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A Tale of Ancient Romance and the Crimson River

Today, I’d like to share a story of romance from the Heian period.

Have you heard of the famous anime "Chihayafuru"? It’s incredibly popular overseas and is one of the series leading the global interest in Japanese culture. To be honest, I haven't watched it yet! I have an image of it being a story for a female audience, but what do you think? I’m planning to give it a try after writing this blog.

The poem I want to introduce today is this:

"Chihayaburu Kamiyo mo kikazu Tatsutagawa / Karakurenai ni Mizu kukuru to wa"

This is a vivid expression of color, describing how the bright red autumn leaves floating down the river make the water look as if it has been tie-dyed (shibori-zome). Many of you might know this poem thanks to the anime.

The phrase "Kamiyo mo kikazu" means that even in the "Age of the Gods," such a beautiful sight had never been heard of. This reflects a uniquely Japanese concept: nature is not just a landscape, but something sacred where gods and spirits reside. In our culture, nature and the divine are often one and the same.

The Legendary "Playboy" and a Secret Romance

The author, Ariwara no Narihira, is known as one of the most handsome men in Japanese history—a legendary "player" of his time.

It is said that the person he dedicated this poem to was Fujiwara no Takaiko, who later became the Empress. According to the The Tales of Ise (a very old piece of Japanese literature), there is a legend that these two eloped when they were young.

Though they were eventually separated, they reunited years later. It’s a bittersweet moment between ex-lovers. Narihira composed this poem while looking at a folding screen (Byobu)—similar to a painted wallpaper—in her residence. Perhaps the intense red of the maple leaves was a metaphor for the passion they once shared.

The "Will" of Nature

The interesting part is that he didn't actually go to the Tatsuta River to write this. He used his imagination.

I want to focus on the expression of the river "dyeing" the water red. This implies an animistic view—as if nature itself has a will and is acting like a craftsman. This perspective is a core part of Eastern culture and makes this poem so fascinating.

If you have an ex-partner whom you still think of but cannot meet, perhaps reciting a poem like this to cherish those memories could be a beautiful way to find peace.