Tag Archives: Kasuga

Kyōgoku no miyasudokoro uta’awase 13

Original

ちりまがふかすがのやまのさくらばなひかりにきえぬゆきと見えつつ

chirimagau
kasuga no yama no
sakurabana
hikari ni kienu
yuki to mietsutsu
Tangledly scattering on
The mount of Kasuga are
The cherry blossoms—as
Not fading with the sunlight
Does this snow, it ever seems…

37

Left

さくらばななにかはきえむしろたへのいろばかりこそゆきににるらめ

sakurabana
nanika wa kienu
shirotae no
iro bakari koso
yuki ni niruramu
Cherry blossoms—
Why should they fade away?
White as mulberry cloth,
In their hue alone
Do they resemble snow, I’d say!

38

Right (Win)

やまざくらゆきにまがひてちりくれどきえぬばかりぞしるしなりける

yamazakura
yuki ni magaite
chirikuredo
kienu bakari zo
shirushi narikeru
Mountain cherry blossoms
Tangle with the snowflakes, and
Come a’scattering, yet
‘Tis only that they fade not that’s
The sign of what they are!

39

Kyōgoku no miyasudokoro uta’awase 08

Original

きみしなほかくしかよはばいそのかみふるきみやこもふりじとぞおもふ

kimi shi nao
kaku shi kayowaba
isonokami
furuki miyako mo
furiji to zo omou
O, my Lady,
Should you thus ever visit
Isonokami, where at
Furu, the ancient capital, too,
Never stales, I feel![1]

Mitsune
22

Left (Win)

かよふともしられじものをふるさとはかすがのやまのふもとならねば

kayou tomo
shirareji mono o
furusato wa
kasuga no yama no
fumoto naraneba
To ever visit there is something
Folk might not know, for
The ancient capital
Among Kasuga Mountain’s
Foothills does not lie…

23

Right

はるごとにきてはみるともいそのかみふりにしさとのなにはかはらじ

haru goto ni
kite wa miru tomo
isonokami
furinishi sato no
nani wa kawaraji
Every single spring
I come to gaze, yet
At Isonokami,
Furu’s ancient capital
Does nothing ever change?

24


[1] A variant of this poem occurs in Mitsune’s personal collection: When the Priestly Emperor’s Rokujō Lady of the Bedchamber visited Kasuga, I met and conversed with Lord Tadafusa, the Governor of Yamato, and he mentioned that he had been asked to compose eight quality poems in the name of his province, so I sent him two of my own. The date was the 7th day of the Third Month, Engi 21 [17.4.921]. きくになほかくしかよはばいそのかみふるきみやこもふりしとぞおもふ kiku ni nao / kaku shi kayowaba / isonokami / furuki Miyako mo / furishi to zo omou ‘O, I hear that / Should you ever thus visit / Isonokami, where at / Furu, the ancient capital, too, / Has grown old, I feel.’(Mitsune-shū 323)

Kyōgoku no miyasudokoro uta’awase 07

Original

わかなつむとしはへぬれどかすがのののもりはけふやはるをしるらむ

wakana tsumu
toshi wa henuredo
kasugano no
nomori wa kyō ya
haru o shiruramu
Plucking fresh herbs do
The years pass by, yet
On Kasuga Plain,
The wardens today
Must truly know ‘tis spring. [1]

Mitsune
19

Left (Tie)

けふ見てぞわれはしりぬるはなはなほかすがののべのものにぞありける

kyō mite zo
ware wa shirinuru
hana wa nao
kasuga no nobe no
mono ni zo arikeru
Today did I see, and
Understood it well, that
Blossom, truly,
Upon the meadows of Kasuga
Is best of all.

20

Right

ありへてもかすがののもりはるにあふはとしもわかなもつめるしるしか

arihete mo
kasuga no nomori
haru ni au wa
toshi mo wakana mo
tsumeru shirushi ka
Over passing ages,
For the wardens of Kasuga,
Encountering the springtime,
The years and the fresh herbs, both,
Have garnered as a sign, perhaps.

