The is a canon of

Japanese poets Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

who were anthologized in the middle

Kamakura period The is a period of History of Japan, Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura, Kanagawa, Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the G ...

. The compiler and exact date of the canon's construction is unknown, but its reference is subsequently noted in the ''

Gunsho Ruijū is a collection of old Japanese books on Japanese literature and history assembled by with the support of the ''bakufu''.http://onkogakkai.com/aboutgunshoruijyu/ It has several sections separated in genres such as Shinto (the native Japan ...

'', volume 13. Five of the 36,

Ono no Komachi was a Japanese waka poet, one of the '' Rokkasen''—the six best waka poets of the early Heian period. She was renowned for her unusual beauty, and ''Komachi'' is today a synonym for feminine beauty in Japan. She also counts among the Thirt ...

Lady Ise , also known as , was a Japanese poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator (thought, thinker, songwriter, writer, or ...

Nakatsukasa Nakatsukasa (中務, 912–991) was a Japanese Waka poet from the middle Heian period. Nakatsukasa was the granddaughter of Emperor Uda and the daughter of poet Lady Ise and Prince Atsuyoshi. She is one of five women numbered as one of the Thirty ...

Saigū no Nyōgo Princess Kishi (929 in poetry, 929–985 in poetry, 985, 徽子女王, also ''Yoshiko Joō'' 承香殿女御 ''Jokyōden Joō'' or 斎宮女御 ''Saigū no Nyōgo'') was a Japanese Waka (poetry), Waka poet of the middle Heian period. She is one o ...

and Kodai no Kimi also appeared in an earlier anthology with the similar title ''

Thirty-Six Immortals of Poetry The are a group of Japanese poets of the Asuka, Nara, and Heian periods selected by Fujiwara no Kintō as exemplars of Japanese poetic ability. The oldest surviving collection of the 36 poets' works is '' Nishi Honganji Sanju-rokunin Kash ...

'' which dates from 1113 (late

Heian Period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kammu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means in Japanese. It is a ...

). The poet

Fujiwara no Kintō , also known as Shijō-dainagon, was a Japanese poet, admired by his contemporaries "... Fujiwara no Kinto (966–1008), the most admired poet of the day." pg 283 of Donald Keene's '' Seeds in the Heart''. and a court bureaucrat of the Heian ...

chose this original selection that preceded the ''Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets''. These five women poets from the original publication were included in the ''Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets'' and canonized along with others from the Heian and Kamakura eras.

Role of women's court poetry in Heian-era Japan

The women canonized in this compilation are typically noblewomen associated with the imperial court, for example, Lady Ise, consort to

Emperor Uda was the 59th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 宇多天皇 (59)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Uda's reign spanned the years from 887 through 897. Traditional narrative Name and legacy Befor ...

, Inpumon'in no Tayū (literally the Attendant to Empress Inpu), Michitsuna no haha (literally, Michitsuna's mother), Fujiwara no Shunzei no Musume (Literally Shunzei Fujiwara's daughter). Scholars Esperanza Ramirez-Christensen and Yumiko Watanabe have suggested that the lack of a proper name or singular identity, symbolising broader structural power relations that marginalised court women, may have contributed to their autobiographic impulse to craft poetry. Pre-modern Japanese literature professor Roselee Bundy traces the contribution to women's court poetry reaching its zenith in the mid Heian period as aesthetic communal events, before gradual professionalization of the genre began to exclude women's voices beginning in the Kamakura period.

List of poets

* 【1】：Selected in the Thirty-Six Immortals of Poetry by

(1113). * 【2】：Selected in the Late Classical Thirty-Six Immortals of Poetry by in the late

Heian period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kammu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means in Japanese. It is a ...

. * 【3】：Selected in the

Ogura Hyakunin Isshu is a classical Japanese anthology of one hundred Japanese ''waka'' by one hundred poets. ''Hyakunin isshu'' can be translated to "one hundred people, one poem ach; it can also refer to the card game of ''uta-garuta'', which uses a deck compos ...

