Meisho (名所, lit. "famous places") are sites in Japan which are famous for their associations with specific poetic or literary references. Used in conjunction with utamakura, meisho add layers of allusion to poetry and literary and dramatic works which would not otherwise be present.
Many of the most famous meisho derive from references in the Genji Monogatari, Heike Monogatari, and Ise Monogatari. In addition to being referenced in poetry and lit...
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Meisho (名所, lit. "famous places") are sites in Japan which are famous for their associations with specific poetic or literary references. Used in conjunction with utamakura, meisho add layers of allusion to poetry and literary and dramatic works which would not otherwise be present.
Many of the most famous meisho derive from references in the Genji Monogatari, Heike Monogatari, and Ise Monogatari. In addition to being referenced in poetry and literature, meisho very often make appearances in Noh, kabuki, and jōruri theatre, and in ukiyo-e and other visual art forms.
One example is that of the miyakodori, or "birds of the capital", originally referenced in the Ise monogatari. As most meisho derive from Heian era source, this is among the very few which related to the Edo/Tokyo area. The protagonist of the monogatari, having been exiled from Kyoto, finds his way to the Sumidagawa in what is today Tokyo; at a particular point in the river, he spots a particular type of plovers which he...
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