Left (Win).

裏もなき名立ながら夏衣たもとに風はなを隔てけり

ura mo naki natachinagara natsugoromo tamoto ni kaze wa nao hedatekeri

Unlined By repute is Summer garb, But this sleeve to the wind Does pose some hindrance.

Kenshō.

241

Right.

夏衣ひとへなれども中なかにあつさぞまさる裏となりける

natsugoromo hitoe naredomo nakanaka ni atsusa zo masaru ura to narikeru

Summer garb Is but a single layer, yet This slight Heat overpowers To lie beneath it.

Nobusada.

242

The Right team state that they ‘cannot comprehend the use of “by repute” (natachinagara)’, while the Left counter that they ‘do not understand the use of “slight” (nakanaka ni) before saying that the heat gets under one’s clothing.’

Shunzei responds by stating, ‘The Left’s “by repute” is simply a conventional companion to the statement that summer garb is but a single layer – that is just what one says. It would also seem to suggest the rise of a rumour about an affair, would it not? Nor is there any reason to be puzzled by the Right’s statement of heat beneath one’s clothes; I do wonder, though about “slight” in conjunction with “this heat” (atsusa zo). Thus, even though the rumour in the Left’s poem is unclear, its concluding line is most fine, and it should be the winner.’