A Heian Manuscript of Fujiwara no Kinto's Poetry Selection
The Poetry Contest in Fifteen Rounds (Decorated Paper) (十五番歌合（彩牋）, Jūgoban Utaawase) is a Heian-period handscroll owned by the Maeda Ikutokukai (Sonkeikaku Bunko) in Meguro, Tokyo, which in 1951 was designated a National Treasure.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as one scroll of calligraphy from the Heian period. The word saisen in its name indicates that it is written on decorated paper.
In its description of a related manuscript, the Agency describes the Sonkeikaku Bunko scroll as a Heian-period calligraphy attributed to Fujiwara no Kinto, surviving as a fragment of only eight poems.
The Work
According to the Agency, the Poetry Contest in Fifteen Rounds is an anthology of fine poems: one poem each by 30 poets of earlier times, paired left and right in the format of a poetry contest of fifteen rounds.
The compiler is taken to be the courtier Fujiwara no Kinto (966 to 1041), because the preface to the Goshui Wakashu says that after selecting the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets he passed down a contest of fifteen pairs. It is thought to date from around 1008.
Two such selections were made at about the same time, known as the Earlier and Later Fifteen-Round Contests according to the age of the poets chosen. The earlier one pairs Ki no Tsurayuki with Oshikochi no Mitsune in the first round and Sosei with Ise in the second, and ends with Kakinomoto no Hitomaro against Yamabe no Akahito. It is read as Kinto's own judgement of poetry, set out in contest form.
Why It Matters
Among the surviving texts of the Earlier Fifteen-Round Contest, the Agency lists first the Poetry Contest in Fifteen Rounds attributed to Kinto at Sonkeikaku Bunko. Most other copies date from the Edo period; this one survives as Heian calligraphy.
Two detached sheets from the same series are known, one with the second round (Fujita Museum) and one with the sixth (Setsu Iwao collection), and both are designated nationally. Pieces cut from a single scroll have come down to separate owners.
What to Look For
In front of the scroll, look first at the paper. As the word saisen in its name indicates, it is written on decorated sheets.
Then follow the paired poems. Since only eight survive, check against the exhibition label or catalogue which rounds and which poets remain.
Seeing the Poetry Contest in Fifteen Rounds
The owner, the Maeda Ikutokukai, states on its website that it has no display facility of its own and that its holdings can be seen throughout the year at the Seisonkaku and the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art in Kanazawa. Which works are shown, and when, must be checked with those venues, and the Poetry Contest in Fifteen Rounds is not on permanent view.
The Maeda Ikutokukai is at 4-3-55 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo, and the Sonkeikaku Bunko is not open to the general public. To see the scroll, watch the exhibition schedule of the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art and exhibitions at other museums.
Q&A
- Where is the Poetry Contest in Fifteen Rounds kept?
- It is owned by the Maeda Ikutokukai (Sonkeikaku Bunko) in Meguro, Tokyo.
- What is the Poetry Contest in Fifteen Rounds?
- An anthology pairing one poem each by 30 earlier poets in fifteen rounds, attributed to the compiler Fujiwara no Kinto.
- When was the Poetry Contest in Fifteen Rounds designated a National Treasure?
- On 9 June 1951.
- How many poems survive in the Maeda scroll?
- According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, only eight.
- Can I see the Poetry Contest in Fifteen Rounds?
- It is not on permanent display; Maeda holdings are shown at the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art and elsewhere, so check exhibition schedules.
Basic Information
| Name | Poetry Contest in Fifteen Rounds (Decorated Paper) (十五番歌合（彩牋）) |
|---|---|
| Location | Maeda Ikutokukai, 4-3-55 Komaba, Meguro City, Tokyo |
| Designation | National Treasure (calligraphy and books) |
| Year Designated | Designated 1951/6/9 (Showa 26) |
| Quantity | 1 scroll |
| Dimensions | Not recorded in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Owner | Maeda Ikutokukai |
| Public Access | Not on permanent display; shown in exhibitions |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Poetry Contest in Fifteen Rounds (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/201/567
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Earlier Fifteen-Round Poetry Contest, with a description of this scroll (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/201/00010697
- Cultural Heritage Online: Earlier Fifteen-Round Poetry Contest (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/199126
Last verified: 2026.09.27