An Old Japanese Love Story

The Japanese story of Ono no Komachi is a very interesting one.  I came across this account when learning of the Jacqueline Avant collection of Japanese lacquer on display in southern California not long ago.  There was one piece, a "suzuribako," which alluded to the story of Komachi which struck my attention.  Komachi lived a life that became legendary in its popular fascination.  She was a stunning woman of incredible beauty in her youth.  A number of interested young men attempted to gain her favor.  However, Komachi was not interested in any of these men.  She was definitely someone who did not look with favor upon anyone very easily.

Then came along a suitor that caught her attention.  He was very determined to win Komachi's favor.  She informed him that if he came to visit her one hundred times as pre-arranged she would grant him what he wanted.  This man was madly in love with Komachi, so he agreed to the arrangement at once!  After many visits, there came one night when one of his parents died.  He was called away to attend to the death at once.  Therefore, he could not visit Komachi as they had arranged on this particular night.  So Komachi immediately rejected him when he did return to explain his whereabouts.

Later, this man died in great soul-wrenching agony caused by the cruel way his love had treated him.  Komachi lived beyond the age of one hundred years as a destitute, old hag.  Despite the enormous legend, there is very little in Ono no Komachi's own poetry to give us details regarding her biography.  However, there are certainly poetic subjects of the spurning of a lover and the lifelong regrets about her fading beauty.  In the end, her beauty was lost too.

Harlan Urwiler

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