Poem by Jitō Tenno (Empress Jitō), from the series One Hundred Poems Explained by the Nurse (Hyakunin isshu uba ga etoki)

Katsushika Hokusai Japanese

Not on view

This print illustrates one of the oldest poems in the Huakunin isshū (one Hundred Famous Poets) anthology. It is by the Empress Jitō (645–702):

Haru sugite
natsu ki ni kerashi
shirotae no
i hosu tefu
ama no Kaguyama

Spring has passed
and summer, it seems, has come
garments of white cloth
are spread to dry,
the clouds are cloaking
heavenly Mount Kagu.

Poem by Jitō Tenno (Empress Jitō), from the series One Hundred Poems Explained by the Nurse (Hyakunin isshu uba ga etoki), Katsushika Hokusai (Japanese, Tokyo (Edo) 1760–1849 Tokyo (Edo)), Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, Japan

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