The fifth imperial poetry anthology, the Kin’yōwakashū (or Kin’yōshū) the ‘Collection of Golden Leaves of Japanese Poetry’. It was ordered by Emperor Shirakawa (1053-1129; r.1072-1086) and compiled by Minamoto no Toshinari (or, more usually, Shunrai) (?1055-?1129). Shunrai was a gifted poet and critic, championing more ‘modern’ trends in poetry, as opposed to conservatives such as Fujiwara no Mototoshi (?-1142/3). Consequently, he was regarded as eccentric by his peers (he did produce some odd poetry) and Shirakawa required two rewrites of the anthology before he was satisfied with it.
The Kinyôshû follows the Kokinshū pattern, though in only ten books and 716 poems, making it the shortest of the imperial anthologies; it also lacks a preface.
Book I Book II Book III Book IV Book V Book VI Book VII Book VIII Book IX Book X |
Spring Summer Autumn Winter Felicitations Partings Love I Love II Miscellaneous I Miscellaneous II |
The principal poets of the collection (those with 10 or more poems included) are: Minamoto no Toshiyori (or Shunrai) (31), Minamoto no Tsunenobu (26), Fujiwara no Kinzane (23), Fujiwara no Akisue (20), Fujiwara no Tadamichi (15(, Fujiwara no Asasuke (14), Fujiwara no Nagazane (14), the Monk Eien (or Yôen) (13), the Monk Gyōson (10), Minamoto no Asanaka (10), and Minamoto no Masamitsu (or Masateru) (10).
Book I:
KYS I: 1 | KYS I: 2 KYS I: 7 KYS I: 8 |
KYS I: 16 KYS I: 60 |
Book II:
KYS II: 97 KYS II: 99 |
KYS II: 111 | KYS II: 131 KYS II: 138 |
Book III:
KYS III: 203 KYS III: 216 |
KYS III: 233 | KYS III: 250 |
Book IV:
KYS IV: 263 KYS IV: 267 |
KYS IV: 276 KYS IV: 279 |
KYS IV: 284 KYS IV: 302 |
Book V:
KYS V: 311 KYS V: 313 |
KYS V: 327 | KYS V: 333 |
Book VI:
KYS VI: 339 | KYS VI: 345 | KYS VI: 349 |
Book VII:
KYS VII: 352 KYS VII: 375 KYS VII: 379 KYS VII: 386 KYS VII: 399 |
KYS VII: 401 | KYS VII: 406 |
Book VIII:
KKS VIII: 448 KYS VIII: 449 KYS VIII: 473 |
KYS VIII: 474 | KYS VIII: 480 | KYS VIII: 502 KYS VIII: 510 |
Book IX:
KYS IX: 556 | KYS IX: 587 | KYS IX: 602 |
Book X:
KYS X: 616 | KYS X: 620 | KYS X: 637 |