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THE VOICES BEHIND THE POEMSPoets

Every poet behind the songs — the hundred poets of the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu and the authors of the Classics — with a short biography, their poems with English meaning, and the songs they became. Grouped by era, from Asuka to Edo.

Asuka period

3 poets
626–671Emperor Tenji天智天皇　No. 1♪ 1 song
645–703Empress Jitō持統天皇　No. 2♪ 1 song
dates unknown (late 7th c. – early 8th c.)Kakinomoto no Hitomaro柿本人麻呂　No. 3 · Classics♪ 2 songs

Nara period

5 poets
dates unknown (early 8th c.)Yamabe no Akahito山部赤人　No. 4♪ 1 song
dates unknownSarumaru no Dayū猿丸大夫　No. 5♪ 1 song
718?–785Ōtomo no Yakamochi大伴家持　No. 6 · Classics♪ 2 songs
698?–770Abe no Nakamaro阿倍仲麻呂　No. 7♪ 1 song
665–731Ōtomo no Tabito大伴旅人　Classics♪ 1 song

Heian period

90 poets
dates unknown (9th c.)Priest Kisen喜撰法師　No. 8♪ 1 song
dates unknown (9th c.)Ono no Komachi小野小町　No. 9 · Classics♪ 2 songs
dates unknownSemimaru蝉丸　No. 10♪ 1 song
802–853Ono no Takamura小野篁　No. 11♪ 1 song
816–890Archbishop Henjō僧正遍昭　No. 12 · Classics♪ 2 songs
869–949Retired Emperor Yōzei陽成院　No. 13♪ 1 song
822–895Minamoto no Tōru源融　No. 14♪ 1 song
830–887Emperor Kōkō光孝天皇　No. 15♪ 1 song
818–893Ariwara no Yukihira在原行平　No. 16♪ 1 song
825–880Ariwara no Narihira在原業平　No. 17 · Classics♪ 2 songs
?–901Fujiwara no Toshiyuki藤原敏行　No. 18♪ 1 song
875?–938?Ise伊勢　No. 19♪ 1 song
890–943Prince Motoyoshi元良親王　No. 20
dates unknown (late 9th c. – early 10th c.)Priest Sosei素性法師　No. 21♪ 1 song
dates unknown (9th c.)Fun'ya no Yasuhide文屋康秀　No. 22♪ 1 song
dates unknown (late 9th c. – early 10th c.)Ōe no Chisato大江千里　No. 23♪ 1 song
845–903Sugawara no Michizane菅原道真　No. 24♪ 1 song
873–932Fujiwara no Sadakata藤原定方　No. 25
880–949Fujiwara no Tadahira藤原忠平　No. 26♪ 1 song
877–933Fujiwara no Kanesuke藤原兼輔　No. 27
?–939Minamoto no Muneyuki源宗于　No. 28♪ 1 song
dates unknown (late 9th c. – early 10th c.)Ōshikōchi no Mitsune凡河内躬恒　No. 29♪ 1 song
dates unknown (late 9th c. – early 10th c.)Mibu no Tadamine壬生忠岑　No. 30
dates unknown (early 10th c.)Sakanoue no Korenori坂上是則　No. 31♪ 1 song
?–920Harumichi no Tsuraki春道列樹　No. 32♪ 1 song
?–905?Ki no Tomonori紀友則　No. 33♪ 1 song
dates unknown (early 10th c.)Fujiwara no Okikaze藤原興風　No. 34
872?–945Ki no Tsurayuki紀貫之　No. 35♪ 1 song
dates unknown (early 10th c.)Kiyohara no Fukayabu清原深養父　No. 36♪ 1 song
dates unknown (late 9th c. – early 10th c.)Fun'ya no Asayasu文屋朝康　No. 37♪ 1 song
dates unknown (early 10th c.)Ukon右近　No. 38♪ 1 song
880–951Minamoto no Hitoshi源等　No. 39♪ 1 song
?–990Taira no Kanemori平兼盛　No. 40♪ 1 song
dates unknown (10th c.)Mibu no Tadami壬生忠見　No. 41♪ 1 song
908–990Kiyohara no Motosuke清原元輔　No. 42♪ 1 song
906–943Fujiwara no Atsutada藤原敦忠　No. 43♪ 1 song
910–966Fujiwara no Asatada藤原朝忠　No. 44
924–972Fujiwara no Koretada藤原伊尹　No. 45
dates unknown (late 10th c.)Sone no Yoshitada曽禰好忠　No. 46♪ 1 song
