This is a selection of poems by the 36 immortal poets. The correct title of the book is not mentioned anywhere (neither in the colophon nor in the middle of each folio) and there is no daisen on the cover. The folios are not numbered. The date of publication is not mentioned in the colophon, but the MFA gives a date of 1766 for its copies, which contain poems by most of the 36 immortals.
The colophon only mentions :
Edo artist (東都畫工): Suzuki Harunobu (鈴木 春信 1724-1770)
Naniwa author of text (浪花x士): Tokusoshi (禿箒齋讃)
Tokyo carver (東都彫ユ): Endo Matsugoro (遠藤 松五郎)
Publisher : Yamasaki Kinbei Mamoru (山嵜金兵衞)
Click on the front cover to browse the book. The folios are presented in the occidental way, from left to right.
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The 23 poets present in this book, with a link to the corresponding page, are :
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"100" after the name means that the poet is also in the Hyakunin isshu compilation (hundred poems by hundred poets).
The 13 missing poets are :
| Ariwara no Narihira (Ason) | 在原業平(朝臣) | 100 |
| Fujiwara no Nakafumi | 藤原 仲文 | |
| Sojo Henjo | 僧正遍昭 | 100 |
| Kakinomoto no Hitomaro | 柿本人麻呂 or 柿本人麿 | 100 |
| Ki no Tsurayuki | 紀貫之 | 100 |
| Kodai no Kimi | 小大君 | |
| Lady Ise (Ise no miyasudokoro) | 伊勢 (伊勢の御息所) | |
| Minamoto no Muneyuki Ason | 源宗于 朝臣 | 100 |
| Minamoto no Saneakira | 源 信明 | |
| Ōshikōchi Mitsune | 凡河内躬恒 | 100 |
| Ōtomo no Yakamochi | 中納言家持 | 100 |
| Hoshi Sosei | 素性法師 | 100 |
| Yamabe no Akahito | 山辺赤人 or 山邊 赤人 | 100 |
As mentioned above, the MFA has a copy of this ehon. The prints are distributed in 3 volumes, with all poets except Fujiwara no Nakafumi, Kodai no Kimi and Minamoto no Muneyuki Ason. There are two poems by Mibu no Tadamine, and one by an unidentified poet. The second volume of that series contains the 17 folios of our copy, including the colofon (which is identical to ours, with no date). In addition, that volume contains two folios with poems (by Mibu no Tadamine, Minamoto no Sanekiya and Fujiwara no Kiyotada) and two folios with advertisements for other books and a preface (by Naniwa Tokusoshi 禿帚). The covers have the same design as ours, and the daisen (present on only one volume) has obviously been added later.
Harunobu also published series of colored woodprints illustrating poems. Below are a few series with some of the poets. Note that, for a given poet, the poem and drawing are different in the present book and in the series below.
- untitled, about the 36 immortal poets :
Kakinomoto Hitomaro,
Ki no Tsurayuki,
Chûnagon (Otomo no) Yakamochi,
Ise,
Ariwara Narihira Ason,
Ki no Tomonori,
Chunagon Kanesuke,
Saigû Nyôgo,
Mibu no Tadamine,
Minamoto no Shigeyuki,
Minamoto no Muneyuki Ason,
Minamoto no Nobuakira (Minamoto no Saneakira),
Fujiwara no Okikaze,
Fujiwara no Kiyomasa (Fujiwara no Kiyotada),
Minamoto no Shitago,
Sanjô no in Onna Kurôdo Sakon,
Nakatsukasa
Taira no Kanemori.
- Fashionable Six Poetic Immortals (Fûryû Rokkasen 風流六歌仙) :
Sojo Henjo, Ôtomo no Kuronushi, Ariwara no Narihira.
- One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets (Hyakunin isshu no uchi 百人一首のうち) :
Gotokudaiji no Sadaijin
- untitled, about Hundred Poems for One Hundred Poets :
Ono no Komachi, Hoshi Sosei, Kisen Hôshi, Koshikibu no Naishi
- Fashionable Versions of Ink in Five Colors (Fûryû goshiki-zumi 風流五色墨) :
Chôsui, Sôzui, Shiseki, Somaru
- Popular Customs and the Poetic Immortals in the Four Seasons (Fûzoku shiki kasen 風俗四季歌仙) :
unidentified poets.
A print entitled Autumn wind has a verse by Fujiwara no Toshiyuki.