King Ichihara

Dates of birth and death unknown. A poet of the Nara period. He left behind eight tanka poems in the Manyoshu. His great-grandfather Prince Shiki, grandfather Prince Kasuga, and father Prince Aki were also Manyo poets. He held the positions of Genba no Kami, Bitchu no Kami, Jibu no Taifu, and others. He was ranked as Shogoi no Ge, and is known to have lived until 763 (Tenpyo Houji 7) (Shoku Nihongi). His poems date from around 733 (Tenpyo 5) to 758 (Tenpyo Houji 2). His style of poetry is generally gentle, taking subjects from his surroundings such as banquets, but he also has some unique subjects, such as a poem lamenting his being an only child, and a poem about the scent of plum blossoms, which is common in the Heian period but unique in the Manyoshu. Furthermore, a handwritten letter signed "Ichihara" remains in Shosoin.

[Hiroshi Endo]

Smelling the fragrance of plum blossoms, I think of you even though we are far apart

"The Princes of Tenchi's Lineage, by Iekata Koreaki" (included in "Manyoshu Lecture Series 5", 1973, Yusei-do)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

生没年不詳。奈良時代の歌人。『万葉集』に短歌8首を残す。曽祖父(そうそふ)志貴皇子(しきのみこ)、祖父春日王(かすがのおおきみ)、父安貴王(あきのおおきみ)も万葉歌人。玄蕃頭(げんばのかみ)、備中守(びっちゅうのかみ)、治部大輔(じぶのたいふ)その他を歴任。位は正五位下、生存は763年（天平宝字7）まで確認できる（続日本紀(しょくにほんぎ)）。作歌は733年（天平5）ごろから758年（天平宝字2）までのもの。全体に宴席などでの身辺に題材をとった穏やかな歌風だが、ひとりっ子であることを悲しむ歌や、平安朝には多いが『万葉集』では唯一の、梅の香を歌った歌など、特異な素材の作もある。なお「市原」と署名のある自筆の書状が正倉院に残っている。

［遠藤　宏］

　梅の花香(か)をかぐはしみ遠けども心もしのに君をしそ思ふ

『維方惟章著「天智系の皇子たち」（『万葉集講座5』所収・1973・有精堂）』

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