Nakatsusumera Mikoto

A poet in the Manyoshu. Her name is unknown. It is said to be a title of social rank or to mean "mediator." As to who she is referring to, the most popular theories are that she is either Emperor Saimei or Princess Hashihito (the daughter of Emperor Saimei and the empress of Emperor Kokutoku), but there is no consensus. However, judging from the way the inscriptions in the Manyoshu are written, it is certain that she was not treated as an emperor, so it is reasonable to assume that she was Princess Hashihito. In the Manyoshu, she left one long poem and four short poems. Her works are arranged as works from the reign of Jomei and Saimei (volume 1, poems 3-4, poems 10-12), and she is one of the leading poets of the early Manyoshu. His tanka poems, such as "In the spring, Uchi no Ohno, I lick my horses side by side, and trample on the grass in the morning" (Volume 1, Poem 4), are filled with fresh and refreshing lyricism. He is a poet who embodies the times when individuality began to emerge from popular songs.

[Kanno Shitaka]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

『万葉集』の歌人。名義は未詳。身分的呼称とも、「仲立ち」を意味するともいわれる。だれのことをさすのかという点で、斉明(さいめい)天皇説と間人皇女(はしひとのひめみこ)（斉明天皇の皇女で孝徳(こうとく)天皇の皇后）説とが有力だが、定説をみない。ただ、『万葉集』の題詞の書き方などからいえば天皇として待遇されていないことは確かなので、間人皇女とみるのが穏当か。『万葉集』には長歌一首、短歌四首を残す。作品は舒明(じょめい)朝と斉明朝の作として配列され（巻1、3～4歌、10～12歌）、初期万葉の代表的な歌人の1人。「たまきはる宇智(うち)の大野に馬並(な)めて朝踏ますらむその草深野(くさふかの)」（巻1、4歌）など、短歌には、みずみずしい清爽(せいそう)な叙情が認められる。歌謡のなかから個性の芽生えてくる時代を体現する歌人といえる。

［神野志隆光］

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