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Ariwara no Narihira's Eastward Journey — The Poet Who Addressed His Love to the Capital Bird at the Sumida River

Ariwara no Narihira was a leading poet of the Heian period, counted among the Six Poetry Immortals and Thirty-Six Poetry Sages. On a journey east, he composed a famous poem for the capital birds at the Sumida River, immortalized in the Ise Monogatari.

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Ariwara no Narihira (825–880) was one of the most celebrated poets of the Heian period, counted among the Six Poetry Immortals (Rokkasen) and the Thirty-Six Poetry Sages (Sanjūrokkasen). A grandson of Emperor Heizei, he is regarded as the model for the protagonist of the Ise Monogatari. On a journey east, he composed the famous poem ‘If you live up to your name, let me ask you, capital bird: is the one I love still there or not?’ upon seeing gulls at the Sumida River. This scene became the celebrated ‘Eastward Journey’ section of the Ise Monogatari. Narihira’s spirit of interweaving love, longing, and travel shaped Heian poetry for centuries. His connections to Jurinji temple (Kyoto) and Futaiji (Nara) make them worthwhile pilgrimage sites for those who admire his legacy.

Portrait of Ariwara no Narihira from the Thirty-Six Poetry Sages hanging scroll

Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

Hyakunin Isshu karuta cards — Narihira is among the poets selected for the anthology

Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

Heian court ritual scene — the elegant world of the court that Narihira inhabited

Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

Heian period court dress — the costume culture of the era Narihira lived in

Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

Heian court documents — symbol of a culture where waka poetry was central to social life

Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

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