Semimaru's "Osaka's rendezvous gate"
by Frank Watson


My Translation

By Semimaru

This is the place—
Of comings and goings
And partings of ways;
Of knowing and not knowing too:
Osaka’s rendezvous gate.

Original Japanese

蝉丸

これやこの
行くも帰るも
別れては
知るも知らぬも
逢坂の関

Pronunciation

Google Translator

Semimaru

Kore ya kono
Yuku mo kaeru mo
Wakarete wa
Shiru mo shiranu mo
Ousaka no seki

Literal

Semimaru

Of this and this [place]
To go and return also
To part from as for
To know and not know also
Osaka’s gate

Note: Under this older way of writing “Osaka,” it is written as 逢坂 with a different first character than the modern way, written as 大阪. By itself, the Ou in Ousaka is 逢う and pronounced Au, meaning “to meet, rendezvous, tryst, date,” thus reinforcing the meaning of the poem.
All writings and translations are Copyright © by Frank Watson, also writing as "Blue Flute" (2011-2014).
Year: 
2011