Shirome

For the 2010 Japanese film, see Shirome (film).

Shirome (白女) was a minor female Japanese waka poet, who lived during the early 10th century CE.^[1][2]

She was born in Eguchi, Settsu Province (摂津国江口, modern day Osaka) and thought to be a daughter of a minor aristocrat Settsunokuni Tamabuchi (摂津国玉淵).^[3] Her occupation was an asobi/yujo (遊女), often translated as courtesan.^[4] Later in history the terms asobi/yujo frequently indicated someone who did sex work, however during the Heian period (794-1185) the terms often referred to a woman who was trained in the art of singing and dancing - similar to the latter day Geisha.^[5] Her performance in front of an abdicated emperor is recorded in a book Okagami (大鏡), The Great Mirror, and other sources.^[6]

A poem of hers was included in the Kokin Wakashū:^[7]

If I were only sure

I could live as long as I wanted to,

I would not have to weep

at parting from you.

命だに心にかなふ物ならばなにか別れの悲しからまし