Hyakunin Isshu #1: A Poem Turned Tragic Love

Part of Hyakunin Isshu · Episode 1

How can one classical Japanese poem lead to a story of love and family duty? In this first episode on Hyakunin Isshu, a print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi reinterprets a verse associated with Emperor Tenji through a dramatic later narrative. Explore how nineteenth-century artists and writers connected ancient poetry with stories that their own audiences knew, creating new layers of meaning.