Taking inspiration from 18th century verse, Emperor
Akihito spoke movingly about Okinawa in reciting his poem for the annual
New Year Poetry Reading Ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on
Jan. 16.
Traditional "waka" poems written by imperial family members,
as well as 10 works selected from 18,399 entries from the public, were
read aloud as is the custom for the Utakai Hajime ceremony.
This year's theme was "ritsu" (stand).
The poem by Akihito read: "Manzamo ni/ Mukashi wo shinobi/ Meguri yukeba/ Agata Onnadake/ Saya ni tachitari."
A translation provided by the Imperial Household Agency was
as follows: Thinking of the past/ I walk around Manzamo/ Lo in the
distance/ I see Mount Onnadake/ Standing still and clear.
The imperial couple visited Okinawa Prefecture in November.
According to the Imperial Household Agency, the inspiration for the poem
came from a visit to Manzamo in the village of Onna, where Akihito
reflected on verse written about the area and Mount Onnadake during the
18th century in the Ryukyu kingdom, as Okinawa was then known.
According to the Imperial Household Agency, Empress Michiko's
poem reflected her feelings in the aftermath of heart bypass surgery
undergone by her husband last year. After the operation in February,
Akihito required procedures to remove fluids from his chest cavity.
Michiko's poem reflects her dependence on advice from doctors
that the emperor's condition would improve when spring came. Her work
describes her feelings when spring is at long last around the corner.
Her poem read: " Ametsuchi ni/ Kizashi kitareru/ Mono arite/
Kimi ga haruno ni/ Tatasu hi chikashi" (Something in the air/ Showing
the first signs of spring/ Ah, the day is nigh/ When His Majesty can
step out/ And stand in the budding field).
