Toi no Tamagawa

From the series "Six Rivers Called Tamagawa" 

Kitagawa Utamaro (1753-1806)

Signature: Utamaro hitsu

Publisher: Matsumura Tatsuemon

Woodblock colour print

Ca. 1798

Tikotin Collection

P-U 183

37 x 34.4 cm

 

The poem was written by Minamoto no Toshiyuri (Shunrei; 1055?-1129), and is included in the anthology "Senzaishu" (1137-1188).

 

matsukaze no

oto dani aki wa

sabishiki ni

koromo utsunari

tamagawa no sato

 

Wind in the pine trees,

the sounds of autumn arouse

feelings of isolation.

In the village on the banks of Tamagawa River

they are beating silken robes.

 

In the frame at the top right there is a parody of

the classic poem by Shozotei Fumika:

 

hitohira no

fumi o kamuro no

makikinuta

matsukaze kayou

kami no fujime

 

The wind

in the pine trees

signs the paper

which the kamuro

is rolling