Connecting words, connecting people.

Connecting words, connecting people.

Associate professor (Japanese Medieval Literature, Renga)
IKUTA Yoshiho

I am researching renga, a literary form that became highly popular during the medieval period. While waka consists of 5-7-5-7-7 syllables, and haiku is a 5-7-5 syllable form, renga is a collaborative poetry form in which a group alternates between 5-7-5 and 7-7 syllables, continuing for a hundred verses. Collaborative poetry is quite rare globally, and my focus has been on the unique challenges arising from this collaboration, as well as the evolution of expressions and rules of renga. For example, phrases like "hana o motaseru" (to let someone have the credit) and "ageku no hate" (in the end) are believed to have originated from renga. These expressions reflect customs such as the recitation of flower poems by masters and nobles, as well as the sense of achievement after completing a hundred verses.

In recent years, I have especially focused on the renga of Mogami Yoshiaki, the first lord of the Yamagata Domain. Yoshiaki was an ardent admirer of renga, excelling in both martial and literary pursuits, and frequently participated in renga sessions with courtiers and warriors in Kyoto. These sessions took place from morning until night, lasting the whole day. The renga gatherings also served as social occasions where participants could build relationships and strengthen their bonds with their retainers. I have also presented my research findings in public lectures. The renga that Yoshiaki participated in can be seen at the Mogami Yoshiaki Historical Museum in Yamagata City. I highly recommend that you visit!

▲Mogami Yoshiaki Wielding a Baton - Reproduction of the Battle of Hasedō

▲Fusunanifune-renga on the 25th of December, the First Year of Keichō (Stored in the Mogami Yoshiaki Historical Museum)