Book
A brief history of early Okinawa based on the Omoro Soshi
Honpo Shoseki Press • Tokyo, Japan • Published In 1987 • Pages:
By: Sakihara, Mitsugu.
Abstract
The 'Omoro Soshi,' or the 'Anthology of Poems and Sentiments.' is a collection of songs, poems, and prayers compiled during Okinawa's Golden Age, the period following the island's unification in 1422 and ending with the invasion by the Japanese warlord Satsuma in 1609. The 22-volume work lists a total of 1,552 poems. Sakihara has selected 70 poems on the subjects of myths, village life, and the urban life of the gentry. Some specific titles are 'Rice Ear Ceremony,' 'Dancing Priestess,' 'In Praise of the Sunrise,' 'Launching Ceremony,' 'Building Granaries,' 'Castle of Ezo,' 'Trade at Lower Ishiki,' 'Springtime on the Coast of Hyakuna,' and 'Mounted Young Lord.' Most poems are brief, not more than 20 lines. Sakihara does an excellent job annotating and commenting on each poem to reveal the life and times of the period, as well as, provide clues to Okinawa prehistory.
- HRAF PubDate
- 2000
- Region
- Asia
- Sub Region
- East Asia
- Document Type
- Book
- Evaluation
- Creator Type
- Historian
- Document Rating
- 4: Excellent Secondary Data
- Analyst
- Ian Skoggard;2000
- Field Date
- Not Specified
- Coverage Date
- 1100-1600
- Coverage Place
- Okinawa, Japan
- Notes
- by Mitsugu Sakihara
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 211-217; 229-245)
- LCSH
- Ryukyuans