One Hundred Leaves

<p>The <em>Hyakunin Isshu</em> is a poetry anthology beloved by generations of Japanese since it was compiled in the 13th century. Many Japanese know the poems by heart as a result of playing the popular card game version of the anthology called <em>karuta</em>. Collecting one poem each from one hundred poets living from the 7th century to the 13th century the book covers a wide array of themes and personal styles from love poetry to nature poetry to the poetry of absence and longing. Along with Basho's <em>haiku</em> Saigyo's <em>waka</em> the <em>Kokinshu</em> (<em>Kokin Waka Shu</em>) <em>The Tale of Genji</em> <em>The Tale of Ise</em> <em>The Tale of Heike</em> the <em>Manyoshu</em> and <em>The Kojiki</em>this is among the great classics in Japanese poetry and literature.<br /><br /><em>One Hundred Leaves</em> is a translation complete with extensive notes the original Japanese in calligraphic font the pronunciation and side-by-side art work beautifully illustrating each poem's theme.<br /><br />This poetry anthology contains some of the most famous poets of classical Japanese poetry including ladies of the Heian court Ono no Komachi Izumi Shikibu Murasaki Shikibu (author of <em>The Tale of Genji</em>) and Sei Shonagon (author of <em>The Pillow Book</em>). Other great poets of Japanese literature within this poetry collection include the compilers of the <em>Kokinshu</em> (<em>Kokin Wakashu</em>) Ki no Tsurayuki Oshikochi no Mitsune Mibu no Tadamine and Ki no Tomonori and a variety of other classical poets such as Kakinomoto no Hitomaro Ariwara no Narihira Monk Henjo and Fujiwara no Okikaze.<br /> </p>