the dawning Mingled with the hazes are The blossoms, yet far more Unsated am I by my darling’s Scent. |
Daishin
Sages’ Dwellings 仙宮
桃の花しげきみたにに尋ねいりておもはぬ里に年ぞへにける
| momo no hana shigeki mitani ni tazuneirite omowanu sato ni toshi zo henikeru | Upon peach blossoms Growing lushly in a hidden valley, Did I pay a visit, and In that secret dwelling place Did year on year go by. |
Nakazane
A poem from a poetry competition held by Her Majesty, the Empress, during the Kanpyō period.
吹風と谷の水としなかりせば深山がくれの花を見ましや
| Fuku kaze to tani no midu to si nakariseba miyama gakure no Fana wo mimasi ya | The gusting wind and The valley’s waters Were there none, then Hidden in the mountains’ depths These blossoms – would any wish to see them? |
Tsurayuki
Composed on a bush warbler singing in a blossoming tree.
しるしなき音をもなく哉うぐひすの今年のみちる花ならなくに
| sirusi naki ne wo mo naku kana uguFisu no kotoshi nomi tiru Fana naranaku ni | No effect Does your cry have at all, O, warbler! For this year alone scatter The blossoms do not… |
Mitsune
Topic unknown.
散る花のなくにし止まる物ならば我におとらましやは
| tiru Fana no nakunisi tomaru mono naraba ware uguFisu ni otoramasi ya Fa | If the scattering blossoms Halted by cries Could be, Would mine to the warbler’s Lose out? Surely not! |
Assistant Handmaid [Harusumi no] Amaneiko[1]
[1] Amaneiko 洽子 (dates unknown) was the daughter of Harusumi no Yoshitada 春澄善縄 (797-870), a regional noble from Inaba in Ise, who was granted the name of Harusumi in 828. Her original name was Takaiko 高子, but this was changed in 877, as it was the same as that of Fujiwara no Takaiko 藤原高子 (842-910) , the consort of Emperor Seiwa 清和 (850-880; r. 858-876) and mother of Emperor Yōzei 陽成 (869-949; r. 876-884). Yoshitada had four children, of whom Amaneiko was the only one to enjoy any success at court, meaning that the family line ended after her death. Amaneiko had a respectable court career, serving five emperors, and eventually reaching Junior Third Rank in 902, a remarkable achievement for a court lady from a provincial background. Emperor Uda 宇多 (867-931; r. 887-897) regarded her extremely highly, singling her out for mention in his Kanpyō no go-yukai 寛平御遺誡 (897), a set of instructions and advice he wrote for Emperor Daigo 醍醐 (885-930; 897-930), when he abdicated and Daigo took the throne at the age of thirteen.
Topic unknown.
吹風をなきてうら見ようぐひすは我やは花に手だにふれたる
| Fuku kaze wo nakite uramiyo uguFisu Fa ware ya Fa Fana ni te dani Furetaru | The gusting breeze With song does reproach The warbler, or Is it me? For on the blossoms Have I dared to lay a hand… |
Anonymous
A poem from a poetry competition held by Her Majesty, the Empress, during the Kanpyō period.
春霞色のちぐさに見えつるはたなびく山の花のかげかも
| Farugasumi iro no tigusa ni mieturu Fa tanabiku yama no Fana no kage kamo | The haze of spring has Countless hues It does appear; Streaming across the mountains with The blossoms’ glow. |
Fujiwara no Okikaze