吉野山峰の桜や咲きぬらむ
麓の里ににほふ春風
麓の里ににほふ春風
- Roma-ji
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Yoshinoyama mine no sakura ya sakinuramu fumoto no sato ni niou harukaze
- English Translation
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On Mount Yoshino
have the cherries on the peaks
burst into flower?
Down to the village at its foot
comes the fragrant wind of spring
- Meaning
- Have the cherry trees on the peaks of Mount Yoshino come into bloom? A fragrant spring wind blows down to the village at the foot of the mountain.
- Commentary
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Book One Spring Poems 29
From the scented spring wind blowing into the village at the foot of the mountain, the poet guesses that the cherries on the peaks of Yoshino have bloomed. Unseen flowers on the heights are known by their fragrance, and the cherry poems begin here.
The author, Tadamichi, is Fujiwara no Tadamichi. A son of Fujiwara no Tadazane, he rose to Regent and Chancellor and was called the Hosshōji Regent. He also excelled in Chinese verse and calligraphy.
First line, 'yoshinoyama', is a famous place in Yamato renowned for cherry blossoms; the cherry sequence begins with this poem.
Second line, 'mine no sakura ya', names the cherries on the peaks, with ya forming a question.
Third line, 'sakinuramu', asks whether they have bloomed, and the poem breaks after the third line.
Fourth line, 'fumoto no sato ni', is the foot of the mountain, set against the peaks, showing that the scent reaches all the way down.
Final line, 'niou harukaze', ends on a noun, catching the spring wind laden with blossom scent; as with the plum scent borne on the wind in poem 18, the flowers are known by fragrance.
- Author
- Fujiwara no Tadamichi
- Source
- Kinyo Wakashu
- Prev Poem
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Ima wa tote koshiji ni kaeru karigane wa hane mo tayuku ya yukikaeruramu
- Next Poem
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Tazunetsuru ware o ya haru mo machitsuramu ima zo sakari ni nioimashikeru