dates unknown (late 10th c.)Priest Egyō恵慶法師　No. 47♪ 1 song
?–1000?Minamoto no Shigeyuki源重之　No. 48♪ 1 song
921–991Ōnakatomi no Yoshinobu大中臣能宣　No. 49
954–974Fujiwara no Yoshitaka藤原義孝　No. 50♪ 1 song
?–998Fujiwara no Sanekata藤原実方　No. 51♪ 1 song
972–994Fujiwara no Michinobu藤原道信　No. 52♪ 1 song
936?–995Mother of Michitsuna藤原道綱母　No. 53♪ 1 song
?–996Takashina no Takako高階貴子　No. 54♪ 1 song
966–1041Fujiwara no Kintō藤原公任　No. 55
dates unknown (978?–?)Izumi Shikibu和泉式部　No. 56♪ 1 song
dates unknown (973?–1014?)Murasaki Shikibu紫式部　No. 57♪ 1 song
999?–1082?Daini no Sanmi大弐三位　No. 58♪ 1 song
dates unknown (956?–1041?)Akazome Emon赤染衛門　No. 59♪ 1 song
999?–1025Koshikibu no Naishi小式部内侍　No. 60♪ 1 song
dates unknown (early 11th c.)Ise no Taifu伊勢大輔　No. 61♪ 1 song
dates unknown (966?–1025?)Sei Shōnagon清少納言　No. 62♪ 1 song
992–1054Fujiwara no Michimasa藤原道雅　No. 63♪ 1 song
995–1045Fujiwara no Sadayori藤原定頼　No. 64
dates unknown (998?–1061?)Sagami相模　No. 65♪ 1 song
1055–1135Archbishop Gyōson行尊　No. 66♪ 1 song
dates unknown (late 11th c. – early 12th c.)Suō no Naishi周防内侍　No. 67♪ 1 song
976–1017Retired Emperor Sanjō三条院　No. 68♪ 1 song
988–?Priest Nōin能因法師　No. 69
dates unknown (11th c.)Priest Ryōzen良暹法師　No. 70♪ 1 song
1016–1097Minamoto no Tsunenobu源経信　No. 71♪ 1 song
dates unknown (late 11th c. – early 12th c.)Lady Kii祐子内親王家紀伊　No. 72♪ 1 song
1041–1111Ōe no Masafusa大江匡房　No. 73♪ 1 song
1055–1129Minamoto no Toshiyori源俊頼　No. 74
1060–1142Fujiwara no Mototoshi藤原基俊　No. 75
1097–1164Fujiwara no Tadamichi藤原忠通　No. 76♪ 1 song
1119–1164Retired Emperor Sutoku崇徳院　No. 77♪ 1 song
dates unknown (late 11th c. – early 12th c.)Minamoto no Kanemasa源兼昌　No. 78
1090–1155Fujiwara no Akisuke藤原顕輔　No. 79♪ 1 song
dates unknown (12th c.)Taikenmon'in no Horikawa待賢門院堀河　No. 80♪ 1 song
1139–1192Fujiwara no Sanesada徳大寺実定　No. 81♪ 1 song
1090–1182?Priest Dōin道因法師　No. 82
1114–1204Fujiwara no Shunzei藤原俊成　No. 83
1104–1177Fujiwara no Kiyosuke藤原清輔　No. 84♪ 1 song
1113–?Priest Shun'e俊恵法師　No. 85♪ 1 song
1118–1190Priest Saigyō西行法師　No. 86♪ 1 song
1139?–1202Priest Jakuren寂蓮法師　No. 87♪ 1 song
dates unknown (late 12th c.)Kōkamon'in no Bettō皇嘉門院別当　No. 88♪ 1 song
1149?–1201Princess Shikishi式子内親王　No. 89♪ 1 song
1130?–1200?Inpumon'in no Taifu殷富門院大輔　No. 90♪ 1 song
1141?–1217?Nijōin no Sanuki二条院讃岐　No. 92♪ 1 song
1155–1225Archbishop Jien慈円　No. 95♪ 1 song
1162–1241Fujiwara no Teika藤原定家　No. 97♪ 1 song
1158–1237Fujiwara no Ietaka藤原家隆　No. 98♪ 1 song
1180–1239Retired Emperor Go-Toba後鳥羽院　No. 99
966–1028Fujiwara no Michinaga藤原道長　Classics♪ 1 song
774–835Kūkai空海　Classics♪ 1 song

Kamakura period

5 poets
1169–1206Fujiwara no Yoshitsune九条良経　No. 91
1192–1219Minamoto no Sanetomo源実朝　No. 93♪ 1 song
1170–1221Fujiwara no Masatsune飛鳥井雅経　No. 94♪ 1 song
1171–1244Fujiwara no Kintsune西園寺公経　No. 96
1197–1242Retired Emperor Juntoku順徳院　No. 100

Edo period

1 poets
1644–1694Matsuo Bashō松尾芭蕉　Classics♪ 1 song