Chouyaku Hyakuninisshu: Uta Koi.

Behind poems passed from one generation to the next are people negotiating affection in a world shaped by court rank, family duty, and separation. Fujiwara no Teika offers a window onto their encounters, where a few carefully chosen lines can convey feelings that cannot be spoken openly.

Some lovers struggle against differences in status, while others confront absence, obligation, or an approaching farewell. Their circumstances vary, but poetry becomes a way to preserve an experience and reach someone whom ordinary life may keep beyond their grasp.