Itokayama shigure ni iro o somesasete katsugatsu oreru nishiki narikeri

糸鹿山時雨に色を染めさせて
かつがつ織れる錦なりけり

Roma-ji: Itokayama shigure ni iro o somesasete katsugatsu oreru nishiki narikeri
English Translation: Itoka Mountain,
letting the cold showers dye
colors for its use,
little by little has begun
weaving the brocade it wears.
Meaning: Mount Itoka has had the autumn showers dye its colors, and has only just begun, little by little, to weave its brocade.
Commentary: Autumn Poems 473

Headnote: "Autumn leaves not yet spread everywhere"
The topic is autumn leaves that have not yet spread over the whole mountain. Mount Itoka has had the showers dye the colors of its leaves and has begun, little by little, to weave its brocade. The mountain just beginning to turn is likened to brocade being woven bit by bit.
The ito, thread, of the place name Itokayama is linked as an associated word with some, dye, oru, weave, and nishiki, brocade, likening the leaves of the mountain to a woven fabric. The topic's not yet spread is expressed by weaving the brocade katsugatsu, little by little, and after the preceding poem asked the sky when the leaves would begin, this one sings of a mountain where they have begun.

First line, “Itokayama”: a famous place in Kii Province; ito, thread, is associated with oreru in the fourth line and nishiki in the last.
Second line, “shigure ni iro o”: by the showers, the colors, drawing on the belief that showers dye the leaves.
Third line, “somesasete”: sase is causative, having the showers dye the colors.
Fourth line, “katsugatsu oreru”: katsugatsu means little by little, answering the topic's not yet spread, and ru is the attributive of the continuative ri.
Fifth line, “nishiki narikeri”: keri expresses realization, closing by likening the turning mountain to brocade.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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