An anthology which presents examples of the work of more than 100 Japanese women poets, arranged chronologically. It describes the seasonal changes and the vagaries of love and also the devastations of war, childbirth, conflicts between child-rearing and work, experiences as refugees, experiences as non-Japanese residents in Japan, and more. Note and Acknowledgments xiii Chronology xv Twelve Months xvii Introduction xxi Ancient Songs Songs from the Kojiki 3 Songs from the Nihon Shoki 8 Poems from the Man'yoshu Introduction 15 Princess Iwa, Emperor Nintoku's Consort 16 Empress Okamoto (594-661) 17 Princess Nukata (Born 638?) 18 Empress Naka (7th Century) 20 Empress Yamato (7th Century) 21 Anonymous Lady (7th Century) 22 Empress Jito (648-702) 23 Imperial Princess Oku (661-701) 25 Imperial Princess Tajima (Died 708) 26 Otomo no Sakanoue no Iratsume (First Half of the 8th Century) 27 Kasa no Iratsume (First Half of the 8th Century) 31 Maidservant (First Half of the 8th Century) 34 The Wife of Lord Isonokami no Otomaro (First Half of the 8th Century) 35 The Kurumamochi Clan's Daughter (Dates Unknown) 37 Empress Koken (718-770) 38 A Border Guard's Wife (Dates Unknown) 39 Mother of a Member of an Embassy to the Tang Court (First Half of the 8th Century) 40 The Age of Tanka Introduction 43 Princess Uchiko (806-847) 44 Member of the Korenaga Family (Dates Unknown) 46 Princess from the Otomo Family (Dates Unknown) 47 Ono no Komachi (fl. 833-858) 48 Ise (875?-939?) 52 Akazome Emon (957?-1041?) 54 Murasaki Shikibu (973?-1014?) 58 Izumi Shikibu (Born Late 970) 67 Sagami (991?-1061?) 81 Princess Shikishi (Died 1201) 86 Kenreimon'in Ukyo no Daibu (Born 1157?) 100 Kunai-kyo (Died 1205?) 113 The Nun Abutsu (1222?-1283) 116 Eifukumon' in (1271-1342) 131 Shosho no Naishi (Died 1264?) 135 Rikei (Died 1611) 137 The Age of Haikai and Kanshi Introduction 143 Haikai Poets as Eccentrics 144 Den Sute-jo (1633-1698) 152 Kawai Chigetsu (1634?-1708?) 154 Shiba Sonome (1664-1726) 158 Ogawa Shofu (1669-1758) 160 Nozawa Uko-ni (Died 1722?) 164 Kaga no Chiyo-ni (1703?-1775) 166 Arii Shokyu (1714-1781) 171 Taniguchi Den-jo (Died 1779) 184 Tagami Kikusha (1753-1826) 191 Ema Salko (1787-1861) 197 Kamei Shokin (1798-1857) 208 Hara Saihin (1798-1859) 209 Takahashi Gyokusho (1802-1868) 217 Yanagawa Koran (1804-1879) 219 Furukawa Kasame (1808-1830) 227 Sakuma Tachieko (1814-1861) 229 Interludes A Brief Survey of Senryu by Women 235 A Brief Survey of Haiku by Women 247 The Modern Age Introduction 263 Yosano Akiko (1878-1942) 264 Hiratsuka Raicho (1886-1971) 276 Fukao Sumako (1888-1974) 279 Okamoto Kanoko (1889-1939) 285 Takeuchi Rie (1901-1958) 290 Kaneko Misuzu (1903-1930) 296 Hayashi Fumiko (1903-1951) 302 Matsuda Tokiko (1905-2004) 307 Nagase Kiyoko (1906-1995) 311 Fujita Fumie (1908-1933) 317 Fujiki Kiyoko (Dates Unknown) 321 Sato Sachiko (1911-1998) 324 Sagawa Chika (1911-36) 327 Ogawa Anna (Born 1919) 332 Ishigaki Rin (Born 1920) 338 Iijima Haruko (1921-2000) 345 Nakajo Fumiko (1922-1954) 348 Nomura Hatsuko (Born 1923) 350 Itami Kimiko (Born 1925) 352 Shinkawa Kazue (Born 1929) 354 Katase Hiroko (1929-2006) 365 Tada Chimako (1930-2003) 372 Oba Minako (Born 1930) 385 Shiraishi Kazuko (Born 1931) 388 Takarabe Toriko (Born 1933) 398 Bessho Makiko (Born 1934) 410 Koyanagi Reiko (Born 1935) 415 Tomioka Taeko (Born 1935) 423 Kimura Nobuko (Born 1936) 427 Nagashima Minako (Born 1943) 435 Onishi Kimiyo (Born 1947) 442 Isaka Yoko (Born 1949) 447 Kamakura Sayumi (Born 1953) 450 Abe Hinako (Born 1953) 453 Nagami Atsuko (1955-1985) 463 Cheon Mihye (Born 1955) 471 Hirata Toshiko (Born 1955) 479 Ito Hiromi (Born 1955) 484 Park Kyong-Mi (Born 1956) 492 Mizuhara Shion (Born 1959) 497 Koike Masayo (Born 1959) 499 Mayuzumi Madoka (Born 1962) 504 Tawara Machi (Born 1962) 510 Hayashi Amari (Born 1963) 513 Kamiyama Himeyo (Born 1963) 515 Hachikai Mimi (Born 1974) 518 Japanese Verse Forms and Poetic Terms 527 Bibliography 531 Index of Poets 541 About the Translator 548