Ōmiya no uchi ni mo to ni mo hikaru made fureru shirayuki miredo akanu kamo

大宮の内にも外にも光るまで
降れる白雪見れど飽かぬかも

Roma-ji: Ōmiya no uchi ni mo to ni mo hikaru made fureru shirayuki miredo akanu kamo
English Translation: Within the palace
and without it as well,
till all is shining
the white snow has fallen deep—
I could gaze and never tire
Meaning: The white snow lies so deep that the great palace shines within and without—I could look at it forever and never tire.
Commentary: Book Seventeen 3926

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "In the first month of the eighteenth year of Tenpyō, white snow fell heavily and lay several inches deep. Thereupon the Minister of the Left, Lord Tachibana, leading the Major Counselor Fujiwara no Toyonari Ason and the princes and courtiers, went to the residence of the Retired Sovereign (the west court of the Chūgū palace) and served by sweeping the snow. An imperial command was then issued, seating the ministers, councilors and princes in the great hall and the lords and officials in the south gallery, and wine was bestowed at a banquet. The sovereign said: "You princes and lords, compose a little on this snow, and each present your poem." A poem by Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi in response to the command"
The white snow piled so deep that it shines inside and outside the palace is a sight one never tires of—a poem praising the snowy court. In the first month of 746, on a day when several inches of snow had fallen, the Minister of the Left Tachibana no Moroe led the princes and courtiers to the residence of the Retired Sovereign Genshō and served by sweeping the snow. This is one of the poems composed on the theme of snow at the banquet that followed, in response to the sovereign's command. Placed last among the poems in response to the command, it closes the banquet poems with a stock phrase of praise for the snow lighting up the palace.
The poet, Ōtomo no Yakamochi, was the son of the Major Counselor Ōtomo no Tabito. Appointed Governor of Etchū in 746, he spent five years there, later serving as Junior Counselor and Governor of Inaba before rising to Middle Counselor. He is thought to have played a central role in compiling the Man'yōshū.
The left note adds that eighteen others, beginning with Fujiwara no Toyonari, also presented poems in response to the command, but these were not written down at the time and were lost. It also tells how Hata no Chōgen, unable to compose a poem, was teased by Tachibana no Moroe that he should pay with musk instead, and fell silent.

First line, "ōmiya no": the great palace, here the residence of the Retired Sovereign.
Second line, "uchi ni mo to ni mo": "inside and outside," the snow lying everywhere.
Third line, "hikaru made": "until it shines," praising the snow's light like "hikari o mireba" in 3923.
Fourth line, "fureru shirayuki": fureru includes the attributive of the continuative ri—"white snow that has fallen and lies."
Fifth line, "miredo akanu kamo": "I look and never tire," a stock phrase of praise. It resonates with "miredo akani semu" in 3902 and "miredomo akazu" in 4001.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
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