Akazome Emon

Akazome Emon (赤染衛門^?, 956–1041) was a Japanese waka poet and early historian who lived in the mid-Heian period. She is a member both of the Thirty Six Elder Poetic Sages (中古三十六歌仙, Chūko Sanjūrokkasen^?) and the Thirty Six Female Poetic Sages (女房三十六歌仙, Nyōbō Sanjūrokkasen^?).

Emon is thought to be the daughter of Akazome Tokimochi, but her biological father was likely her mother's first husband, Taira Kanemori. Emon was born before her mother's marriage to Tokimochi in the Akazome family. Her husband Ōe no Masahira was a famous literary scholar, and the couple were considered to be "lovebirds" (おしどり夫婦, oshidori fūfu^?). She had two children, Ōe no Takachika and Gōjijū, and at least one grandchild, Ōe no Masafusa. In 1012, after her husband drowned, she lost her interest in religion and in raising her children.

Akazome Emon served Minamoto no Rinshi and Fujiwara no Shōshi, respectively the wife and daughter of Fujiwara no Michinaga, and she was present at the Imperial court at the same time as Izumi Shikibu. She was a contemporary of Murasaki Shikibu, who praised her writing, and Sei Shōnagon. She took part in two poetry competitions in 1035 and 1041.

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