Japanese poetry: Highly esteemed Hitomaro from 7th to early 8th century Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Kakinomoto no Hitomaro (Hito-maru from the Heian era and onwards) is regarded as one of the greatest Japanese poets to have blessed this country. His name is mentioned alongside Fujiwara no Teika, Iio Sōgi (Inō Sōgi), and Matsuo Bashō.…
Poetry of ancient Japan enriched by the Middle Kingdom Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The eighth-century Japanese scholar and poet Abe no Nakamaro (698-770) belongs to the cultural world that was inspired by the Middle Kingdom (China). From a very young age, he showed exemplary skills suited to the world of academia. In this…
Japanese poetry of bygone days and the influence of China Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese poet Mibu no Tadamine reached his height during the late ninth and early tenth centuries. It is known that he was active in the Heian court between 898-920. Therefore, one can imagine his world through the prism…
Japanese tenth-century poetry: Mibu no Tadamine and the Middle Kingdom (China) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese poet Mibu no Tadamine reached his height during the late ninth and early tenth centuries. It is known that he was active in the Heian court between 898-920. Therefore, one can imagine his world through the…
Art of Japan and poetry: Above the withered fields a bat flits Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The poetic skills of Yosa Buson (1716-1784) are extremely legendary inside Japan despite the passages of time. Indeed, despite some notable art pieces by Buson, it is his words belonging to the world of haiku that stand…
Buddhist poetry of Japan and the last twilight before the shadow of time Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Two exquisite short poems by Buddhist holy men from Japan focus on the shadow of life and the memories left behind. It matters not that both poets come from extremely contrasting times in history. For Henjō…
Eternal poetry of Japan: In the heart that loves the blossoms, the wind is already blowing Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The poetry of Izumi Shikibu and other female poets in Japan during the same period highlights that women played an important part in aspects of Japanese high culture. Of course, in common with…
Japanese poetry and the recognition of death from tuberculosis Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The life of the Japanese poet Masaoka Shiki (1867-1902) was short and blighted by ill health from a very early age. Hence, the words that flowed from Shiki were naturally impacted by the shadow of death. However, despite being…
Japanese 8th-century poet enriched by the high culture of the Tang Dynasty Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The eighth-century Japanese scholar and poet Abe no Nakamaro (698-770) belongs to the cultural world that was inspired by the Middle Kingdom (China). From a very young age, he showed exemplary skills suited to the world of…
Poetry, religion, and high culture in sixteenth-century Japan Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times In time, the poet Arakida Moritake (1473-1549) became the symbolic head Shinto priest of the prestigious Inner Ise Shrine. Hence, with the Shinto faith meaning so much to Moritake, one can only imagine the inner-peace this provided. After all, the rigors…
Japanese Art and Poetry of Yosa Buson: A bat flits in moonlight Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The poetic skills of Yosa Buson (1716-1784) are extremely legendary inside Japan despite the passages of time. Indeed, despite some notable art pieces by Buson, it is his words belonging to the world of haiku that stand…
Japanese Buddhist poet of bygone times: Buddha, the way of Shintoism, and culture Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese Buddhist poet Saigyō Hōshi (birth name Satō Norikiyo) was born in 1118 and passed away in 1190. He was a man of passion, virtue, contemplation, and a soul that wandered places of religious importance.…
Japanese Zen Buddhist poetry by Sesson Yūbai and the impact of the Middle Kingdom (China) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The notable Japanese Zen Buddhist monk, Sesson Yūbai (1290-1346?), witnessed the richness of culture during his stay in the Middle Kingdom (China) and the darkness of the ruling elites who imprisoned him. Hence, his…
Japanese Buddhist poetry and the shadow of life: Henjō (816-890) and Sōgi (1421-1502) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Two short poems by two Buddhist holy men who hail from Japan say much about the shadow of life and the memories that are left behind. It matters not that both poets come from very…
Arakida Moritake (1473-1549) and Japanese poetry: Iio Sogi and Shintoism Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times In time, the poet Arakida Moritake (1473-1549) became the symbolic head Shinto priest of the prestigious Inner Ise Shrine. Hence, with the Shinto faith meaning so much to Moritake, one can only imagine the inner-peace this provided. After all,…
The Japanese poet Yosa Buson in the shadow of art Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Yosa Buson (1716-1784) belongs to the world of Japanese poetry because his haiku is highly acclaimed, saying it mildly. This reality means that his art is secondary despite being a distinctive artist. Therefore, while the art of Buson is…
