On the first of the fourth month, we worshiped on the sacred mountain of Nikko. In the past this mountain was written "Futarasan," but when the great master Kukai founded the temple here, he changed it to "Nikko," "light of the sun." Perhaps he foresaw the future a thousand years ahead: now the mountain's majesty shines over the realm, its blessings overflow to every corner of the land, and all the people, warriors, farmers, artisans and merchants, live in peace. To say more would be too presumptuous, so I lay down my brush.
"Ara toto / aoba wakaba no / hi no hikari" (How awe-inspiring: on the green leaves, the young leaves, the light of the sun.)
"Light of the sun" overlays the place name Nikko with the majesty of Toshogu, the shrine to Tokugawa Ieyasu.
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Mount Kurokami (Mount Nantai) was veiled in haze, with snow still lying white.
"Sorisutete / Kurokamiyama ni / koromogae" (Sora) (I shaved my head and put on black robes as I set out, and at the foot of Black Hair Mountain, it is just the day for changing into summer clothes.)
Sora's family name is Kawai, and his given name Sogoro. He lived near my hut and helped me with the cooking. Glad to see the views of Matsushima and Kisakata with me, and wishing to share the hardships of the road, he shaved his head on the morning we set out, put on black robes and changed his name to Sogo. That is why he wrote the verse about Black Hair Mountain. The word "koromogae" carries real force.
Climbing the mountain some twenty cho, we came to a waterfall. It leaps from the top of a rocky cave and drops a hundred feet into a blue pool among a thousand piled rocks. Because one creeps into the cave and sees the falls from behind, it is called Urami-no-taki, "the falls seen from behind."
"Shibaraku wa / taki ni komoru ya / ge no hajime" (For a while, shut away behind the falls: the start of the summer retreat.)