Hyakunin Isshu No.14 of Yoga Promenade
The poet is Kawara-no-sadaijin. “Sadaijin” is a position in the Imperical Court. It means the Minister of the Left. “Kawara” is not his name, but the place where his residence existed. His name is “Minamoto-no Toru.” In old Japan, people did not mention the name of a person in high position in the government. Instead, they used the name of the place where the person lives.
In the poem, the author says the person who disturbed his heart is not him (it means that the woman to whom he sent the poem disturbed his heart with their secret love). With some double-meaning words (Shinobu = secret/name of place in Michinoku area) (Midaresomu = begin disturbing/dyeing with uneven pattern used for fabric produced in Shinobu), he overlays the situation to fabric produced in Shinobu in Michinoku area. I am not sure he had visited Michinoku, but his knew the region well because he had been at the position governing it. His residence, Kawara-in, had a garden modeled after the scenery of Shiogama in Michinoku.
Hyakunin Isshu No.14 of Yoga Promenade
The poet is Kawara-no-sadaijin. “Sadaijin” is a position in the Imperical Court. It means the Minister of the Left. “Kawara” is not his name, but the place where his residence existed. His name is “Minamoto-no Toru.” In old Japan, people did not mention the name of a person in high position in the government. Instead, they used the name of the place where the person lives.
In the poem, the author says the person who disturbed his heart is not him (it means that the woman to whom he sent the poem disturbed his heart with their secret love). With some double-meaning words (Shinobu = secret/name of place in Michinoku area) (Midaresomu = begin disturbing/dyeing with uneven pattern used for fabric produced in Shinobu), he overlays the situation to fabric produced in Shinobu in Michinoku area. I am not sure he had visited Michinoku, but his knew the region well because he had been at the position governing it. His residence, Kawara-in, had a garden modeled after the scenery of Shiogama in Michinoku.