From the country of eight islands: An anthology of Japanese poetry

by Hiroaki Sato (Editor/Translator), Burton Watson (Editor/Translator), J. Thomas Rimer (Introduction)

-- John Ashbery

Genres: Poetry, Japan, Anthologies, Japanese Literature, Asia, Ancient History

652 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Hiroaki Sato (佐藤 紘彰) born 1942, is a Japanese poet and prolific translator who writes frequently for The Japan Times. He has been called (by Gary Snyder) "perhaps the finest translator of contemporary Japanese poetry into American English."

Reviews

[E. G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Acknowledgments
Translator's Note, by Hiroaki Sato and Burton Watson
A Guide to the Pronunciation of Japanese
An Outline of Major Periods in Japanese History
Introduction, by Thomas Rimer

--From the Country of Eight Islands: An Anthology of Japanese Poetry

Glossary of Terms Used in the Anthology
Major Poetry Collections Mentioned in the Anthology
Major Poets in the Anthology
A Select Bibliography on Japanese Poetry
Index of Poets

[Smiley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt a bit reluctant to give a rating for this anthology, I was sorry to minus a star due to my fledgling comprehension and appreciation from this book by the two Japanese and English scholars whose translation has since been recognized as Winner of the P. E. N. Translation Prize in 1982. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PEN_Tra...) Those who know how to read Japanese poetry and English versions, I think, would have obviously more advantageous means of translating and interpreting than those who know English only like me.

I don't think reading these poems including songs, prose poems and traditional poems (Tanka, Choku, Hokku, etc.) is as rosy as its colorful and famous Japanese drawing cover; indeed, they are the real thing in the disguise of those selected ones translated into English. Taken its vast contents with innumerable poets into account, each of its five periods would be signifyingly represented by an exemplary poem selected for the readers to taste and compare as follows:

Songs from the Kojiki:
When this great deity [Prince Susano-o] first built the palace of Suga, clouds rose from there. So he sang a song. The song:
Eightfold fence of Izumo where eight clouds rise,
I make an eightfold fence to surround my wife,
that eightfold fence! (p. 3)
[TR. SATO (p. ix)]

Poems from the Man'yoshu:
Fujiwara No Kamatari (614-669)
Upon Marrying Yasumiko, a Palace Attendant
I've won Yasumiko! I've won Yasumiko who everyone said was hard to win! (p. 15)
[TR. SATO (p. ix)]

The Age of Tanka:
Kyogoku Tameane (1254-1332)
On love:
So great the pain,
I've passed the days
without speaking of sorrow,
till my thoughts are worn out
and I no longer hate you (p. 228)
[TR. WATSON (p. xv)]

The Age of Renga:
Matsuo Basho (1644-1694)
1686
An old pond: a frog jumps in--the sound of water (p. 282)
[TR. SATO (p. xvi)]

The Modern Age:
Ishigaki Rin (1920-2004)

The Pan, the Pot, the Burning Fire I Have
in Front of Me
For a long time
these things have always been placed
in front of us women:

a pan of a reasonable size
suited to one's strength,
a pot in which it's convenient for rice
to begin to swell and shine, grain by grain,
the heat of the fire inherited since the very beginning--
in front of them there have always been mothers, grandmothers, and
their mothers.
. . . (incomplete) (p. 571)
[TR. SATO (p. xxiii)]

Its 16-page introduction would guide and lighten the reader in terms of some basic background as well as notable excerpts from some eminent Japanese poets; the anthology itself starting with Prince Susano-o and ending with Takahashi Mutsuo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutsuo_...). We would find innumerable footnotes in some pages where necessary; its informative and scholarly appendix covers (1) Glossary of Terms Used in the Anthology, (2 ) Major Poetry Collections Mentioned in the Anthology, (3) Major Poets in the Anthology, and (4) A Selected Bibliography on Japanese Poetry. From its 5-period arrays of poetry above, we may start anywhere we like, for instance, the one famously composed in 1686 by Matsuo Basho (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsuo_...) and gradually read all of his poems in this book to gain basic understanding and feel what message his readers could ideate based on his/her preliminary appreciation. Moreover, reading some related books should be encouraged for more understanding and familiarity like his The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Other Travel Sketches (Penguin 1966) and On Love and Barley -- Haiku of Basho (Penguin 1985).

