Poem by Kakinomoto Hitomaro, from the series One Hundred Poems Explained by the Nurse (Hyakunin isshu uba ga etoki)
Katsushika Hokusai Japanese
Not on view
Kakinomoto Hitomaro (act. late seventh–early eighth century), the author of this poem, was known for his intense language and subject matter. Like Hokusai, he had a gift for observation and for finding the human inflection in landscape.
Ashibiki no
yamatori no o no
hidari o no
hitori ka mo nemu
Trailing,
the mountain pheasant's tail
long and longer this night too,
spent along will be.