Child of a high and shining sun

Gave beginning to a great palace

On the Fuji-well plain (1)

And standing on the Haniyasu embankment

She looked and saw

Green Kaguyama of Yamato

Spring hill standing luxuriant

Before the eastern gate;

Miminashi. green and pure, seen to stand

Well-proportioned, divine,

Behind the gate at the rear;

And the celebrated hills of Yoshino

Far away at the very seat of the clouds

In the direction of the front gate.

Water from this high-ruling place,

Shelter from the sky

A nd possessed of the heaven-knowing

Radiance of the sun

May it be everlasting

This fine clear water of the palace well.

Man'yoshu 52

(accompanying tanka)

How indeed one may be envious

Of those court maidens

Born successively to serve

At the great palace of Fujiwara

Man'yoshu 53

(1)
The locality seems originally to have been
called Fujiigahara, or "plain of the wisteria
well." Later taking the simpler name of
Fujiwara, or "wisteria plain."