Shinto Documents

628 pages

• A Dead Secret

  This is a Japanese ghost story in the kaidan tradition, likely from Lafcadio Hearn's collection of Japanese folk tales. It follows O-Sono…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu) Index

  | | A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu) translated by William N. Porter [1909] | This is a collection of 100 specimens of…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 1. ...

  OUT in the fields this autumn day They're busy reaping grain ; I sought for shelter ’neath this roof, But fear I sought in vain,— My sleeve…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 10. Semi Maru

  THE stranger who has travelled far, The friend with welcome smile, All sorts of men who come and go Meet at this mountain stile,— They meet…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 100...

  MY ancient Palace I regret, Though rot attacks the eaves, And o'er the roof the creeping vine Spreads out and interweaves Unpruned its…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 12....

  OH stormy winds, bring up the clouds, And paint the heavens grey; Lest these fair maids of form divine Should angel wings display, And fly…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 13. The Retired Emperor Yōzei: Yōzei In

  THE Mina stream comes tumbling down From Mount Tsukuba's height; Strong as my love, it leaps into A pool as black as night With…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 14. The Minister-of-the-Left of the Kawara (District of Kyōto): Kawara no Sadaijin

  AH! why does love distract my thoughts, Disordering my will! I'm like the pattern on the cloth Of Michinoku hill,— All in confusion still.

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 15. The Emperor Kwōkō: Kwōkō Tennō

  MOTHER, for thy sake I have been Where the wakana grow, To bring thee back some fresh green leaves And see—my koromo Is sprinkled with the…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 16. The Imperial Adviser Yuki-hira Ariwara: Chū-Nagon Ariwara no Yuki-hira

  IF breezes on Inaba's peak Sigh through the old pine tree, To whisper in my lonely ears That thou dost pine for me,— Swiftly I'll fly to…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 17....

  ALL red with leaves Tatsuta's stream So softly purls along, The everlasting Gods themselves, Who judge 'twixt right and wrong, Ne'er heard…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 18. The Minister Toshi-yuki Fujiwara: Fujiwara No Toshi-yuki Ason

  TO-NIGHT on Sumi-no-ye beach The waves alone draw near; And, as we wander by the cliffs, No prying eyes shall peer, No one shall dream…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 19....

  SHORT as the joints of bamboo reeds That grow beside the sea On pebble beach at Naniwa, I hope the time may be, When thou ’rt away from me…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 2. ...

  THE spring has gone, the summer's come, And I can just descry The peak of Ama-no-kagu, Where angels of the sky Spread their white robes to…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 20. The Heir-Apparent Moto-yoshi: Moto-yoshi Shinnō

  WE met but for a moment, and I'm wretched as before; The tide shall measure out my life, Unless I see once more The maid, whom I adore. The…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 21. The Priest Sosei: Sosei Hōshi

  THE moon that shone the whole night through This autumn morn I see, As here I wait thy well-known step, For thou didst promise me— 'I'll…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 22. Yasuhide Bunya: Bunya No Yasuhide

  THE mountain wind in autumn time Is well called 'hurricane'; It hurries canes and twigs along, And whirls them o'er the plain To scatter…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 23....

  THIS night the cheerless autumn moon Doth all my mind enthrall; But others also have their griefs, For autumn on us all Hath cast her…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 24....

  I BRING no prayers on coloured silk To deck thy shrine to-day, But take instead these maple leaves, That grow at Tamuké; Finer than silk…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 25. The Minister-of-the-Right of the Sanjō (District of Kyōto): Sanjō Udaijin

  HEAR thou art as modest as The little creeping spray Upon Mount Ōsaka, which hides Beneath the grass; then, pray, Wander with me to-day…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 26....

  THE maples of Mount Ogura, If they could understand, Would keep their brilliant leaves, until The Ruler of this land Pass with his royal…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 27....

  OH! rippling River Izumi, That flows through Mika plain, Why should the maid I saw but now And soon shall see again Torment my love-sick…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 28. The Minister Mune-yuki Minamoto: Minamoto no Mune-yuki Ason

  THE mountain village solitude In winter time I dread; It seems as if, when friends are gone, And trees their leaves have shed, All men and…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 29. Mitsune Ōshi-kōchi: Ōshi-kōchi No Mitsune

  IT was a white chrysanthemum I came to take away; But, which are coloured, which are white, I'm half afraid to say, So thick the frost…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 3. The Nobleman Kaki-no-Moto: Kaki-no-Moto no Hitomaro

  LONG is the mountain pheasant's tail That curves down in its flight; But longer still, it seems to me, Left in my lonely plight, Is this…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 30....

