A poem, with tanka, composed by Kasa, Lord Kanamura, on the occasion of an Imperial visit to the Yoshino Palace in summer, 2nd year of Jinki (725), Fifth month.
asipiki nö
miyama mo saya ni
otitagitu
yosino nö kapa nö
kapa nö se nö
kiyoki wo mireba
kamibe ni pa
tidöri siba naku
simobe ni pa
kapadu tuma yobu momosikï nö
opomiyapitö mo
wotiköti ni
sidi ni si areba
miru götö ni
aya ni tömosimi
tamakadura
tayuru kötö naku
yöröduyö ni
kaku si mo gamo to
amëtuti nö
kamï wo zö inöru
kasikoku aredömo
The leg-wearying
Mountains echo with
The falling, seething
Yoshino River
Rapids,
At their clear sight
Upstream,
Again and again the plovers call;
Downstream,
Frogs sing for a mate;
As a multitude of stones
The great courtiers
Here and there,
Packed close together:
Of the sight
I feel I’ll never have my fill
As a jewlled vine,
Ne’er ending,
A myriad reigns
I would it were this way,
Of heaven and earth
O Gods, to you I pray,
Awe-struck, though I be.
tagi nö pë nö
mipune nö yama ni
miduye sasi
s idi ni opitaru toga nö kï nö
iyatugitugi ni
yöröduyö ni
kakusi sirasamu
miyosino nö
akidu nö miya pa
kamu kara ka
taputoku aruramu
kuni kara ka
mi ga posikaramu
yama kapa wo
kiyomi sayakëmi
ubë si kamu yö yu
sadamekerasi mo
By the waterfall
On Mifune mountain
Sprout fresh branches,
Growing packed tightly,
As the hemlock tree
E’er lasting,
A myriad reigns
Would You rule us;
At Yoshino,
Your dragonfly palace:
Is it the nature of the gods
That it should be a place of awe?
Is it the nature of the province
That makes me want to see it more?
The mountains and river
Fresh and pure:
No wonder, that from the age of gods
A palace was placed here.