Other Cultural Topics

- Hyakunin Isshu -
Hyakunin Isshu (Hundred Poets, One Poem) is an ancient anthology of waka poems selected by Teika Fujiwara in 12th century. Waka, roughly translating "Japanese songs (Wa of WaFoo)" is Japan's most important poem form used to express all facets of human emotions including romance, sorrow, nostalgia and joy. Haiku was born from Waka as its short version.
For chanting and calligraphy for the composition When the Moon Talks, WaFoo especially picked two poems which are sung about the moon.

When I looked over the sky, there rises the moon. It should be the same moon I used to see over the Mount Mikasa in my hometown long time ago.
Abe-no Nakamaro - One of the earliest foreign students to China who could never return to Japan.

I finally met you after longing so much, but you disappeared so soon even before I recognized that it was you. You were like a mid-night's moon hidden by clouds. Murasaki-Shikibu - Female novelist who launched the 54-chaptered romantic tale, Genji Monogatari (the Tale of Genji) in 1001. She was designated by UNESCO in 1964 as one of the world's greatest people.