嵐吹く

三室の山の

もみぢ葉は

竜田の川の

錦なりけり

のういんほうし

あらしふく

みむろのやまの

もみじばは

たつたのかわの

にしきなりけり

The Monk Noin

The stormwind blowing

The maple leaves

From Mimuro Hill

Turn Tatsuta River

Into the richest brocade.

Noin Hoshi (988 - ca. 1058) whose secular name was Tachibana no Nagayasu, became a monk at age twenty-six and travelled at lot. He wrote the Noin Uta-makura, a poetic treatise. Sixty-five poems of his are extant. He is one of the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets.

This poem does not seem to have hidden meanings or puns. However, there is some discussion about where Mimuro Mountain is. Some people believe it was Mimuro Mountain ninety miles north-west of Nara. Others have it in Yamato province, far south of the Tatsuta. But that would not make sense, they are making a mountain out of a molehill. There is, however, a Mimuro Hill right at the spot where Tatsuta-gawa flows into the Yamato river, near Tatsuta Park, Ikaruga District. So that would be the most logical spot. The poet probably had a better notion of geography than we think he had. Tatsuta Park is still known for its beautiful maple leaves in autumn.

On Hokusai’s drawing we see the transport of logs on the Tatsuta river going towards the Yamato river for further transport to Osaka. The rafts are competing with the maple leaves in the stream.

Hokusai

Mimuro Hill and Tatsuta River

(courtesy and large photo KazuTaka)