21


[1] A variant of this poem occurs in Shokugosenshū: In the twenty-first year of the same era, on a day when the Kyōgoku Lady of the Bedchamber visited the shrine at Kasuga, he composed this in place of the official from the province of Yamato. としごとにわかなつみつつかすが野ののもりもけふやはるをしるらん toshi goto ni / wakana tsumitsutsu / kasugano no / nomori mo kyō ya / haru o shiruran ‘Every single year / Ever plucking fresh herbs / On Kasuga Plain / The wardens, too, today / Must truly know ‘tis spring.’Mitsune (XVI: 1032/1029)

Kyōgoku no miyasudokoro uta’awase 02

Original

さくらばなみかさのやまのかげしあればゆきとふるともぬれじとぞおもふ

sakurabana
mikasa no yama no
kage shi areba
yuki to furutomo
nureji to zo omou
When cherry blossom
Upon Mikasa mountain
Shows its shape,
Even should snow fall,
I’ll not get damp, I feel![1]

4

Left

このまよりはなのゆきのみちりくるはみかさのやまのもるにざるべき

ko no ma yori
hana no yuki nomi
chirikuru wa
mikasa no yama no
morunizarubeki
Between the trees
Simply a snow of blossom
Comes a’falling—
Mikasa mountain
Will certainly be covered![2]

5

Right (Win)

かすがのにゆきとふるてふはなみにぞみかさの山をさしてきにける

kasugano ni
yuki to furu chō
hanami ni zo
mikasa no yama o
sashite kinikeri
Upon Kasuga Plain,
Snow falls, they say—
Indeed, when viewing blossom
On Mikasa mountain, an umbrella
Raise up as you come!

6


[1] This is included in Shūishū (XVI: 1056) as an anonymous poem under the heading ‘Topic unknown’.

[2] This poem is included in Shinsenzaishū (II: 152), as an anonymous poem with the headnote: ‘Composed in reply to “When cherry blossom / Upon Mikasa mountain / Shows its shape, / Even should snow fall, / I’ll not get damp, I feel!”, which was among twenty-one poems by provincial officials, when the Kyōgoku Lady of the Bedchamber went to Kasuga.’

Kyōgoku no miyasudokoro uta’awase 01

Original

めづらしきけふのかすがのやをとめをかみもこひしとしのばざらめや

mezurashiki
kyō no kasuga no
yaotome o
kami mo koishi to
shinobazarame ya
Charming,
Today at Kasuga
Were maidens eight—
Would the deity, too, such yearning
Be unable to recall?[1]

1

In reply:

Left (Tie)

やをとめをかみししのばばゆふだすきかけてぞこひむけふのくれなば

yaotome o
kami shi shinobaba
yūdasuki
kakete zo koimu
kyō no kurenaba
If maidens eight
The deity does recall, then
Cords of mulberry cloth
Would he hang that on this beloved
Day evening should not fall…

2

Right

ちはやぶるかみしゆるさばかすがのにたつやをとめのいつかたゆべき

chihayaburu
kami shi yurusaba
kasuga no ni
tatsu yaotome no
itsuka tayubeki
Should the mighty
Deity permit,
Upon Kasuga plain
Stand maidens eight—
How long would they endure?

3


[1] A variant of this poem occurs in Shūishū: Composed when officials from the provinces presented twenty-one poems on the occasion of an imperial progress to Kasuga by the former Teiji Emperor in Engi 20: めづらしきけふのかすがのやをとめを神もうれしとしのばざらめや mezurashiki / kyō no kasuga no / yaotome o / kami mo ureshi to / shinobazareme ya ‘Charming, / Today at Kasuga / Were maidens eight— / Would the deity, too, such joy / Be unable to recall?’ Fujiwara no Tadafusa (SIS X: 620)

Kinkai wakashū 18

For a painting of fresh herbs on a folding screen.

かすがののとぶひののもりけふとてや昔かたみに若なつむらん

kasuga no no
tobuhi nomori
kyō tote ya
mukashi katami ni
wakana tsumuran
Upon the plain of Kasuga
At Tobuhi, a field warden
Wonders if ‘twas today
Long ago? His basket of memories
With fresh herbs filled, perhaps…
A kuzushiji version of the poem's text.
Created with Soan.