The End of Winter
Left
したぎえのゆきまをみればふゆながらはるのけちかきここちこそすれ
| shitagie no yukima o mireba fuyu nagara haru no kechikaki kokochi koso sure | Melting below, Gaps in the snow, I see, so Though ‘tis yet winter Spring’s sensation closer Comes, I feel! |
19
Right (Win)
みよしののやまのしらゆきつもるらしふるさとさむくなりまさるなり
| miyoshino no yama no shirayuki tsumorurashi furusato samuku narimasaru nari | On fair Yoshino Mountain white snow fall Drifts high, it seems, For in this ancient place the chill Grows ever stronger. |
Korenori
20
The Beginning of Winter
Left (Tie)
しものうへにふるはつゆきのあさごほりとけむほどこそひさしかりけれ
| shimo no ue ni furu hatsuyuki no asagōri tokemu hodo koso hisashikarikeri | Upon the frost Falls first snow turning To ice with the morning; The time ‘twill take to melt Will be long, indeed. |
17
Right
かみなづきもみぢのいろはふくかぜとたにのみづとぞおとしはてつる
| kaminazuki momiji no iro wa fuku kaze to tani no mizu to zo otoshihatetsuru | In the Godless Month The scarlet leaves’ hue With the gusting wind, and The waters in the valley, do Drop completely. |
Mitsune
18
The End of Autumn
Left
あきやまはからくれなゐになりにけりいくしほしぐれふりてそめけむ
| akiyama wa karakurenai ni narinikeri iku shioshigure furitesomekemu | The autumn mountains To Cathay scarlet Have turned; How many dippings with drizzle Have fallen to dye them so? |
15
Right (Win)
さほやまのははそのもみぢうすけれどあきはふかくもなりにけるかな
| saoyama no hahaso no momiji usukeredo aki wa fukaku mo narinikeru kana | On Sao Mountain The oak trees autumn leaves Are pale in hue, yet Most deep has autumn Become! |
Korenori
16
The Middle of Autumn
Left (Tie)
くもゐよりてりやまさるときよたきのそこにてもみむあきのつきかげ
| kumoi yori teri ya masaru to kiyotaki no soko nite mo mimu aki no tsukikage | From the clouds Does it shine most bright? On Kiyotaki’s Riverbed I see Autumn moonlight. |
13
Right
人しれぬねをやなくらんあきはぎのはなさくまでにしかのこゑせぬ
| hito shirenu ne o ya nakuran aki hagi no hana saku made ni shika no koe senu | That no one may know Quietly, does he cry? Until the autumn bush clover Blooms flower The stag’s bell stays silent. |
Mitsune
14
The Beginning of Autumn
Left (Win—in a certain book Tie)
しぐれにもあめにもあらぬはつぎりのたつにもそらはさしくもりけり
| shigure ni mo ame ni mo aranu hatsugiri no tatsu ni mo sora wa sashikumorikeri | Neither a shower Nor rain, The first mists Simply rise into the skies And cover all with cloud. |
11
Right
としごとにあふとはすれどたなばたのぬるよのかずぞすくなかりける
| toshi goto ni au to suredo tanabata no nuru yo no kazu zo sukunakarikeru | Every year She meets him, yet The Weaver Maid’s Nights of passion Are few indeed. |
Mitsune
12
The End of Summer
Left
なくこゑはするものからに身はむなしあなおぼつかなうつせみのよや
| naku koe wa suru mono kara ni mi wa munashi ana obotsukana utsusemi no yo ya | Their voices sing And yet Their flesh is empty— O, how strange is A cicada shell world! |
Tadamine
9
Right (Win)
ほととぎすをちかへりなけうなゐこがうちたれがみのさみだれのこゑ
| hototogisu ochikaeri nake unaiko ga uchitaregami no samidare no koe | A cuckoo Calls again and again; A child’s shoulder-brushing Hair dangling down: The song of a summer shower. |
Mitsune
10
The Beginning of Summer
Left
ふるさとはこだかけれどもきみならぬほととぎすにもうとまれにけり
| furusato wa kodakakeredomo kimi naranu hototogisu ni mo utomarenikeri | Around this ancient estate The trees grow high, yet Not by you alone, By the cuckoo, too Am I despised. |
Tadamine
7
Right (Win)
やまがつのかきほにさけるうのはなはたがしろたへのころもかけしぞ
| yamagatsu no kakiho ni sakeru u no hana wa ta ga shirotae no koromo kakeshi zo | Along the mountain man’s Lattice fence bloom Deutzia: Whose white mulberry Robes are hung there? |
Mitsune
8
The End of Spring
Left
をしめどもとどまらなくにはるがすみかへるみちにしたちぬとおもへば
| oshimedomo todomaranaku ni haragasumi kaeru michi nishi tachinu to omoeba | Though sad am I, There’s no stopping it: The spring haze On its homebound path Has departed. |
Motokata
5
Right (Win)
とどむべきものとはなしにはかなくもちるはなごとにたぐふこころか
| todomubeki mono to wa nashi ni hakanaku mo chiru hanagoto ni taguu kokoro ka | That would halt them There is nothing, yet How hopelessly To every scattered flower My heart is drawn. |
Mitsune
6
The Middle of Spring
Left (Win)
春はなほわれにてしりぬはなざかりこころのどけき人はあらじな
| haru wa nao ware nite shirinu hanazakari kokoro nodokeki hito wa araji na | That spring endures I know well; The profusion of blossom means A peaceful heart has No one at all… |
Tadamine
3
Right
はかなくてはるひとつきはくれにけりはなのさかりはすぎがてにせよ
| hakanakute haru hitotsuki wa kurenikeri hana no sakari wa sugigate ni seyo | The brief First month of spring Has reached its eve; O, to make the blossoms’ profusion Impossible to pass away! |
Mitsune
4
Left
| Mibu no Tadamine | Ariwara no Motokata | Taira no Sadafun |
Right
| Sakanoue no Korenori | Ki no Tsurayuki | Ōshikōchi no Mitsune |
The Beginning of Spring
Left (Tie)
はるたつといふばかりにやみよしののやまもかすみてけさはみゆらむ
| haru tatsu to iu bakari ni ya miyoshino no yama mo kasumite kesa wa miyuramu | Spring is here They simply say, but Is fair Yoshino Mountain, too, all hazed In view this morning, I wonder? |
Tadamine
1
Right
はるたちてなほふるゆきはむめのはなさくほどもなくちるかとぞみる
| haru tachite nao furu yuki wa mume no hana saku hodo mo naku chiru ka to zo miru | Spring is here, yet Still the snow falls—does, as Plum blossoms’ Brief flowering then Scattering, it truly seem? |
Mitsune
2