  I HATE the cold unfriendly moon, That shines at early morn; And nothing seems so sad and grey, When I am left forlorn, As day's returning…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 31. Korenori Saka-no-Uye: Saka-no-Uye no Korenori

  SURELY the morning moon, I thought, Has bathed the hill in light But, no; I see it is the snow That, falling in the night, Has made Yoshino…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 32....

  THE stormy winds of yesterday The maple branches shook; And see! a mass of crimson leaves Has lodged within that nook, And choked the…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 33. Tomonori Kino: Kino Tomonori

  THE spring has come, and once again The sun shines in the sky; So gently smile the heavens, that It almost makes me cry, When blossoms…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 34. Oki-kaze Fujiwara: Fujiwara No Oki-kaze

  GONE are my old familiar friends, The men I used to know; Yet still on Takasago beach The same old pine trees-grow, That I knew long ago…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 35. Tsura-yuki Kino: Kino Tsura-yuki

  THE village of my youth is gone, New faces meet my gaze; But still the blossoms at thy gate, Whose perfume scents the ways, Recall my…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 36. Fuka-yabu Kiyowara: Kiyowara no Fuka-yabu

  Too short the lovely summer night, Too soon ’tis passed away; I watched to see behind which cloud The moon would chance to stay, And here's…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 37. Asayasu Bunya: Bunya no Asayasu

  THIS lovely morn the dewdrops flash Like diamonds on the grass— A blaze of sparkling jewels! But The autumn wind, alas! Scatters them as I…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 38. Ukon

  MY broken heart I don't lament, To destiny I bow; But thou hast broken solemn oaths,— I pray the Gods may now Absolve thee from thy vow…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 39....

  ’TIS easier to hide the reeds Upon the moor that grow, Than try to hide the ardent love That sets my cheeks aglow For somebody I know…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 4. ...

  I STARTED off along the shore, The sea shore at Tago, And saw the white and glist’ning peak Of Fuji all aglow Through falling flakes of…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 40. Kanemori Taira: Taira no Kanemori

  ALAS! the blush upon my cheek, Conceal it as I may, Proclaims to all that I'm in love, Till people smile and say— 'Where are thy thoughts…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 41....

  OUR courtship, that we tried to hide, Misleading is to none; And yet how could the neighbours guess, That I had yet begun To fancy any one?…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 42....

  OUR sleeves, all wet with tears, attest That you and I agree That to each other we'll be true, Till Pine-tree Hill shall be Sunk far…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 43....

  HOW desolate my former life, Those dismal years, ere yet I chanced to see thee face to face ’Twere better to forget Those days before we…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 44. The Imperial Adviser Asa-tada: Chū-Nagon Asa-tada

  TO fall in love with womankind Is my unlucky fate; If only it were otherwise, I might appreciate Some men, whom now I hate. The writer of…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 45....

  I DARE not hope my lady-love Will smile on me again; She knows no Pity, and my life I care not to retain, Since all my prayers are vain…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 46. The Priest Ne-yoshi-tada: Sō Ne-yoshi-tada

  THE fishing-boats are tossed about, When stormy winds blow strong; With rudder lost, how can they reach The port for which they long? So…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 47. The Priest Ye-kei: Ye-kei Hōshi

  MY little temple stands alone, No other hut is near; No one will pass to stop and praise Its vine-grown roof, I fear, Now that the autumn's…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 48....

  THE waves that dash against the rocks Are broken by the wind And turned to spray; my loving heart Is broken too, I find, Since thou art so…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 49. The Minister Yoshi-nobu, of Priestly Rank: Ōnakatomi no Yoshi-nobu Ason

  MY constancy to her I love I never will forsake; As surely as the Palace Guards Each night their watch-fire make And guard it till…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 5. ...

  HEAR the stag's pathetic call Far up the mountain side, While tramping o'er the maple leaves Wind-scattered far and wide This sad, sad…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 50....

  DEATH had no terrors, Life no joys, Before I met with thee; But now I fear, however long My life may chance to be, ’Twill be too short for…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 51. The Minister Sanekata Fujiwara: Fujiwara no Sanekata Ason

  THOUGH love, like blisters made from leaves Grown on Mount Ibuki, Torments me more than I can say, My lady shall not see, How she is…

• A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu): 52. The Minister Michi-nobu Fujiwara: Fujiwara no Michi-nobu Ason

  ALTHOUGH I know the gentle night Will surely follow morn, Yet, when I'm wakened by the sun, Turn over, stretch and yawn— How I detest the…

*Date-written sort isn't available yet - none of the five sources currently capture a work's original composition/publication date, only when it was harvested. Falls back to A–Z for now.