Ogura Hyakunin Isshu facts for kids

First poem card of the Hyakunin Isshu, featuring Emperor Tenji

Ogura shikishi by Teika

The Hyakunin Isshu (pronounced "Hyah-koo-nin Ee-shoo") is a famous collection of one hundred Japanese poems, each written by a different poet. Its name means "one hundred people, one poem [each]". This collection is also the basis for a popular Japanese card game called uta-garuta.

The most well-known version was put together by a famous poet named Fujiwara no Teika (1162–1241). He created it while living in the Ogura area of Kyoto. Because of this, it's often called the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu.

How the Collection Was Made

We know how the Hyakunin Isshu came to be from Teika's diary, called the Meigetsuki. His son, Fujiwara no Tameie, asked Teika to choose one hundred poems. These poems were for Tameie's father-in-law, Utsunomiya Yoritsuna, who was decorating his new home near Mount Ogura. Teika wrote these poems beautifully on special sheets to decorate the screens in the house.

Later, artists added pictures to the collection. Hishikawa Moronobu (1618–1694) created woodblock portraits for each poet. Then, Katsukawa Shunshō (1726–1793) designed colorful prints for a special edition published in 1775.

During his lifetime, Teika was also known for other works. For example, in 1200, he made another collection of one hundred poems for the former Emperor Go-Toba. This one was called the Shōji Hyakushu.

Meet the Poets

The Hyakunin Isshu features a wide range of poets from different times in Japanese history. These include emperors, empresses, priests, and famous writers. Here are some of the poets included in this special collection:

Exploring Key Poems

An Edo-period illustrated Hyakunin Isshu book, with Priest Kisen and Ono no Komachi.

Each poem in the Hyakunin Isshu tells a unique story or paints a picture with words. Here are a few examples:

Poem 1: A Farmer's Hardship

This poem by Emperor Tenji describes the tough life of farmers. Teika chose it from an older collection called the Gosen Wakashū. It speaks of simple, temporary shelters and the hard work of farming.

秋の田のかりほの庵の苫をあらみ
     わが衣手は露にぬれつつ
aki no ta no kariho no io no toma o arami
waga koromode wa tsuyu ni nuretsutsu
In autumn paddies under the temporary dwelling made of rushes, my sleeves are wet with the dew.
(Gosen Wakashū 6:302)

Poem 2: A Summer Scene

This poem, written by Empress Jitō, creates a vivid image. Teika picked it from the Shin Kokin Wakashū. It talks about the change from spring to summer and the beautiful sight of white clothes drying on a sacred mountain.

春過ぎて夏来にけらし白妙の
     衣干すてふ天の香具山
haru sugite natsu kinikerashi shirotae no
koromo hosu chō Ama no Kaguyama
Spring has passed, and the white robes of summer are being aired on fragrant Mount Kagu—beloved of the gods.
(Shin Kokin Wakashū 3:175)

This poem was likely inspired by an even older poem from the Man'yōshū.

Poem 26: A Royal Request

This poem is linked to a specific event involving Fujiwara no Tadahira. After stepping down as emperor, Emperor Uda visited Mount Ogura. He was so amazed by the beautiful autumn leaves that he asked Tadahira to encourage his son, Emperor Daigo, to visit the same spot.

The poem suggests that if the maple leaves on Mount Ogura had feelings, they would wait for the emperor to visit again. It shows how much people admired nature and respected their leaders.

小倉山峰のもみぢ葉心あらば
     今ひとたびの行幸またなむ
Ogura-yama mine no momijiba kokoro araba
ima hitotabi no miyuki matanan
Maple leaves on Ogura mountain: if you had a heart, I would have you wait for one more royal visit!
(Shūi Wakashū 17:1128)

Poem 86: The Pain of Love

This poem by Saigyō explores the deep feelings of love and sadness. It was chosen from the Senzai Wakashū. The poet wonders if the moon makes him feel sad, even though his tears are from his own feelings of love.

嘆けとて月やは物を思はする
     かこち顔なるわが涙かな
nageke to te tsuki ya wa mono wo omowasuru
kakochi-gao naru waga namida ka na
How could the moon make me fall into thought by saying "Lament!"? Although it is attributed to me being in love, I attribute my tears falling down to the moon.
(Senzai Wakashū 15:926)

English Versions of the Poems

The Ogura Hyakunin Isshu has been translated into many languages, including English, many times. The first English translation was Hyaku Nin Isshu in English by Yone Noguchi in 1907.

Other popular English translations include:

• William N. Porter, A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (1909)
• Clay MacCauley, Hyakunin-isshu (Single Songs of a Hundred Poets) (1917)
• Tom Galt, The Little Treasury of One Hundred People, One Poem Each (1982)
• Joshua S. Mostow, Pictures of the Heart: The Hyakunin Isshu in Word and Image (1996)
• Peter MacMillan, One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each: A Treasury of Classical Japanese Verse (2008; Penguin Classics, revised edition 2018)
• Emiko Miyashita and Michael Dylan Welch, 100 Poets: Passions of the Imperial Court (2008)

Other Collections Like It

Many other poetry collections have been created using the same idea: one hundred poems by one hundred poets. These often include "hyakunin isshu" in their names. An example is the Aikoku Hyakunin Isshu, or One Hundred Patriotic Poems by One Hundred Poets, from the World War II era. Another is the Kyōka Hyakunin Isshu, which is a funny version of the original Ogura collection.

The Fun Card Game

Teika's poetry collection is the foundation for the popular Japanese card game called karuta. This game has been enjoyed by people in Japan since the Edo period.

There are many ways to play games with the Hyakunin Isshu cards in Japan. One common game is Uta-garuta, which is also the basis for competitive karuta (called kyōgi karuta).

See also

In Spanish: Hyakunin Isshu para niños

• Nisonin, Kyoto
• Shigureden, a museum in Kyoto about this subject