Makurakotoba Master
3-Choice Quiz
Look at the makurakotoba (pillow word) shown and choose the word it leads into from three options.
After you answer, a brief commentary on that makurakotoba will be shown.
- Questions are drawn at random from 18 classic makurakotoba.
- Whether you answer correctly or not, a commentary is shown after each question.
- Your accuracy rate and rank are shown at the end of the game.
How many questions?
What is Makurakotoba?
Makurakotoba are words used to lead into a specific following word. Most are five syllables long and are placed immediately before the word they introduce, smoothing the rhythm of a poem or lending it a certain mood.
For example, "ashihiki no" is a makurakotoba that leads into "yama" (mountain). In a line like "ashihiki no / yamadori no o no / shidario no…," the moment you hear "ashihiki no," you know a word related to "mountain" is coming next.
Many makurakotoba have no direct modern-language translation of their own; instead, their role is to shape the rhythm of a waka poem and lend it a dignified, solemn tone.
Accuracy
| Accuracy | Rank |
|---|---|
| 0–39% | Beginner |
| 40–59% | Apprentice |
| 60–79% | Poet |
| 80–99% | Master |
| 100% | Saint of Poetry |
Makurakotoba From This Round
| Q | Makurakotoba | Correct Answer | Your Answer | Result |
|---|