Waka is a unique Japanese poetry form.
The oldest Japanese waka poem is found in the Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters), which is said to have been completed in 712 CE, as read by the legendary Japanese god Susano-onomikoto.
Ancient Japan was strongly influenced by China, and poems were composed according to Chinese classical forms. However, from around the time of the Kojiki, efforts were made to write in Japanese, and the Kokin Wakashū of the Heian period (794-1185) is said to have established waka as a uniquely Japanese form of poetry.
From the characters of Japanese mythology to the warlords of the Warring States period, from the patriarchs of the Tokugawa shogunate to the present day, waka are the wisdom and compassion of our predecessors, who lived their lives with all their hearts, and left their poems to their families, friends, and future generations.
Waka are classified into long poems, short poems, melodic poems, or haiku according to their structure, and further into categories such as celebratory poems, farewell poems, love poems, sorrowful poems, comic poems, satirical poems, and moral poems, according to their contents. Some of the more famous waka have been passed down among the general public, but the door to enjoy the poetry of the past has narrowed dramatically.
In Japan, students study Chinese poetry and waka in junior high school. Unfortunately, however, most of them only understand grammar and memorize famous waka in order to prepare for high school entrance exams. Only a small percentage of these students study for a deeper understanding or personal enrichment.
It is a shame that waka are readily available to us, but reading and understanding them is not popular. Japanese generally regard them as something academic, lofty and extended. What a waste!
I, too, am over 40 years old, and while my main occupation is graphic design, I have been involved in efforts to communicate Japanese culture to the outside world. I am a newcomer to the waka poetry scene, having first encountered and begun to feel its appeal through my consideration of what culture means.
The more I read, the more I feel as if someone from my past, whom I have never met, is my best friend or another person in my life, which is a mysterious feeling.
Through the operation of this site, we would like to make efforts to make waka more than just works of art to be loved.
We are looking forward to your comments and suggestions.