Though in autumn too
Geese cry and chrysanthemums bloom—
Yet here in the spring,
By the shore of the shining sea,
At Sumiyoshi's fair beach.
- Meaning
-
Though autumn too is beautiful, when the geese cry and the chrysanthemums bloom, here in spring by the shore of the sea at Sumiyoshi the place seems especially pleasant and peaceful to dwell in.
- Commentary
-
68. The Beach of Sumiyoshi
A certain man went to the province of Izumi (present-day southwestern Osaka Prefecture). As he passed along the Sumiyoshi coast in Sumiyoshi Village in the province of Settsu (an area corresponding to present-day Osaka and Hyōgo), the scenery was so beautiful that he dismounted from his horse and continued on while resting along the way.
One person in the traveling party said, "Compose a poem including the words 'the beach of Sumiyoshi.'"
The man composed this poem in response.
"Sumiyoshi no hama" is a pivot expression: it refers both to the actual "beach of Sumiyoshi" and to a "pleasant place to live." The springtime shore appears beautiful, peaceful, and like a place where one might wish to dwell.
- Source
-
Ise Monogatari
- Other
-