Waka Techniques:
Kakekotoba and Engo
A kakekotoba (pivot word) uses words that sound alike to make a single word carry two meanings at once. Sometimes a single word is simply read in two ways at once, literally and figuratively. It lets a short poem hold two scenes at the same time — often an image from nature and a human feeling — widening the poem’s world through the association of words.
Engo (associated words) are words closely related in meaning, placed in the same poem so that they echo one another and give it a deeper, richer flavor.
In each diagram below, the kakekotoba is framed in red, with its two meanings shown beneath it. Engo are framed in green and listed under the diagram. Tap or click a diagram to open the poem’s kakekotoba game or poem page. The romaji under each line follows the old kana spelling of classical poetry, so it is not always read as written: for example, shirotahe is read shirotae, and afusaka is read Ōsaka.
Poem 1: Emperor Tenji
秋の田のakinotano かりほの庵のkarihonoihono 苫をあらみtomaoarami
- 仮庵karihoa makeshift hut
- 刈り穂karihoharvested ears of rice
我が衣手はwagakoromodeha 露にぬれつつtsuyuninuretsutsu
By the rice fields, in a makeshift hut with a loosely woven roof, my sleeves are wet with the night dew.
Kariho is a contracted reading of 仮庵 (kari-iho).
Poem 8: Priest Kisen
わが庵はwagaihoha 都の辰巳miyakonotatsumi しかぞすむshikazosumu
世をうぢ山とyooujiyamato 人はいふなりhitohaifunari
- 宇治山ujiyamaMount Uji
- 憂し山ushiyamaa mountain of sorrow (ushi: weary of the world)
My home is in the southeast of the capital, and I live here at peace. People say I moved to Mount Uji because I found the world hard to bear — but that is only what others say.
Shika zo sumu means “I live like this,” but some say it is also a kakekotoba on 鹿 (shika, deer).
Poem 9: Ono no Komachi
花の色はhananoiroha うつりにけりなutsurinikerina いたづらにitazurani
わが身よにふるwagamiyonifuru ながめせしまにnagameseshimani
- 経るfuruto pass time, to grow old
- 降るfuruto fall (of rain)
- 眺めnagamegazing absently, lost in thought
- 長雨nagamelong spring rains
Engo降る (to fall) · 長雨 (long rains)Both are words about rain.
How the beauty of the cherry blossoms faded away, soaked by the long spring rains. And just like them, my own looks have faded too, lost in a haze of endless longing.
Poem 10: Semimaru
これやこのkoreyakono 行くも帰るもyukumokaherumo わかれてはwakareteha
しるもしらぬもshirumoshiranumo 逢坂の関afusakanoseki
- 逢坂afusakaŌsaka, the barrier station
- 逢ふafuto meet
So this is it — the Barrier of Ōsaka, where those who leave and those who return, those who know each other and those who do not, all meet and part.
Ōsaka (逢坂) here is the Ōsaka Barrier, a checkpoint on the border between Yamashiro Province (around the capital, Kyoto) and Ōmi Province, at the eastern gateway of the Heian capital. It lay in what is now Ōtsu, Shiga Prefecture — not the city of Osaka (大阪).
Poem 13: Retired Emperor Yōzei
筑波嶺のtsukubaneno 峰より落つるmineyoriotsuru みなの川minanogaha
こひぞつもりてkohizotsumorite 淵となりぬるfuchitonarinuru
- 恋kohilove
- 水kohiwater (an old word read kohi)
Just as the streams from the peak of Tsukuba flow down to fill the deep pools of the Mina River, so my love for you has gathered deep within me.
The book Ogura Hyakushu Hyōshaku: Eidoku Taiyaku explains that “kohi is an old word for water, and it also carries the sense of 戀 (love).” In other words, kohi can be read as a kakekotoba on “water” and “love.”
(Reference: Satō Shigeharu (Shihō), Ogura Hyakushu Hyōshaku: Eidoku Taiyaku, Hongō Shoin, December 1904. National Diet Library Digital Collections https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/872971)
Poem 16: Middle Counselor Yukihira
立ち別れtachiwakare いなばの山のinabanoyamano 峰に生ふるmineniofuru
- 因幡inabaInaba (a province)
- 往なばinabaif I go
まつとし聞かばmatsutoshikikaba 今帰りこむimakaherikomu
- 松matsupine tree
- 待つmatsuto wait
I am leaving for the province of Inaba, where the pines grow on the mountain peak. If I hear that you are waiting for me, I will come back right away.
