Take on the Hyakunin Isshu quiz! Guess the lower verse from the upper verse!

Keyboard playerSAKI
I’ve been playing the Electone since I was six, mainly performing Disney music, anime songs, and music from dramas and films. I post performance videos on YouTube and social media, and I also give concerts. Building on my Electone experience, I took up synthesizer and piano during my student years and performed at school-sponsored events. As a writer, I’ve covered not only music-related topics but a wide range of genres, so I hope to draw on my experience to deliver articles that make readers think, “I want to try that!” or “I want to listen to that!”

Even if you want to memorize the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu and try competitive karuta or play casual karuta, many people probably feel it seems too difficult.

So in this article, we’re introducing a Hyakunin Isshu quiz perfect for anyone who wants to give karuta a try.

It’s a quiz where you hear the first half of a poem and guess the second half, letting you enjoy Japan’s traditional culture while having fun.

Why not imagine the scenes of the poems and enjoy the world of waka with friends or family? If the quiz helps you learn the Hyakunin Isshu, be sure to try competitive karuta too!

Take on the Hyakunin Isshu quiz! Guess the lower verse from the upper verse! (11–20)

What is the concluding verse that follows “Hito wa isa kokoro mo shirazu furusato wa”?

How long I wished it would last forever.
None knows me but the flowers.
The flowers still glow with the fragrance of days long past.

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The flowers still glow with the fragrance of days long past.

A representative poet of the early Heian period, Ki no Tsurayuki, composed this poem, which is included in the Kokin Wakashū. Its meaning is: “Though people’s hearts are fickle and hard to fathom, the blossoms of my hometown still waft the same sweet fragrance as in the past.” It is a poignant verse that contrasts human transience with the unchanging beauty of nature.

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In conclusion

Through the Hyakunin Isshu quiz, were you able to feel the spirit and scenes of ancient Japan? It may also have given you a chance to revisit poems you’d memorized with the wrong pairing of upper and lower verses.

The Hyakunin Isshu quiz is great for enjoying in a spare moment or playing together with family and friends.

While savoring the world of waka, give karuta a try!