One Hundred Poems from Old Japan: A New Translation of the Hyakunin Isshu [With Free Online Audio Recordings]

by Michael Freiling (Translator), Fujiwara no Teika (compiler)

Genres: Poetry

128 pages, Hardcover

Published August 26, 2025

Reviews

[J.M · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a great experience listening to the audio while reading the poems.

My only gripe is that the pictures do not seem related to the poems despite what the introduction says.

[Honeypie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading these poems. Although a lot were about the theme of love that I couldn't relate with, I still think they were written beautifully.

I just hope that there was a bit of an explanation or background to explain the poems, especially as to how it relates to the different places and areas mentioned around Japan.

---

8. The Priest Kisen

My mountain heritage
southeast of Miyako-
such a simple life I lead

on Uji, hill of sadness,
say people down below

---

34. Fujiwara no Okikaze

Has not one of all
my long-time friends stayed on?

These pines of Takasago
as ancient as myself-
if only they'd converse with me!

---

82. The Monk Doin

That life is but an illusion
and thinking merely futile,
I do maintain-

but why then these tears
I cannot stop from falling?

[Isen · Rating 4 out of 5]

One Hundred Poems from Old Japan is a translation of the Hyakunin Isshu. It consists of a short preface about the role of poetry in the Heian period and brief notes about some of the poets in the collection, followed by the one hundred poems themselves. Each poem is given in English, Japanese, and a Romaji transcription, and is accompanied by an Ukiyo-E illustration.

It's a beautifully presented book, in hardcover and full colour. In honesty I found it difficult seeing the connection between the picture and the poem in most cases, but apparently these woodblocks were specifically carved with the poems in mind, so I'll just have to assume the illustrators understood the collection better than I did. The translator made the explicit decision not to explain any of the poems and leave them as is. I was a bit concerned about this choice since I figured the poems would have complex histories attached, and some indeed do, but it turns out the majority are on universal themes so it really doesn't matter who wrote it, when, and for whom. Nevertheless, I do suggest reading it with your phone nearby, because some of the metaphors need context a non-Japanese reader is unlikely to have.

The English translations vary in their effectiveness. Some are quite moving, while others are puzzling in their clumsiness, given how many decent renditions a Google search churns up. Nevertheless, if you're looking for just one book of Japanese poetry to grace your shelf, this could very well be it. Beautiful, canonical, and short enough to not outstay its welcome.

[Jacob D. Salzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a high-quality translation of the ancient Japanese waka poems (now known as tanka) by Michael Freiling. In addition to the translations, woodblock prints are featured on the adjacent page of each poem. This book transports us back in time, into the hearts and minds of poets living in Japan in the 13th century, yet their emotional lives are still relatable today. For anyone interested in Japanese poetry, Japanese literature, and history, I highly recommend this book.

Reviewed by Jacob D. Salzer, author of Sea Wind: Haiku (Lulu, 2025), My First Trip to Japan (Lulu, 2025), A Lost Prophet: Haiku & Tanka (Brooks Books, 2024), and Unplugged- Haiku & Tanka (Lulu, 2022)

[Joe Cahill · Rating 5 out of 5]

忘れらるる
身をば思はず
誓ひてし
人の命の
惜しくもあるかな

Go ahead, forget me,
I'll surviveー

but will the gods
forget the vow you made
and let you off so easily?

[Rusty Bentley · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful book! And the fact that audio recordings are freely available was an unexpected extra bonus!