Poem 19: Ise
難波潟nanihagata みじかき葦のmijikakiashino ふしのまもfushinomamo
- 節の間fushinomathe short space between two joints of a reed
- わずかな時間the briefest moment
逢はでこの世をahadekonoyoo 過ぐしてよとやsugushiteyotoya
In this short life, even as brief as a joint of reed at Naniwa Bay, must I pass through this world without ever meeting you?
Poem 20: Prince Motoyoshi
わびぬればwabinureba いまはたおなじimahataonaji 難波なるnanihanaru
みをつくしてもmiotsukushitemo 逢はむとぞ思ふahamutozoomofu
- 身を尽くしmiotsukushigiving everything of myself
- 澪標miotsukushichannel markers
Since things have come to this, it no longer matters. Even if I must sacrifice everything, I still want to meet you.
Miotsukushi (澪標) were stakes set in shallow waters, where boats risked running aground, to mark channels deep enough for them to pass.
Poem 22: Fun'ya no Yasuhide
吹くからにfukukarani 秋の草木のakinokusakino しをるればshiorureba
むべ山風をmubeyamakazeo 嵐といふらむarashitoifuramu
- 嵐arashistorm
- 荒しarashilays waste
The moment the autumn wind blows, the grasses and trees wither. Now I understand why the mountain wind is called "arashi" — storm.
Arashi here refers to the wind blowing down from the mountains.
Poem 24: Kanke
このたびはkonotabiha 幣もとりあへずnusamotoriahezu 手向山tamukeyama
- 度tabithis time
- 旅tabijourney
もみぢのにしきmomijinonishiki 神のまにまにkaminomanimani
This time, setting out in haste, I could not bring any offerings. O god of Mount Tamuke, please accept instead this brocade of autumn leaves, as you will.
Poem 25: Minister of the Right of Sanjō
名にし負はばnanishiohaba 逢坂山のafusakayamano さねかづらsanekazura
- 逢坂afusakaŌsaka
- 逢ふafuto meet
- さ寝saneto sleep together
- さねかずらsanekazurasanekazura, a vine
人にしられでhitonishirarede くるよしもがなkuruyoshimogana
- 繰るkuruto reel in
- 来るkuruto come
Engoさねかずら (a vine) · 繰る (to reel in)
If the name of Ōsaka carries its meaning — then let me secretly follow the vine I draw toward me, and come to you unseen.
Ōsaka (逢坂) is the Ōsaka Barrier east of Kyoto, in today’s Ōtsu — not the city of Osaka (大阪). Because sanekazura is a climbing vine, it is an engo of kuru (to reel in).
Poem 27: Middle Counselor Kanesuke
みかの原mikanohara わきて流るるwakitenagaruru いづみ川izumigaha
- 湧きwakito gush forth
- 分きwakito divide
いつ見きとてかitsumikitoteka 恋しかるらむkohishikaruramu
Engo湧き (to gush forth) · いづみ (a spring)Both are words about water.
Like the Izumi River that wells up and flows through Mika Plain — when did I first see you, that I should long for you so?
Poem 28: Minamoto no Muneyuki Ason
山里はyamazatoha 冬ぞさびしさfuyuzosabishisa まさりけるmasarikeru
人目も草もhitomemokusamo かれぬと思へばkarenutoomoheba
- 枯れkareto wither
- 離れkareto drift apart, to stop visiting
In a mountain village, loneliness deepens in winter. Not only people disappear — the grass too withers away.
In classical Japanese, 離る is read karu.
Poem 51: Fujiwara no Sanekata Ason
かくとだにkakutodani えやはいぶきのeyahaibukino さしも草sashimogusa
- 伊吹ibukiMount Ibuki
- 言ふifuto say
さしも知らじなsashimoshirajina もゆる思ひをmoyuruomohio
- 思ひomohilonging
- 火hifire
Engoさしも草 (mugwort) · もゆる (to burn) · 火 (fire)
I cannot even tell you how I feel — like the smoldering fire of ibuki wormwood, my hidden love quietly burns.
Sashimogusa is mugwort. Because it is used in moxibustion, it is an engo of moyuru (to burn) and 火 (hi, fire).
Poem 55: Upper Counselor Kintō
滝の音はtakinootoha たえて久しくtaetehisashiku なりぬれどnarinuredo
名こそ流れてnakosonagarete なほ聞こえけれnahokikoekere
Engo滝 (waterfall) · 音 (sound) · 流れ (to flow) · 聞こえ (to be heard)滝 (waterfall) and 流れ (to flow) are linked as words about water, and 音 (sound) and 聞こえ (to be heard) as words about sound.
The sound of the waterfall has long since faded, but its name flows on and is still heard by the world.
