Bridge on the Shikishima Way 100 Poems by Emperor Meiji

Product Description

Commemorating the 170th birth anniversary and the 110th death anniversary of Emperor Meiji, this bilingual collection presents the Emperor's waka poems, a cornerstone of Meiji culture, to a global audience. Emperor Meiji, a prolific poet, composed nearly 100,000 waka poems in his lifetime, which are essential for understanding his life and the era. The translations are the work of Harold Wright, a former U.S. Navy officer who, inspired by the Man’yoshu anthology, delved into the study of Japanese poetry. Under the guidance of his mentor Donald Keene, Wright undertook the significant task of translating Emperor Meiji's poems into English. This edition also includes "Tale of a Translator," a narrative by Wright that recounts his journey as a translator and serves as a testament to the postwar cultural exchange between Japan and the United States. The book is further enriched with commentary by Nagata Kazuhiro, a waka poet and cell biologist.