One Hundred Poems from Old Japan - (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"Translated with both grace and precision, the poems are elegant expressions of the depth of human emotion." --William Scott Wilson, renowned translator of Japanese literature

In the pale dawn
your coldness as we parted
froze my heart--
nothing now so chills me
as morning's early light
--Mibu no Tadamine

Experience Japan's most celebrated anthology of poetry with this completely new translation of the Hyakunin Isshu ("A Hundred Poems by a Hundred Poets"). This timeless collection, compiled by the esteemed poet Fujiwara no Teika in the 13th century, features works by 100 poets from the 7th and 8th centuries and remains widely read across Japan to this day.

These evocative poems provide a window into the daily life of ancient Japan, exploring universal themes such as love, loneliness, aging, and the beauty of nature--topics that continue to resonate with readers today.

Poets featured in this collection include:

• Sei Shonagon, author of The Pillow Book
• Lady Murasaki Shikibu, author of The Tale of Genji
• Emperor Go-toba, ruler of Japan from 1193-1198
• Sugiwara no Michizane, renowned Confucian scholar

Each poem is presented in the original Japanese script, with Romanized versions and English translations for easy reading. The introduction by translator Michael Freiling provides essential context, an overview of the poets, and insights into the enduring popularity of the Hyakunin Isshu in Japan.

This beautifully designed hardcover edition is illustrated with full-color woodblock prints by famous 19th-century artists Hiroshige, Kuniyoshi, and Kunisada, enhancing the visual and cultural richness of the collection. Plus, free online audio recordings of all the poems are available in both Japanese and English, allowing you to hear these timeless verses in their original form.

A perfect gift for lovers of Japanese culture, poetry, and art, this edition of Hyakunin Isshu is an invaluable addition to any bookshelf.

Review Quotes

"...one of the most respected and oft-quoted compilations of the Japanese poetic canon. Translated with both grace and precision, the poems are elegant expressions of the depth of human emotions blended with evocations of the natural world in which they lived. A must-read for anyone interested in Japanese culture or poetry in general." --William Scott Wilson, renowned translator of Japanese literature

About the Author

Michael Freiling studied computer science at the University of San Francisco, where he also found the time to take poetry classes and became interested in Japanese literature. In 1977, he received a Henry Luce scholarship and was assigned to study at Kyoto University for a year. He spent most of that time studying Japanese and translating Heian-era poetry. He returned to Kyoto years later, in 2014, where he began writing poetry in both English and Japanese. His work has been published in anthologies and in the haiku journals Seashores and Frogpond. In 2018, he was asked to help translate a collection of senryu poems written by Japanese-Americans who were unlawfully imprisoned during World War II; it was published in 2023 under the title They Never Asked (Oregon State University Press).