Home ／ Poets

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♪ 1 song
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
875?–938?Ise伊勢　No. 19
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
dates unknown (late 9th c. – early 10th c.)Ōshikōchi no Mitsune凡河内躬恒　No. 29
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
?–920Harumichi no Tsuraki春道列樹　No. 32
?–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
?–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
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
dates unknown (late 10th c.)Priest Egyō恵慶法師　No. 47♪ 1 song
?–1000?Minamoto no Shigeyuki源重之　No. 48
921–991Ōnakatomi no Yoshinobu大中臣能宣　No. 49
954–974Fujiwara no Yoshitaka藤原義孝　No. 50
?–998Fujiwara no Sanekata藤原実方　No. 51
972–994Fujiwara no Michinobu藤原道信　No. 52
936?–995Mother of Michitsuna藤原道綱母　No. 53
?–996Takashina no Takako高階貴子　No. 54
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
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
1055–1135Archbishop Gyōson行尊　No. 66
dates unknown (late 11th c. – early 12th c.)Suō no Naishi周防内侍　No. 67
976–1017Retired Emperor Sanjō三条院　No. 68
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
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
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
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
1118–1190Priest Saigyō西行法師　No. 86♪ 1 song
1139?–1202Priest Jakuren寂蓮法師　No. 87
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
1141?–1217?Nijōin no Sanuki二条院讃岐　No. 92♪ 1 song
1155–1225Archbishop Jien慈円　No. 95
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
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