There was a tanka poet named Yoshitaka Watanabe. He was born in Amakusa, Kumamoto Prefecture in 1898 (the 31st year of Meiji). After graduating from elementary school, he left for Taiwan to work for a newspaper. With the opening of its branch at Hualian Port, he was transferred there. Soon after that, toward the end of 1926 (the 1st year of Showa) he established a tanka club by the name of "Ajisai" (hydrangeas) and in April of the following year he published a periodical called Ajisai. Unfortunately, there are no places in Japan now where copies of Ajisai are left available. The only place I know that has copies of Ajisai is the library of Taiwan University. I set about collecting his writings in Taiwan. This article is a progress report on this work and an attempt as well to reproduce his life (including his activities) in Taiwan through his literary works.
歌人"渡辺よしたか"の生涯と作品(上)
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