Thirty-One Syllable Poems Reflecting the Japanese Heart (Japanese poetry T-shirt)
, by Admin私のストア, 1 min reading time
Waka is a traditional form of Japanese poetry unique to the nation, with its most representative form being tanka, composed of thirty-one syllables in a 5-7-5-7-7 pattern. The Manyoshu, Japan's oldest existing anthology of poetry, compiled around the 7th century, contains poems by a diverse range of people, from emperors to commoners, showcasing its ancient origins and widespread adoption.
During the Heian period, waka became an essential part of aristocratic education and an important means of communication. Courtiers would exchange poems to convey emotions or compete in literary skill. The preface to the Kokin Wakashu (Collection of Ancient and Modern Waka), compiled in the early 10th century by editors including Ki no Tsurayuki, states that "Poetry takes the human heart as its seed, and becomes the myriad leaves of words." This highlights waka's fundamental power to express people's joys, sorrows, anger, and pleasure.
Waka uses delicate and symbolic language to describe universal themes such as the changing seasons, the beauty of nature, evolving love, or the impermanence of life. It's characterized by its ability to condense deep imagery and emotions into a limited number of syllables, evoking rich lingering feelings and imagination in the reader. For instance, a single poem can convey a grand natural landscape or the poignant sorrow of a secret love.
Even after the Kamakura period, anthologies like the Shin Kokin Wakashu were compiled, and expressions diversified with each era. However, the thirty-one-syllable form remained an unshakable foundation. Even today, tanka continues to be popular among many people, living on as an important part of Japanese traditional culture. Waka is not merely a poetic form; it is a valuable cultural heritage that conveys the Japanese aesthetic sensibility and state of mind to the present day.
