Tomoshibi Light: Collected Poetry by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko (English and Japanese Edition) - Hardcover

Akihito, Emperor Of Japan; Michiko, Empress

9780834802377: Tomoshibi Light: Collected Poetry by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko (English and Japanese Edition)

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0834802376 ISBN 13: 9780834802377

Publisher: Weatherhill, 1991

Japan's Imperial line is thought to be the oldest in the world, and its associations with poetry can be traced back to its very beginnings. For centuries the Japanese court has patronized the poetic art and participated in the composition of the traditional native verse form known as the waka. The great Imperial poetry anthologies of earlier centuries defined the standards of excellence in Japanese poetry, featuring the contributions of the most gifted Japanese poets, among them many Emperors and Empresses as well as other members of the Imperial family. Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko inherit this remarkable legacy and have preserved it with personal enthusiasm and literary mastery. Tomoshibi, which may be translated as "Light", is a collection of their verse, published in Japanese in 1986 and appearing here for the first time in English. As Crown Prince and Princess before their enthronement in 1990, the Emperor and Empress traveled extensively as ambassadors of good will for the Japanese people. Many of the 306 poems collected here were composed during their travels and reflect foreign climes and scenes in a fascinating manner. Other poems were composed for the annual New Year's Poetry Reading, and still others were composed to mark special events in the Japanese calendar or to record recollections of remarkable people. Painstakingly translated and annotated, the poems in Tomoshibi are indeed illuminating, revealing not only the depth and resonance of the Japanese poetic tradition but also of the characters and sensibilities of the Emperor and Empress with the immediacy that is poetry's special gift. "It is our hope," writes one of the editors of the collection, "that this English translation may lead to a better understanding of the Emperor and Empress, as also of Japan and its people. For it is their cultural traditions that, reflected in the literary activities of the Imperial family, reveal Japan as a land where beauty of spirit is expressed in song."

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Language Notes:

Text: English, Japanese

From Library Journal:

The waka (traditional verse) printed here are delightful expressions of the 31-syllable form of tanka poetry of Japan. The Emperor's poems evoke a caring and perceptive mind, while the Empress reveals a sensitivity and concern for family and honored individuals. The effort gives an appealing insight into the ideas of the royalty of Japan. Inclusion of the poems at the end of the book in their original, as well as in transliteration, will permit greater use of this volume by scholars and those who prefer to read works in their original language. The book represents the publisher's usual excellent printing, binding, editing, and selection of paper. Highly recommended for collections of Japanalia and international poetry and as a rare treat for the connoisseur of foreign poetic forms.
- Mike Heines, USAF Rome Laboratory, N.Y.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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