Poem 57: Murasaki Shikibu
めぐり逢ひてmeguriahite 見しやそれともmishiyasoretomo わかぬ間にwakanumani
雲隠れにしkumogakurenishi 夜半の月かなyohanotsukikana
Engoめぐり (to go around) · 月 (moon)
We met for just a moment, yet I could not be sure it was really you — and then you vanished behind the clouds, like the midnight moon.
Because the moon waxes and wanes in a cycle, it is an engo of meguru (to go around).
Poem 58: Daini no Sanmi
ありま山arimayama 猪名の笹原inanosasahara 風吹けばkazefukeba
いでそよ人をidesoyohitoo 忘れやはするwasureyahasuru
- そよそよsoyosoyothe rustling of leaves in the wind
- そうですよ“Yes, that’s right”
When the wind blows through the bamboo groves of Arima and Ina — of course I have not forgotten you.
Poem 60: Koshikibu no Naishi
大江山ohoeyama いく野の道のikunonomichino 遠ければtohokereba
- 行くikuto go
- 生野ikunoIkuno (a place name)
まだふみもみずmadafumimomizu 天の橋立amanohashidate
- 文fumia letter
- 踏みfumisetting foot
Engo踏み (stepping) · 橋 (bridge)
The road to Oe Mountain and Ikuno is so long and far — I have not yet set foot on it, nor received a letter from my mother.
Because one treads on the boards of a bridge, fumi (stepping) and hashi (bridge) are engo.
Poem 62: Sei Shōnagon
夜をこめてyookomete 鳥のそらねはtorinosoraneha はかるともhakarutomo
よに逢坂のyoniafusakano 関は許さじsekihayurusaji
- 逢坂afusakaŌsaka
- 逢ふafuto meet
Even if you try to fool me with a crowing rooster in the night — I will not open the Barrier of Ōsaka for you.
Ōsaka (逢坂) is the Ōsaka Barrier east of Kyoto, in today’s Ōtsu — not the city of Osaka (大阪).
Poem 67: Suō no Naishi
春の夜のharunoyono 夢ばかりなるyumebakarinaru 手枕にtamakurani
かひなく立たむkahinakutatamu 名こそをしけれnakosooshikere
- 甲斐なくkahinakuin vain
- 腕（かひな）kahinaarm
In the spring night, resting my head on an arm for just a brief dream — how I grieve that my name might spread for such a fleeting thing.
Reading 腕 (arm) as kaina is rare today, but the traditional world of sumo still keeps the expression 腕 o kaesu (turning the arm), which you may still hear on sumo broadcasts.
Poem 72: Kii of Princess Yūshi's Household
音に聞くotonikiku 高師の浜のtakashinohamano あだ波はadanamiha
- 高しtakashiwell-known, famous
- 高師takashiTakashi Beach
かけじや袖のkakejiyasodeno ぬれもこそすれnuremokososure
Engo浜 (beach) · 波 (waves) · ぬれ (getting wet)All are words associated with the seashore.
I have heard how fickle the waves at Takashi Beach are. I will not let them wet my sleeves — I will keep my heart guarded.
Poem 75: Fujiwara no Mototoshi
契りおきしchigiriokishi させもが露をsasemogatsuyuo いのちにてinochinite
あはれ今年のaharekotoshino 秋もいぬめりakimoinumeri
Engoおき (to settle) · 露 (dew)
You promised me, and I staked my life on it like the morning dew on the wormwood. But another autumn is passing, alas.
Oki (to settle) is an engo of tsuyu (dew), since dew settles on things.
Poem 77: Retired Emperor Sutoku
瀬をはやみseohayami 岩にせかるるihanisekaruru 滝川のtakigahano
われても末にwaretemosueni あはむとぞ思ふahamutozoomofu
- 分かれる(the stream) splits
- 別れる(we) part
- 逢うauto meet
- 合うauto come together
Like the river that is split by rocks and flows apart — though we are separated now, I believe we will meet again in the end.
Poem 80: Horikawa, attendant to Empress Taiken
長からむnagakaramu 心もしらずkokoromoshirazu 黒髪のkurokamino
みだれてけさはmidaretekesaha 物をこそ思へmonookosoomohe
Engo長 (long) · 黒髪 (black hair) · みだれ (tangled)All are words associated with hair.
Not knowing whether your heart will last — I woke this morning with my long black hair in tangles, lost in thought.
