Fujiwara no Akinaka (藤原 顕仲; 1059–1129) was a Japanese nobleman and "waka" poet of the Heian period.
Life.
Fujiwara no Akinaka was born in Kōhei 2 (1059 in the Gregorian calendar). He was the third son of Sukenaka, a member of the Saneyori lineage (実頼流) of the Northern Branch of the Fujiwara clan. He was later adopted by Fujiwara no Motoie (died 1093), the governor of Mutsu Province. His mother was a daughter of Minamoto no Tsuneyori.
He is known as "Suke Akinaka" (佐顕仲) to distinguish him from Minamoto no Akinaka. He had various other names, such as "Katsumata no Hyōe no Suke" (勝間田兵衛佐), by which name the "Fukuro-zōshi" calls him. The latter name is a derived from a combination of his court position, "Sahyōe-no-suke", and a famous poem he composed at the "Shirakawa-den Gyokai" (白河殿御会) on Katsumata Pond (勝間田池 "Katsumata-no-ike"):
He was close friends with Minamoto no Toshiyori and Fujiwara no Mototoshi, and in addition to being a respected poet he was also known for his skill as a calligrapher and musician, but was unable to attain success due to his relatively low birth. By the end of his career, he had risen to the Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade. He held the position of Assistant Head of Left Military Guards (左兵衛佐 "sahyōe-no-suke").
According to the "Chūyūki", Akinaka died on the third day of the first month of Daiji 4 (31 January 1129). He was 71 (by Japanese reckoning).
Poetry.
The first "uta-awase" contest in which he took part was the "Sakon no Gon-Chūjō Toshitada Ason-ke Uta-awase" (左近権中将俊忠朝臣家歌合) in Chōji 1 (1104). He took part in the following poetic gatherings:
He was one of the poets of the "Horikawa-in Ontoki Hyakushu Waka" (堀河院御時百首和歌).
According to the "Yakumo Mishō", he was disappointed with the "Kin'yōshū", and in Daiji 1 (1126) compiled his own anthology, the "Ryōgyokushū" (良玉集), which is no longer extant.
18 of his poems were included in imperial anthologies from the "Kin'yōshū" on.
One famous poem of his, in which he laments his lack of success at court, is the following from the first book of miscellaneous poems in the "Kin'yōshū":
References.
Citations.
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Works cited.
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