Background
Akazome Emon's year of birth is unknown, but she was likely born between Tentoku 1 (957) and Kōhō 1 (964). Oficially daughter of Tokimochi Akazome, she was actually the daughter of Kanemori Taira.
Akazome Emon's year of birth is unknown, but she was likely born between Tentoku 1 (957) and Kōhō 1 (964). Oficially daughter of Tokimochi Akazome, she was actually the daughter of Kanemori Taira.
Served Rinshi Fujiwara, the wife of Michinaga Fujiwara, the influential adviser to the Throne. One of the Thirty-Six Great poets of the Heian Period. One of her odes is included in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu (One Hundred Poems By One Hundred Poets), the most well-known anthology of Japan. She ranked as high in fame as Izumi Shikibu, another famous poetess. Thirty-two odes of hers are included in the Gojui-wakashu, an old anthology. There is a collection of her works called Akazome Emonshu. Some experts consider her to be the author of Eiga Monogatari, a romantic story based on the Court life in the Heian Period.