Nami arau koromo no ura no kamigai o migiwa ni kaze no tatami oku kana

波洗ふ衣の浦の神貝を
汀に風のたたみ置くかな

Roma-ji: Nami arau koromo no ura no kamigai o migiwa ni kaze no tatami oku kana
English Translation: The kamigai shells
of Koromo Bay washed clean
by the rolling waves—
the wind folds and lays them down
on the shore like garments neat.
Meaning: On the shore of Koromo Bay, washed by the waves, the wind lays the shells down along the water's edge, folding them like garments.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 1192

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "When a shell contest was to be held at the palace, composed on someone's behalf"
The wind folds and lays along the water's edge the shells of Koromo Bay, washed by the waves, as one folds a garment, the poet says.
Playing on the name Koromo, "robe," the poem strings together words associated with clothing, "washing" and "folding." The text's third line reads "kamigai," which does not match the reading line's "sodegai," "sleeve shell"; that reading would complete the set of robe-and-sleeve associations, but here the text is followed.

First line, “nami arau”: washed by the waves, echoing the washing of robes.
Second line, “koromo no ura no”: Koromo Bay, a poetic place said to be in Owari.
Third line, “kamigai o”: following the text, apparently the name of a shell.
Fourth line, “migiwa ni kaze no”: the wind, at the water's edge.
Fifth line, “tatami oku kana”: tatamu, "to fold" as one folds a robe, the waves piling shells in layers; kana is exclamatory.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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