Fujiwara no Teika was a Japanese anthologist, calligrapher, literary critic,"The high quality of poetic theory (''karon'') in this age depends chiefly upon the poetic writings of Fujiwara Shunzei and his son Teika. The other theorists of ''tanka'' writing, st ...

in the early

. * 【4】：Selected in the New Thirty-Six Immortals of Poetry by unknown compilers in the Kamakura period

Woodblock prints of the Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets by Chōbunsai Eishi

In 1801 the ukiyo-e painter Chōbunsai Eishi made a series of paintings to depict the thirty-six immortal women poets to accompany the calligraphy of each poet's verse, as produced by 36 girls who were students of Hanagata Giryu's (花形義融) calligraphy school "Hanagata Shodo". The album, reproduced with woodblock printing was intended to publicize the school. The 36 portraits are divided into a "left" (左) team and a "right" (右) team where the left team comprised poets who lived between the ninth and eleventh centuries, and the right team was made up of those poets that lived in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The teams square off in a pair-competition on each spread, which was a practice dating from the

imperial court in the late ninth century. The Smithosonian researcher Andrew J. Pekarik compared this competitive social art form to poetry slams at the

Nuyorican Poets Café The Nuyorican Poets Cafe is a nonprofit organization in the Alphabet City, Manhattan, Alphabet City neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It is a bastion of the Nuyorican Movement, Nuyorican (Puerto Rican New Yorker) art movement, and has b ...

in the 1990s. The album was published by

Nishimura Yohachi Nishimuraya Yohachi (dates unknown) was one of the leading publishers of Woodblock printing in Japan, woodblock prints in late 18th-century Japan. He founded the Nishimuraya Yohachi publishing house, also known as Nishiyo (西与), which operated i ...

with an album binding (gajōsō) and also featured a woodblock printed cover designed by

Hokusai , known mononymously as Hokusai, was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist of the Edo period, active as a painter and printmaker. His woodblock printing in Japan, woodblock print series ''Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji'' includes the iconic print ''The Gr ...

. The block carvers were and . File:Ono no Komachi 小野小町女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 1.

小野小町 File:伊勢 Lady Ise Heian Era Waka Poet 女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 2.

伊勢 File:中務 Nakatsukasa, waka poet from the mid-Heian period 女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg,

中務 File:斎宮女御女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 4.

(Kishi Joō) 斎宮女御 File:Ukon 右近女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 5. Ukon 右近 File:Michitsuna's mother 右大将道綱母女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 6. Fujiwara no Michitsuna no Haha 右大将道綱母 File:Uma no Naishi 馬内侍女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 7. Uma no Naishi 馬内侍 File:Akazome Emon 赤染衛門女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 8.

Akazome Emon was a Japanese '' waka'' poet and early historian who lived in the mid-Heian period. She is a member both of the and the Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets. Biography Akazome Emon's year of birth is unknown, but she was likely born between Te ...

赤染衛門 File:Izumi Shikibu 和泉式部 mid Heian poet one of the thirty six medieval poetry immortals 中古三十六歌仙.jpg, 9.

Izumi Shikibu was a mid-Heian period Japanese people, Japanese poet. She is a member of the . She was the contemporary of Murasaki Shikibu, and Akazome Emon at the court of empress Empress Shōshi, Joto Mon'in. She "is considered by many to have been the gr ...

和泉式部 File:Kodai no Kimi 三条院女蔵人左近小大君女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 10. Kodai no Kimi 三条院女蔵人左近小大君 File:Murasaki Shikibu Japanese waka poet of the mid-Heian period 女房三十六歌仙 thirty-six female immortals of poetry.jpg, 11.

Murasaki Shikibu was a Japanese novelist, Japanese poetry#Age of Nyobo or court ladies, poet and lady-in-waiting at the Imperial Court in Kyoto, Imperial court in the Heian period. She was best known as the author of ''The Tale of Genji'', widely considered t ...

紫式部 File:小式部内侍女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 12.

Koshikibu no Naishi was a Japanese '' waka'' poet of the early eleventh century.''Britannica Kokusai Dai-hyakkajiten'' article "Koshikibu no Naishi". 2007. Britannica Japan Co.'' Mypaedia'' article "Koshikibu no Naishi". 2007. Hitachi Systems & Services.''Digital Da ...

小式部内侍 File:伊勢大輔女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 13.

Ise no Taifu , also known as Ise no Tayū or Ise no Ōsuke, was a Japanese '' waka'' poet active in the later Heian period (early 11th century). She is one of the later Thirty-six Poetry Immortals, and one of her poems is included in the ''Ogura Hyakunin Is ...

伊勢大輔 File:清少納言女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 14.

Sei Shōnagon , or , was a Japanese author, poet, and court lady who served the Empress Teishi (Sadako) around the year 1000, during the middle Heian period. She is the author of . Name Sei Shōnagon's actual given name is not known. It was the custom amon ...

清少納言 File:Daini no Sanmi 大弐三位（藤原賢子）女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 15. Daini no Sanmi 大弐三位 File:Takashina no Takako 高内侍（儀同三司母）女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 16. Takashina no Takako 高内侍 File:Yūshi Naishinnō-ke no Kii 一宮紀伊女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 17. Yūshi Naishinnō-ke no Kii 一宮紀伊 File:Sagami 相模 Japanese waka poet of the mid-Heian period 女房三十六歌仙 thirty-six female immortals of poetry.jpg, 18. Sagami 相模 File:Princess Shikishi (Shikishi Naishinnō) 式子内親王女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 19.

