Early Women Writers

Junii Tameko (Kyogoku, Fujiwara Tameko)

Heian-kyo (modern day Kyoto)

1250- after 1315

Junii Tameko was the daughter of Kyogoku Tamenori -- the founder of the Kyogoku school of poetry. In fact, Tameko was placed through immediate family directly into a three way rivaly of poetic schools. Tameko's grandfather, Fujiwara no Tameie, divided his estate amongst three sons, sparking rivalry, and each of the sons went on to found a school of poetry: Nijo Tameuji, Reizei Tamesuke and Kyogoku Tamenori. Tameko contributed sixty poems to the Gyokuyoshu; moreover, she had a significant role compiling the anthology -- perhaps the first time a woman participated in the compilation of an imperial anthology. [Source:Mulhern, Chieko Irie. Japanese Women Writers: a Bio-critical Sourcebook. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1994.]

To Dainagon Tenshi Kashu, compiled the Gyokuyō Wakashū, poetry

Japanese

Poetry

Brower, Robert H., and Earl Miner. Japanese Court Poetry. Stanford, CA: Stanford UP, 1961. ; Carter, Steven D. Waiting for the Wind: Thirty-Six Poets of Japan's Late Medieval Age. New York: Columbia UP, 1989. 110-119. ; Huey, Robert N. Kyogoku Tamekane: Poetry and Politics in Late Kamakura Japan. Stanford, CA: Stanford UP, 1989.