Composed when I had met Dharma Eye Teinin and he had told me of the appearance of Nachi waterfall.[i]
みくまののなちのお山に引くしめのうちはへてのみおつる滝かな
mikumano no nachi no oyama ni hiku shime no uchihaete nomi otsuru taki kana
In three-shrined Kumano, Upon the little mount of Nachi Hang sacred ropes Simply everywhere continuing The falling cataract![ii]
639
[i] Nachi waterfall (nachi no taki那智滝) was located in Kii province (modern Wakayama), and is one of Japan’s most famous falls, being 133 metres (436 ft) high. One of Kumano’s three shrines, Kumano Nachi Taisha 熊野那智大社 lies at its foot.
[ii] See: On summer showers, for a folding screen when Shakua’s ninetieth birthday was celebrated. 小山田にひくしめなはのうちはへてくちやしぬらむ五月雨の比 oyamada ni / hiku shimenawa no / uchihaete / kuchi ya shinuramu / samidare no koro ‘Around the little mountain paddies / Hang sacred ropes / Everywhere continuing— / Might they rot away / During these days of summer showers.’ The Regent and Chancellor (Shinkokinshū III: 226)
hitotabi wa kaze ni chirinishi momijiba o tonase no taki no nao otosu kana
Once Scattered by the wind Scarlet leaves Down the cateract at Tonase Fall once more!
Arifusa 91
Right
色ふかき紅葉うつらぬ所こそ立田の川のあさせなりけれ
iro fukaki momiji utsuranu tokoro koso tatsuta no kawa no asase narikere
Deep the hues of Scarlet leaves, reflected not In this place above all: The River Tatsuta’s Shallow rapids.
Lay Priest Sanekiyo 92
The Left appears charming, but might have been slightly improved had it been composed about pleasure boating on the Ōi. As for the Right, it is erroneous to specify the shallow rapids as a place where scarlet leave are not reflected. Taken as a whole it is inferior.