Princess Shikishi (1149 – March 1, 1201) was a celebrated Japanese classical poet, who lived during the late Heian and early Kamakura periods. She was the third daughter of Emperor Go-Shirakawa. In 1159, Shikishi, who did not marry, went into service as '' saiin ...

(Shikishi Naishinnō) 式子内親王 File:Kunai-kyō 宮内卿女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 20. Kunai-kyō 宮内卿 File:Suō no Naishi 周防内侍（平仲子）女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 21 Suō no Naishi 周防内侍（平仲子 File:待賢門院堀河 Taikenmon'in no Horikawa 女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 23.

Taikenmon'in no Horikawa was a '' waka'' poet and Japanese noblewoman active in the Heian period. As a poet, her work is also included in the ''Kin'yō Wakashū''. Life In 1142, she ordained as a Buddhist nun after the death of Empress Tamako. Most likely to have bee ...

待賢門院堀河 File:Gishūmon'in no Tango 宜秋門院丹後女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 24.

Gishūmon'in no Tango was a '' waka'' poet and Japanese noblewoman active in the late Heian period and early Kamakura period. Her work appears in a large number of imperial poetry collections, including Shingoshūi Wakashū, Senzai Wakashū, Shokugosen Wakashū, Gyokuy ...

宜秋門院丹後 File:Kayōmon'in no Echizen 嘉陽門院越前女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 25.

Kayōmon'in no Echizen was a ''waka'' poet and Japanese noblewoman active in the Kamakura period. She served , the mother of Emperor Go-Toba as well as Go-Toba's daughter Kayōmon-in. Although the dates of her life are difficult to determine, she was still writing poetr ...

嘉陽門院越前 File:Nijōin no Sanuki 二条院讃岐女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 26.

Nijōin no Sanuki was a Japanese ''Waka (poetry), waka'' poet and noblewoman active in the late-Heian period, Heian and early-Kamakura period. She was a contributor to the ''Senzai Wakashū'' anthology. A member of the Minamoto clan, she was also known as . Poet ...

二条院讃岐 File:Kojijū 小侍従女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 27.

Kojijū Kojijū (小侍従; 1121–1202 CE) (also Matsuyoi no Kojijū) was a ''Waka (poetry), waka'' poet and Japanese noblewoman active in the late Heian period. Her father was Ki no Mitsukiyo, and her mother was the poet Hanazono Sadaijinke no Kodaishi ...

小侍従 File:Go-Toba-in no Shimotsuke 後鳥羽院下野女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 28. Go-Toba-in no Shimotsuke 後鳥羽院下野 File:弁内侍 Ben no Naishi 13th-century Japanese court lady, poet and memoirist 女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 29. Ben no Naishi 弁内侍 File:少将内侍女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 30. Gofukakusa-in no shōshō no naishi 少将内侍 File:殷富門院大輔 Inpumon'in no Tayū 女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 31.

Inpumon'in no Tayū The was a Japanese noblewoman and '' waka'' poet in the Heian period. She was a daughter of Fujiwara no Nobunari, and, at court, served Princess Ryoshi (known as Inpumon-in), a daughter of Emperor Go-Shirakawa. Poetry was integral to this court ...

殷富門院大輔 File:土御門院小宰相女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 32. Tsuchimikado In no Kosaishō 土御門院小宰相 File:Hachijō-in Takakura 八条院高倉女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 33. Hachijō-in Takakura 八条院高倉 File:Fujiwara no Chikako 後嵯峨院中納言典侍（典侍藤原親子）女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 34.

Fujiwara no Chikako Fujiwara no Chikako (藤原親子 dates unknown) was a '' waka'' poet and Japanese noblewoman active in the Kamakura period The is a period of History of Japan, Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially es ...

後嵯峨院中納言典侍（典侍藤原親子） File:Shikikenmon'in no Mikushige 式乾門院御匣女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 35. Shikikenmon'in no Mikushige 式乾門院御匣 File:Sōhekimon'in no Shōshō 藻璧門院少将女房三十六歌仙 Thirty-Six Immortal Women Poets.jpg, 36. Sōhekimon'in no Shōshō 藻璧門院少将

References

External links

{{Commonscatinline Poetry anthologies Waka poets Japanese women poets 9th-century Japanese women writers 9th-century Japanese poets 10th-century Japanese poets 11th-century Japanese poets Poets of the Heian period 12th-century Japanese poets 11th-century Japanese women writers 11th-century Japanese writers 12th-century Japanese women writers 12th-century Japanese writers 10th-century Japanese women writers