Poem 88: Attendant to Empress Kōka
難波江のnanihaeno 葦のかりねのashinokarineno ひとよゆゑhitoyoyue
- 刈り根karinethe stubble of cut reeds
- 仮寝karinea brief sleep
- 一節hitoyothe space between two joints of a reed
- 一夜hitoyoa single night
みをつくしてやmiotsukushiteya 恋ひわたるべきkohiwatarubeki
- 身を尽くしmiotsukushigiving everything of myself
- 澪標（みおつくし）miotsukushichannel markers
Engo葦 (reeds) · 刈り根 (stubble) · 一節 (a joint of a reed) · 澪標 (channel markers)All are words associated with the reeds and waters of Naniwa Inlet.
For just one brief night together, like the cut end of a reed at Naniwa — must I go on longing for you forever?
Poem 89: Princess Shikishi
玉の緒よtamanooyo 絶えなば絶えねtaenabataene ながらへばnagaraheba
忍ぶることのshinoburukotono 弱りもぞするyowarimozosuru
Engo緒 (a cord) · 絶え (to snap) · ながらへ (to last long) · 弱り (to weaken)Tama no o (玉の緒), literally “the cord that strings jewels,” means “life.” 絶え (to snap), ながらへ (to last long) and 弱り (to weaken) are all words associated with a cord.
Let my life end now, if it must. For if I go on living, my power to endure this secret love may weaken.
Poem 91: Gokyōgoku Regent and former Chancellor of the Realm
きりぎりすkirigirisu 鳴くや霜夜のnakuyashimoyono さむしろにsamushironi
- 寒しsamushicold
- さむしろsamushiroa straw mat
衣かたしきkoromokatashiki ひとりかも寝むhitorikamonemu
On a cold, frosty night, the cricket cries. Lying alone with one sleeve folded beneath me — how lonely it is.
Samushiro is a mushiro, a coarse mat woven from straw. The sa- is a prefix that adjusts the rhythm.
Poem 95: Former Senior High Priest Jien
おほけなくohokenaku 憂き世の民にukiyonotamini おほふかなohofukana
わがたつ杣にwagatatsusomani 墨染の袖sumizomenosode
- 墨染sumizomeink-dyed (a monk’s robes)
- 住み初めsumizomehaving just begun to live (on the mountain)
Engoおほふ (to cover) · 袖 (sleeve)Sleeves are what cover and shelter, so the two words echo each other.
How bold it is of me — yet I spread my ink-black sleeves to shelter the people of this troubled world.
Poem 96: Lay Novice and former Chancellor of the Realm
花さそふhanasasofu 嵐の庭のarashinonihano 雪ならでyukinarade
ふりゆくものはfuriyukumonoha わが身なりけりwagaminarikeri
- 古りゆくfuriyukugrowing old
- 降りゆくfuriyukufalling
It is not the snow of blossoms scattered by the storm in the garden — it is I myself who am fading with the years.
Poem 97: Acting Middle Counselor Sadaie
来ぬ人をkonuhitoo まつほの浦のmatsuhonourano 夕なぎにyufunagini
- まつほの浦matsuhonouraMatsuho Bay
- 待つmatsuto wait
焼くやもしほのyakuyamoshihono 身もこがれつつmimokogaretsutsu
Engo焼く (to burn) · もしほ (seaweed burned for salt) · こがれ (to scorch, to yearn)All are words associated with fire.
Waiting for someone who will not come, at the quiet evening shore — like salt burned from the seaweed, I too am consumed by longing.
Poem 98: Junior Second Rank Ietaka
風そよぐkazesoyogu ならの小川のnaranoogahano 夕暮はyufugureha
- ならの小川naranoogahaNara-no-Ogawa (a stream)
- 楢naranara, an oak tree
みそぎぞ夏のmisogizonatsuno しるしなりけるshirushinarikeru
The breeze rustles through the leaves of the sacred oak trees by the river at dusk. The purification rite is the only sign that summer is here.
Nara-no-Ogawa is another name for the Mitarashi River, which flows through the grounds of Kamigamo Shrine. 楢 (nara) is the nara oak, so nara works as a kakekotoba on the name of the stream and the name of the tree.
Poem 100: Retired Emperor Juntoku
ももしきやmomoshikiya ふるき軒ばのfurukinokibano しのぶにもshinobunimo
- 偲ぶshinobuto long for (the past)
- 忍ぶ草（ノキシノブ）shinobugusashinobu-gusa, a fern that grows on old eaves
なほあまりあるnahoamariaru 昔なりけりmukashinarikeri
Even the ancient ferns on the old eaves of the palace — there is more than enough of the past that they call to mind.
Other Waka Techniques
- Makurakotoba (Pillow Words): Fixed five-syllable phrases such as “ashibiki no” and “hisakata no”
- Jokotoba (Preface Words): Scenes from nature that lead into the poet’s feelings