The state of Japanese poetry in the twentieth century, its high quality and individuality is clearly shown in this book. The introduction gives a brief, lucid history of poetry in Japan, with the emphasis on modern poetry. The body of the book is taken up with the translation of the work of forty–nine widely acclaimed poets: free–verse poets, tanka poets, and haiku poets. At the back are notes giving illuminating biographical and literary information about each poet.
The excellence of the translations and the lucidity of the introduction and notes make the book a treasure for poetry lovers everywhere. Poets include: