A poem for the year in which the Great Thanksgiving Service was held.[i]
くろきもて君がつくれる宿なれば万代ふともふりずも有りなん
| kuroki mote kimi ga tsukureru yado nareba yorozuyo futomo furizu mo arinan | With barken logs For my Lord constructed is This hall, so Even when ten-thousand ages pass, Ageless shall it be![ii] |
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[i] The ‘Great Thanksgiving Service’ (dajiōe 大嘗会) was a special version of the ‘First Fruits Service’ (niiamesai 新嘗祭) held in the first year after the accession of the new emperor to the throne (see McAuley (2020, 1111) for more details). The ceremony Sanetomo is referring to here was conducted in 1212, following the accession of Emperor Juntoku 順徳 (1197-1242; r. 1210-1221) (Juntoku formally took the throne on the 25th day of the Eleventh Month, Jōgen 承元 4 [12.12.1210], and was enthroned on the 28th day of the Twelfth Month of the same year [14.1.1211]. His Great Thanksgiving Service was held on the 13th day of the Eleventh Month, Kenryaku 建暦 2 [7.12.1212])
[ii] See: A poem by Her Majesty, the Senior Retired Empress. 波太須珠寸 尾花逆葺 黒木用 造有室者 迄万代 hadasusuki / obana sakafuki / kuroki mochi / tsukureru muro wa / yorozuyo made ni ‘Still a’bud / The silver grass, reverse-thatched, / Upon the barken logs: / Thus constructed is this hall, / To stand until ten thousand ages pass!’ Empress Genshō (Man’yōshū VIII: 1637)
