Sixteenth Night Diary - Izayoi Nikki

Written by Abutsuni, this is a travel diary of the author's journey to Kamakura in 1279 (Kōan 2) to take part in a lawsuit against her eldest son from another mother, Tameuji, for the right to inherit Hosokawa-sho in Harima Province (Hosokawa-cho, Miki City, Hyogo Prefecture) for her beloved son Tamesuke, born to her late husband Fujiwara Tameie. It consists of three parts: a prologue, an account of the journey down, an account of longing for home during a stay in Tsukikage-no-Yatsu, Kamakura, and a long poem in which the author prays to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine for victory in the lawsuit and for good governance by the shogunate. Parts 1 and 2 are thought to have been written between 1270 and 1271, while the long poem in the third part was written in the spring of 1275. The title of the book is said to have been named by later generations after the author's feelings at the time of her departure, "I have become useless, and I have nowhere to go, and the moon is calling me." Other names include "Roji no Ki," "Abutsubo no Kiko," and "Isayohi no Ki." It is characterized as the diary of a strong-willed woman supported by maternal love and the awareness of being a poet and widow, and many of the waka poems included in the Roji no Ki are also seen as intended as textbooks to teach Tamesuke and others about utamakura and how to compose them. "The spider's hand of the sagagani crosses the treacherous eight bridges at dusk." Another poem written during her stay in Kamakura, "The stealthy sound of the hototogisu in the valley of Hiki, I wonder if it will one day make its name high in the clouds," shows her true feelings. After Abutsu-ni's death, in 1289 (Shoo 2) the Hosokawa-sho lawsuit was ruled in favor of Tamesuke, but although the case continued to become complicated, in 1313 (Showa 2) it was finally decided that he was the winner.

[Miyoko Iwasa]

"Eguchi Masahiro (ed.), "The Sixteenth Night Diary: A Critical Edition and General Index" (1972, Kasama Shoin)" ▽ "Fukuda Shuichi (1972, Kadokawa Shoten), "A Study of the History of Medieval Waka Poetry" (1972, Kadokawa Shoten)" ▽ "Morimoto Motoko (1972, "The Sixteenth Night Diary: Night Crane: A Complete Translation and Annotation" (Kodansha Academic Library)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

阿仏尼(あぶつに)の著。作者が亡夫藤原為家(ためいえ)との間にもうけた愛児為相(ためすけ)のため、播磨(はりま)国細川庄(しょう)（兵庫県三木市細川町）の相続権を異腹の長子為氏(ためうじ)と争い、1279年（弘安2）訴訟のため鎌倉に下ったときの紀行的日記。序章と下向の道の記、鎌倉月影の谷(やつ)滞在中の望郷の記、勝訴を鶴岡八幡宮(つるがおかはちまんぐう)に祈り幕府の善政を願う長歌の3部からなる。1、2部は弘安(こうあん)2年から3年にかけて成ったかとみられ、第3部の長歌は5年春の作。書名は、出立に際しての心境「身をえうなきものになし果てて、ゆくりもなく、いさよふ月にさそはれ」にちなむ後人の命名ともいわれる。別名『路次記(ろじのき)』『阿仏房紀行』『いさよひの記』など。母性愛と歌道家後室の自覚とに支えられた意志的女性の日記として特色があり、道の記に収める多くの和歌は、為相らに歌枕(うたまくら)とその詠み方を教える教科書的意図をもつという見方もなされている。「ささがにの蜘蛛手(くもで)あやふき八橋(やつはし)を夕暮かけてわたりぬるかな」。また鎌倉滞在中の詠「忍び音は比企(ひき)の谷(やつ)なる時鳥(ほととぎす)雲井(くもゐ)に高くいつか名のらん」はその真情を示す。細川庄訴訟は阿仏尼の没後1289年（正応2）為相の勝訴が認められ、なお紛糾したが1313年（正和2）最終的に勝訴と決した。

［岩佐美代子］

『江口正弘編『十六夜日記　校本及び総索引』（1972・笠間書院）』▽『福田秀一著『中世和歌史の研究』（1972・角川書店）』▽『森本元子著『十六夜日記・夜の鶴　全訳注』（講談社学術文庫）』

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