Japanese female poetry of Izumi Shikibu of the tenth and early eleventh century Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The poetry of Izumi Shikibu and other female poets in Japan during the same period highlights that women played an important part of aspects of Japanese high culture. Of course, in common with much of the…
Japanese poetry and Abe no Nakamaro (698-770): Impact of the Middle Kingdom Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese scholar and poet, Abe no Nakamaro (698-770), resided in the world of the Middle Kingdom, where the predominance of Chinese culture and influence flowed naturally in Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and other regional areas. In time,…
Japan poetry and Yosa Buson: Footsteps of Matsuo Basho Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The poetry of Yosa Buson (1716-1784) in Japan is highly acclaimed because his haiku reached the hearts of many. Indeed, despite being a distinctive artist during the Edo Period, it is his haiku that stands out. Hence, the fame that…
Poetry of Japan and Arakida Moritake (1473-1549): Ambiance of Shintoism and Iio Sogi Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times In time, the poet Arakida Moritake (1473-1549) became the symbolic head Shinto priest of the prestigious Inner Ise Shrine. Hence, with the Shinto faith meaning so much to Moritake, one can only imagine the inner-peace this…
Poetry of Japan and influence of the Middle Kingdom: Abe no Nakamaro (698-770) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The eighth-century Japanese scholar and poet, Abe no Nakamaro (698-770), belongs to the cultural world that was inspired by the Middle Kingdom (China). From a very young age, he showed exemplary skills suited to the world…
The poetry of Japan and Arakida Moritake (1473-1549): The natural flow of Shintoism Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The poetry of Arakida Moritake (1473-1549) was inspired by the flows of the past, the reality of nature, and the Shinto faith that meant so much to him. Not surprisingly, in the history of Japan prior…
Poet Saigyō (1118-1190) and Japanese Buddhism: the Light of the Buddha and Shintoism Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese Buddhist poet Saigyō Hōshi (birth name Satō Norikiyo) was born in 1118 and passed away in 1190. He was a man of passion, virtue, contemplation, and a soul that wandered places of religious importance.…
Japan poetry and impact of the Middle Kingdom: Abe no Nakamaro (698-770) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The eighth-century Japanese scholar and poet, Abe no Nakamaro (698-770), belongs to the cultural world that was inspired by the Middle Kingdom (China). From a very young age, he showed exemplary skills suited to the world of…
Yosa Buson and Japanese Poetry: In the footsteps of Matsuo Bashō Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The poetry of Yosa Buson (1716-1784) in Japan is highly acclaimed because his haiku reached the hearts of many. Indeed, despite being a distinctive artist during the Edo Period, it is his haiku that stands out. Hence, the…
Abe no Nakamaro (698-770) and Japan Poetry: Influence of the Middle Kingdom Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese scholar and poet, Abe no Nakamaro (698-770), resided in the world of the Middle Kingdom, where the predominance of Chinese culture and influence flowed naturally in Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and other regional areas. In time,…
Poet Saigyō and Japanese Buddhism: Light of the Buddha, Nature, and Shintoism Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese Buddhist poet Saigyō Hōshi (birth name Satō Norikiyo) was born in 1118 and passed away in 1190. He was a man of passion, virtue, contemplation, and a soul that wandered places of religious importance. Solitude…
Japanese Poetry and Yosa Buson: Shadow of Art Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Yosa Buson (1716-1784) belongs to the world of Japanese poetry because his haiku is highly acclaimed, saying it mildly. This reality means that his art is secondary despite being a distinctive artist. Therefore, while the art of Buson is regarded with…
Japan Buddhist Poet of the Rinzai School and Impact of China: Sesson Yūbai (1290-1346) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Sesson Yūbai (1290-1346) became a notable literati Zen Buddhist monk of the Rinzai School during his lifetime. In this period of Japanese history the flows of Kamakura, Kyoto, and Nara, maintained a rich cultural theme.…
Japanese Poetry and Abe no Nakamaro (698-770): Tang Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese scholar and poet, Abe no Nakamaro (698-770), resided in the world of the Middle Kingdom, where the predominance of Chinese culture and influence flowed naturally in Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and other regional areas. In…
Japanese Buddhist Poet Saigyō (1118-1190): Nature, Shintoism, and the Light of the Buddha Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese Buddhist poet Saigyō Hōshi (birth name Satō Norikiyo) was born in 1118 and passed away in 1190. He was a man of passion, virtue, contemplation, and a soul that wandered places of religious importance.…
Japanese Art and Poetry: Yosa Buson and Impact of China Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Yosa Buson (1716-1784) belongs to the world of Japanese poetry because his haiku is highly acclaimed, saying it mildly. This reality means that his art is secondary despite being a distinctive artist. Therefore, while the art of Buson is…
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