New Year Archery
あづさ弓はるたちくれば百敷の大宮人ぞまとゐせりける
| azusayumi haru tachikureba momoshiki no ōmiyabito zo matoiserikeru | Catalpa bows Raised when spring arrives, At the hundredfold palace Indeed, the courtiers Have assembled all together! |
Monthly Archives: October 2026
Daini no sanmi-shū 1
Sent to someone in a year when the court had held New Year Archery.
あづさ弓こころいるまに山里のはなみにはゆく人もあらじな
| azusayumi kokoro iru ma ni yamazato no hanami ni wa yuku hito mo araji na | While a catalpa bow Within their hearts they hold and shoot, To my mountain retreat Blossom viewing coming Will there be no folk at all, most like! |
Kintō-shū 454
[Sent to] the Assistant Master of the Empress’ Household, the morning after New Year Archery.
弓はりのまとゐやいかにありしそもいるかた山は遠ざかりけん
| yumihari no matoi ya ika ni arishi somo iru katayama wa tōzakariken | The archery Targets: how Were they, indeed? The direction you were shooting, as a mountainside Distant seems to have been! |
GSS XV: 1106
When Lord Kanesuke had been promoted from Consultant Middle Captain to Middle Counsellor, the following year he went to the banquet held by the winner of the New Year Archery and composed this when all and sundry were recounting their thoughts.
旧里のみかさの山はとほけれど声は昔のうとからぬかな
| Furusato no mikasa no yama Fa toFokeredo kowe Fa mukasi no utokaranu kana | My ancient home Upon Mikasa Mountain is Distant, yet Your voices mean those bygone days I cannot dislike! |
Lord Kanesuke