The Poems of Nakahara Chuya

Born in 1907 Nakahara Chuya was one of the most gifted and



colourful of Japan’s early modern poets. A bohemian romantic,



his death at the early age of thirty, coupled with the delicacy of his



imagery, have led to him being compared to the greatest of French symbolist poets.

Since the Second World War Nakahara’s stature has risen, and his



poetry is now ranked among the finest Japanese verse of the 20th



century. Influenced by both Symbolism and Dada, he created



lyrics renowned for their songlike eloquence, their personal



imagery and their poignant charm.







This selection of poems from throughout Nakahara’s creative life



includes collected and uncollected work and draws on recent



scholarship to give a full account of this extraordinary figure.