Bunjin is referred to as an intellectual who lives in literature, prefers creative solitude, appreciates arts and natural beauty. Basho was one of those bunjin but was painfully aware of their lack... Read More
What’s the use?: Basho’s Poetics
Maverick in Style: Basho’s Poetics松尾芭蕉、俳句「櫓の声波を打て腸凍る夜や涙」英語訳
Since serenity and simplicity are characteristic to his later works, especially in his most popular traveling journal, Oku no Hosomichi, and are often associated with Basho’s prominent style,... Read More
The JokeBrandi Carlile、歌詞(Lyrics)『The Joke』日本語訳(Japanese Translation)
The great songs broaden our scope of interpretation. The Joke by Brandi Carlile is that kind of song. Some take it as a song challenging the current sociopolitical situation, about those... Read More
Loneliness and Snow: Lyricism of Kokinshu『古今集(古今和歌集)』和歌「雪降りて人もかよはぬ道なれやあとはかもなく思ひ消ゆらむ」英語訳
When snow carpets the ground, your lives seem shut off from the rest of the world. No one dares to visit you in the mountains. Having no contact with the outside world, you seem like inexistent.... Read More
Prendre un nouveau départ四字熟語(Locutions japonaises)「心機一転」フランス語訳(Traduction fraçaise)
Vous traversez une période difficile et rien ne va bien dans votre vie. C’est ainsi vous avez décidé de prendre un parti et vous mettre en état de commencer quelque chose d’autre, puis vous... Read More
Yugen and Snow Falling Through the Branches: Lyricism of Kokinshu『古今集(古今和歌集)』和歌「冬ごもり思ひかけぬを木の間より花と見るまで雪ぞ降りける」英語訳
When you are waiting for someone to come so long and getting so nervous that every tiny bit of sign seems to indicate the arrival. At the times when aristocratic houses were not fully enclosed by... Read More
New Year’s and the Snow: Manyo (Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves)『万葉集』和歌「新しき年の初めの初春の今日降る雪のいやしけ吉事」英語訳
Manyo-shu is the oldest anthology of short poems (waka, directly translated as short songs) in Japanese history, including 20 volumes and 4,536 short poems and Chinese verse. This huge collection... Read More
Hydrangea and Sunny Day Service: Rainy days and …サニーデイ・サービス、歌詞(Lyrics)『あじさい』(English Translation)
Some song lyrics are just impossible to translate into another language because of their highly contextualized form of language use. “Hydrangea” (1996) by Sunny Day Service is one of... Read More
First Love and Toson Shimazaki :Spring Dreams島崎藤村『若菜集』詩「初恋」英語訳(English Translation)
Spring dreams are enchanting, whether they be reminiscence of good ol’ days or aspirations for days to come. This daydream-like poem has made Toson Shimazaki (1872-1943) a poet remembered by... Read More
Catch The Wind and Happy End: Spring Dreamsはっぴいえんど、歌詞(Lyrics)『風をあつめて』(English Translation)
Spring dreams are magical in that they provide nostalgic reminiscences for those remembering good ol’ days. “Catch the Wind” by Happy End (1969-1972), one of the most important... Read More