Rowing Through Mist: 1,250-Year-Old Sea Poem, Hiroshima

About the Poet

This poem appears in the Man'yōshū, Japan's oldest poetry anthology compiled around 759 CE, as an anonymous work. During the Nara period (710-784), many poems were contributed by travelers, frontier guards, and common people whose names were never recorded. These anonymous poets offer invaluable glimpses into everyday experiences of ancient Japan—the wonder of sea voyages, the loneliness of distant postings, and the beauty encountered along Japan's coastal routes. The Inland Sea region, connecting Nara's capital to western provinces, was a vital maritime highway. Poets traveling these waters captured moments of profound beauty that still resonate today. Anonymous works in the Man'yōshū remind modern visitors that poetry in ancient Japan belonged not just to aristocrats but to all who felt moved to express their experiences. When you sail the Seto Inland Sea today, you follow the same waters that inspired this unknown poet over 1,250 years ago.

Takehara, Bingo Province, Hiroshima

Takehara, once part of Bingo Province, sits along Hiroshima's stunning Seto Inland Sea coast. Known as the 'Little Kyoto of Aki,' its preserved Edo-period streetscape features white-walled sake breweries, traditional merchant houses, and winding stone paths. The Shimanami area nearby offers the famous island-hopping cycling route. Autumn brings soft mists that transform the countless islands into dreamlike silhouettes, exactly as described in this ancient poem. Visit the historic townscape preservation district, sample local sake at centuries-old breweries, and take a boat tour to experience the same island-dotted seascape the Nara-period poet described. Best visited September through November when autumn mists create ethereal mornings. The area connects easily to Onomichi and makes an ideal day trip from Hiroshima City.

Understanding the Poem

This Man'yōshū poem captures the sublime experience of sailing through Japan's Seto Inland Sea, where hundreds of islands create an ever-shifting maritime landscape. The phrase 'ochikochi' (here and there, near and far) emphasizes the disorienting beauty of islands appearing at various distances. The poet's journey culminates at Aki's Ōshima, where trailing mist (kasumi tanabiku) transforms the scene into something transcendent. In Japanese aesthetics, mist represents the boundary between visible and invisible worlds, lending spiritual depth to landscape. The active verb 'rowing' places readers directly in the boat, sharing the physical journey. This poem exemplifies the Man'yōshū's celebration of Japan's natural beauty through direct, unadorned language—a quality that distinguishes it from later, more ornate court poetry.

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