According to this external link (https://web.archive.org/web/200207091...) titled "Interpretations of Basho" in the Matsuo Basho website, it has illustrated three interpretations (No. 8) of his most famous 1686 haiku as follows:

The old pond
A frog jumps in
The sound of water. [by R. H. Blyth]

Old pond
leap--splash
a frog. [by Lucien Stryck]

Old dark sleepy pond
quick unexpected frog
goes plop! Watersplash. [by Peter Beilenson]

However, when we read in the topic Rise to fame on his 1686 haiku in the Matsuo Basho website as Interpretation 4 by an anonymous translator:

古池や蛙飛びこむ水の音 furu ike ya / kawazu tobikomu / mizu no oto
an ancient pond / a frog jumps in / the splash of water [1686]

We can see that there are seemingly endless interpretations from various translators; therefore, first of all we already have the one taken as an exemplary poem/haiku as Interpretation 5 (translated by Hiroaki Sato) in the topic The Age of Renga by Matsuo Basho.

To continue . . .

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the longest book of poetry I have ever read. It is beautiful and allows for the great scope of change in Japanese poetry.

My personal favourite poem was, In Praise of Sake by Otomo No Tabito. I just love the line, "Rather than be a so-so human being, I'd like to be a sake jar and get steeped in sake"

I really enjoyed the poetic form, Renga, and have discovered new poets I want to check out, like Ishikawa Tabuboku and Tomioka Taeko.

I am always concerned about translations, especially regarding poetry due to importance of sound. This anthology though did win the PEN Translation Prize in 1982. I'm still concerned, but I have nothing to compare it to, so I am trusting the prize. It does read beautifully though.

The biggest issue for me is that the first thousand years sounds very similar. There were constant metaphors to the Autumn moon and flowers, and at one point, all that sentimentality, with the same metaphors made me less emotionally invested. At times their love seemed as powerful as a flood, but once you realize that it was a technique or an allusion to a previous poem, it became harder for me to be invested. I would admire their skill more than their emotion.

However, reading love poetry from a thousand years ago does put you in a particular mood, a reminder that everything, including the most powerful of emotions, will end. It puts one's own life into perspective.

[A. Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are the masters, of course:

"I'm tired of children"—to anyone who says that, no flowers
-Matsuo Bashō

But then there are such gems as:

At midday when the sea's visible in the window, through the pine trees, I kiss the hair of someone sleeping peacefully
-Wakayama Bokusui

and

Kiss

She came home, smelling of another man.
And so I could not kiss her.
Then the two of us got under the quilts
that still held the sun’s heat.
That day the weather was nice all day.
And yet I could not kiss her.
She pressed her breast close to my breast.
And yet I could not do it.
I felt she was a different woman.
It was like before the two of us met.
It was like the days when I still didn’t know that part of her
and went fishing alone on Sundays.
It was like the days when I watched the thin winter sun by that small
marsh
and was waiting to meet someone.
I was afraid.
And yet I could not do it.
And in time I fell asleep.
It’s a night like a vast prairie
no matter how long I run, how long I run
-Tanikawa Shuntarō

[Benjamin Kass · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really rewarding read, especially as someone with little exposure to classical japanese lit. Dog eared and well loved. Big anthology--took me probably 8 months to go through

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is to Japanese poetry what Sunflower Splendor is to Chinese verse (see my review of the latter). In particular, the translations of the great "lost" Surrealist, Takiguchi Shuzo, are themselves enough to recommend this magnificent book.

[Patrick T. Randolph · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant collection of Japanese verse that takes the reader through each century with a whisper and a wink.

[Deena · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonder in translation so worth reading. This anthology is wide in scope; the collection of poetry ranges from the 700’s to the 20th century...Tanka, Renga, Choka, Haibun, Sedoka, Kanshi, Hokku. I read from it randomly almost every day. Each poem a little morsel to savour!

[Gwyneth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dog-eared. Battered. Scraps of ripped paper marking the many favorite poems throughout the book. Very, very well loved.

[Víctor Bermúdez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Waters we dipped from,
wetting our sleeves,
are frozen now-
will the breezes of this
fist day of spring unbind them?

[Lindsey W McLaughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this before and during a trip to Japan. Highly recommend for poetry lovers and admirers of Japanese culture.

[Paul H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reasonably comprehensive but the translations are not very good; in terms of quality and scope, far superceded by Carter's more recent anthology.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Currently rereading, In parallel with several other Japanese literature, history and archeology texts.
Also, I am working through translation works and papers of Burton Watson (1925-2017).