Waka Poems by Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress and Their Imperial Highnesses the Crown Prince and Princess

Theme for the New Year's Poetry Reading (1991) : THE FOREST

His Majesty the Emperor

With the people I pray
That the forests
Our forefathers protected
May prosper
In the Land of the Rising Sun.

Her Majesty the Empress

These trees
Here in Musashino
Will grow,one day,into a forest
And stand as guardians
Of the Emperor's tomb

(On January 7th,1990,on visiting the Imperial Tomb of Musashino, Her Majesty saw planted around the tomb many trees His Late Majesty Emperor Showa particularly loved.)

His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince

On a visit to Gokayama
At the evening meal
I heard,
Resounding through the woods
The kokiriko folk-song