JAPANESE

POETRY
 JAPANESE
POEMS
Japanese poems have a long and rich history
that dates back well over a thousand years.
From the famous haiku to the lesser-known
katauta, there are many varieties of Japanese
poetry that have evolved over the centuries.
BRIEF HISTORY OF JAPANESE
POETRY
Written Japanese poetry has existed as an art form since the
Chinese Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE), a rich cultural period across
Asia. Poetry flourished in China during this time, and its influence
extended to Japanese culture. For example, Kojiki (written in 712
CE) and Nihon Shoki (720 CE) are the oldest known Japanese
books. These collections of mythology, history, and poetry from the
Nara period were written primarily in Chinese.
Traditional Japanese poetry is known as waka. In
Japan, poetry has often been gathered into
anthologies, and the oldest known book is a 20-
volume compendium of waka called Man'yōsh (or
Manyoshu) printed in the seventh century. The
collection includes 265 chōka, which are long
poems, and 4,207 tanka, or short poems. Other
famous poetry collections include The Tale of
Genji by Murasaki Shikibu and The Pillow Book
by Sei Shōnagon, both completed in the early
eleventh century.
 10 TYPES OF
JAPANESE POETRY
 1. HAIKU
Haikus are the most well-known form of Japanese poetry.
Traditionally, haiku poems are non-rhyming and have 17
syllables, broken up into a 5-7-5 formation. Modern haiku
is more flexible; some are written with a 5-3-5 pattern and
some are simply comprised of three non-rhyming lines.
Japanese haiku poetry centers around themes of nature
and the seasons. In English, a haiku is printed in three
lines while in Japanese it is written as one vertical line.
2. KANSHI
Kanshi the Japanese word for Chinese poetry, and it
includes Japanese poetry written in Chinese. Kanshi
was a popular genre of poetry in the Heian period
(794–1185), and a favorite among Japanese
aristocrats.
 3. RENGA
In the twelfth century, the poetic style renga came about. Renga is a
collaborative form of poetry. It involves two or more stanzas, and the
opening stanza is called a hokku—a portion of the form that was
eventually separated into its own poetic form known as haiku. One poet
writes the opening stanza of a renga which has 17 syllables divided into
three lines. The next poet writes the second stanza, which is a couplet
with seven syllables in each line. This stanza pattern is repeated.
Matsuo Basho was known for renga poetry, as was a Buddhist priest by
the name of Sōgi (1421–1502).
4. RENKU
Renku is another type of collaborative poetry and linked
verse—alternating three-line and two-line stanzas written
by different poets. Renku often had comical themes that
sometimes bordered on the vulgar. Writing renku was often
a form of entertainment, as poets would gather to write
these poems together.
5. WAKA
The earliest Japanese poetry form is known as
waka, which refers to any genre of poetry written in
Japanese. During the Heian period, women were
the primary waka poets since men traditionally
wrote in Chinese during this time.
6. TANKA
Tanka is the modern name for classic Japanese poetry,
meaning “short poems.” Tanka poetry is non-rhyming.
There are five lines in a tanka with a meter pattern of
5-7-5-7-7. The first three lines of a tanka (5-7-5) are
called kami-no-ku, or “upper phrase.” The last two
lines are called shimo-no-ku, or “lower phrase.
 7. HAIKAI
Haikai is a form of linked verse that
incorporates satire or puns. Matsuo
Basho was the best-known poet of the
Edo period and of this genre. Haikai
poems contain over 100 verses.
 8. HAIBUN
In the seventeenth century, Matsuo Basho popularized
this form of poetry which is a combination of haiku
and prose.
9. KATAUTA:
This three-line poem has a syllabic meter of
either 5-7-5 or 5-7-7. A katauta is often called
an incomplete poem. The form is written as
one lover addressing another. When paired
with the response from the other lover, the
two katauta become a sedoka.
10. SEDOKA
A sedoka poem is a call and response poem.
These love poems are made up of two katauta
verses. The first verse is a katauta in which
one lover poses a question to another. The
second verse is the partner’s reply, also
written is a katauta. Each verse has a 5-7-5 or
5-7-7 pattern.