難波津の歌

難波津の歌

Japanese

Kanji in this term
難	波	津	歌
なん > なに Grade: 6	は > わ Grade: 3	つ > づ Grade: S	うた Grade: 2
irregular	kun’yomi

Alternative spelling
難波津の歌 (kyūjitai)

Etymology

Literally “the poem of Naniwa Bay”, where Naniwa is an older name for present-day Osaka.

Proper noun

難(なに)波(わ)津(づ)の歌(うた) • (Naniwa-zu no uta) ^{←なにはづのうた (Nanifa-du no uta)?}

1. the poem traditionally attributed to Wani in the Kokin Wakashū kana preface:

   難波(なには)津(づ)に咲(さ)くやこの花冬(はなふゆ)籠(ご)もり今(いま)は春(はる)べと咲(さ)くやこの花(はな)

   Naniwa-zu ni saku ya konohana fuyugomori ima wa harube to sakuya kono hana

   Flowers are blooming [out of] hibernation at Naniwa Bay. Now it is around springtime, the flowers are in bloom!

   [Note: ko-no-hana is interchangable with この花 (kono hana, “this flower/these flowers”) and 木の花 (konohana, “flower(s) on the tree”), both pertaining to plum blossoms. In 競技カルタ (kyōgi karuta, “competitive karuta”), the opening poem changes ima wa harube to to 今を春辺と (ima o harube to, “...now that spring comes with...”)]

   Synonym: 難波津 (Naniwa-zu)