Princess Daihaku - Many Princesses

A poet of the Manyoshu. Daughter of Emperor Tenmu. Her mother was Princess Ota, the daughter of Emperor Tenji. She was the full sister of Prince Otsu. In 673, she was appointed Saigū (the Grand Princess) of Ise, and the following year she went there, and in 686 (Shuchō 1), after Prince Otsu was executed, she returned to Kyoto (Nihon Shoki). Her parents and younger brother had already died, and she spent the rest of her life alone. Six tanka poems remain in the Manyoshu. All of her works are masterpieces that express the deep love she has for Prince Otsu as her younger brother, starting with “When I send my son to Yamato, as the night draws on, I stand wet in the morning dew” (Volume 2), which vividly depicts the author standing there worrying about his younger brother who has secretly visited Ise and is returning to Kyoto.

[Hiroshi Endo]

"Prince Otsu and Princess Oku" by Kaoru Yamazaki (included in "Learning the Manyoshu Volume 2" Yuhikaku, 1977)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

『万葉集』の歌人。天武(てんむ)天皇の皇女。母は天智(てんじ)天皇皇女の大田皇女。大津皇子(おおつのおうじ)の同母姉。673年伊勢(いせ)の斎宮に定められ翌年下向、686年（朱鳥1）大津皇子の刑死後に帰京（日本書紀）。両親、弟はすでに亡く孤独の余生を送る。『万葉集』に短歌6首が残る。ひそかに伊勢へ訪ねきて京に帰る弟の身を案じながら立ち尽くす作者の姿が鮮やかに浮かび上がってくる「我が背子(せこ)を大和(やまと)へ遣(や)るとさ夜ふけて暁露(あかときつゆ)に我が立ち濡(ぬ)れし」（巻2）をはじめとして、全作品が弟としての大津皇子に対する深切な愛情を歌い込めた名歌。

［遠藤　宏］

『山崎馨著「大津皇子と大伯皇女」（『万葉集を学ぶ　第2集』所収・1977・有斐閣）』

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