Henjō

Sōjō Henjō by Kanō Tan’yū, 1648

Sōjō Henjō (遍昭 or 遍照, 816 – February 12, 890) was a Japanese waka poet and Buddhist priest. His birth name was Yoshimine no Munesada (良岑宗貞). Thanks to a reference to him in the preface of Kokin Wakashū he is listed as one of the Six best Waka poets and one of the Thirty-six Poetry Immortals.

Henjo, Munesada by birth, was the eighth son of Dainagon Yoshimine no Yasuyo who was a son of Emperor Kammu and was relegated to civilian life. Henjo began his career as a courtier. He was appointed to the position of kurodo, a sort of Chamberlain of Emperor Nimmyō. In 849 he was raised to the Head of Kurodo (Kurōdonotō). After Emperor Nimmyo died, Henjo became a monk out of his grief.

He was a priest of the Tendai school. In 877 he founded Gankei-ji in Yamashina, in the southeast part of Kyoto. In 869 he was given another temple Urin-in in Murasakino, in the north of Kyoto and managed both temples. In 885 he was ranked in Sojo and called Kazan Sojo (花山僧正).

He was rumored to have had a love affair with the great female poet Ono no Komachi.

Thirty-five of his waka were included in the imperial anthologies of waka including Kokin Wakashū. In the preface Ki no Tsurayuki criticized him: "he knows how to construct waka, but there is less real emotion. It is like when you see a picture of a woman and it moves your heart". Henjō was famous for the following poem from the Hyakunin Isshu:

Oh stormy winds, bring up the clouds
And paint the heavens grey;
Lest these fair maids of form divine
Should angel wings display,
And fly far far away.

His son, Priest Sosei was also a waka poet and monk.