Hyakunin Isshu Day

What Is Hyakunin Isshu Day?

Every May 27th is "Hyakunin Isshu Day" (百人一首の日, Hyakunin Isshu no Hi) in Japan. On May 27, 1235, the Heian period scholar and poet Fujiwara no Teika (藤原定家, 1162–1241) is said to have completed the "Ogura Hyakunin Isshu" (小倉百人一首, "One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets from the Ogura Mountain Villa") — the anthology of 100 tanka (31-syllable classical poems) by 100 different poets, selected from Japan's classical poetic tradition, that became the most widely known and loved poetry collection in Japanese history.

The Hyakunin Isshu: Japan's National Poetry

Fujiwara no Teika's selection of 100 poems by 100 poets spans Japanese poetry from the 7th to 13th centuries — covering the Nara, Heian, and early Kamakura periods. The poems selected represent the full range of classical Japanese poetic themes: the seasons (particularly spring and autumn), love in its various states (longing, meeting, parting, waiting), and the mono no aware sensibility (物の哀れ, the pathos of transience) that characterizes Japanese classical aesthetics at its deepest. The anthology's balance of diverse poets and themes while maintaining consistent quality of selection has made it the definitive canon of Japanese classical poetry.

The Card Game Tradition

The Hyakunin Isshu is inseparable from the competitive card game "Karuta" (かるた) — particularly "Kyōgi Karuta" (競技かるた, competitive karuta) — in which players must memorize all 100 poems and compete to grab the correct poem card the instant they hear the opening words read aloud. Competitive karuta has become a recognized sport with a national governing body, youth tournaments, and — through the popular manga and anime series "Chihayafuru" (ちはやふる) — one of Japan's fastest-growing competitive sports among young people.

Fun Facts

• First poem: The first poem in the Hyakunin Isshu is attributed to Emperor Tenji (天智天皇): "Autumn's harvest / in the temporary hut / the sleeves grow damp" — 秋の田の かりほの庵の 苫をあらみ わが衣手は 露にぬれつつ. Emperor Tenji's position as first poem reflects the collection's imperial framing.
• Chihayafuru effect: Yuki Suetsugu's manga "Chihayafuru" (2007-2022) dramatizing competitive karuta attracted millions of new fans to both the card game and classical poetry, resulting in a significant increase in youth karuta club memberships and renewed popular interest in the Hyakunin Isshu poems.