The Form and Prosody of Tanka — 31 Syllables of 5-7-5-7-7, Syllables, Rhythm, Irregularity

The Basic Form of Tanka — 5-7-5-7-7

The basic form of tanka is 5-7-5-7-7 = 31 syllables (mora) in total. It is divided into and called by five phrases (ku):

Phrase	Syllables	Name
1st	5	shoku / kami-go
2nd	7	naka-shichi
3rd	5	shimo-go
4th	7	4th phrase
5th	7	kekku / shimo-shichi

Also called “misohitomoji” (thirty-one letters) or “misohito.” This is the longest-lasting form among Japanese poems from antiquity.

The Difference Between “Syllable” and “Mora”

To correctly understand the syllable count of tanka, one must know the difference between syllable and mora.

How to Count Mora

In Japanese tanka, one counts by the unit called mora:

• 1 beat = 1 mora
• 1 palatalized sound (kya, shu, cho, etc.) = 1 mora
• 1 geminate consonant (little tsu っ) = 1 mora
• 1 syllabic n (ん) = 1 mora
• 1 long vowel (ー) = 1 mora

Concrete Examples

• “Tōkyō” = to-u-kyo-u = 4 mora
• “Gakkō” = ga-k-ko-u = 4 mora
• “Sanma” (Pacific saury) = sa-n-ma = 3 mora

This differs from English syllables. English “Tokyo” is 2 syllables; Japanese “tōkyō” is 4 mora. This difference is what makes syllable adjustment difficult in English haiku and tanka translation.

Syllable Calculation in Tanka

“Tōkai no / kojima no iso no / shirasuna ni / ware naki nurete / kani to tawamuru” (Ishikawa Takuboku, Ichiaku no Suna)

• tōkai no = 5 mora
• kojima no iso no = 7 mora
• shirasuna ni = 5 mora
• ware naki nurete = 7 mora
• kani to tawamuru = 7 mora

Total = 5-7-5-7-7 = 31 mora, fitting the fixed form of tanka exactly.

Goshichi-chō and Shichigo-chō — Contrast of Rhythm

Depending on where the 31 syllables are cut, the rhythm changes:

Goshichi-chō — the Rhythm of the Man’yōshū

Cut at 5-7 / 5-7 / 7:

• 1st and 2nd phrases (5-7)
• 3rd and 4th phrases (5-7)
• 5th phrase (7)

This is the basic rhythm of the Man’yōshū. Powerful and declamatory, suited to being sung out loud.

Shichigo-chō — the Rhythm from the Kokinshū Onward

Cut at 5 / 7-5 / 7-7:

• 1st phrase (5)
• 2nd and 3rd phrases (7-5)
• 4th and 5th phrases (7-7)

This is the rhythm from the Kokin Wakashū onward. Delicate, inward, and suited to the technical Heian aesthetic.

The Meaning of the Rhythm Change

The change of rhythm from Man’yō to Kokin (goshichi-chō → shichigo-chō) is not simply a change in how one cuts, but reflects:

• A change in aesthetic from Man’yō style (powerful) → Kokin style (delicate)
• A change from declamation culture → writing culture (sung with voice → read on paper)
• Internalization brought by the maturation of aristocratic society

Kamo no Mabuchi contrasted these as “masuraoburi” (goshichi-chō, Man’yō) and “taoyameburi” (shichigo-chō, Kokin).

Irregularity — Breaking the Fixed Form

The 5-7-5-7-7 of tanka is a strict rule, but in fact it is allowed to subtly break it (irregularity).

Ji-amari (Syllabic Overflow)

Irregularity where there are extra syllables. Examples:

• 5 → 6: easy to overflow after a pillow-word such as “hisakata no”
• Overflow of the middle 7 or lower 7 to 8 has an effect of emphasizing feeling

Example: “Hisakata no / hikari nodokeki / haru no hi ni / shizu-gokoro naku / hana no chiruramu” (Ki no Tomonori)

• “Hana no chiruramu” is precisely 7 syllables (ha-na-no-chi-ru-ra-mu)

Example with overflow: “Aka-aka to / ippon no michi / tōritari / tama-kiwaru / waga inochi nari keri” (Saitō Mokichi)

• “Aka-aka to” = 5 syllables (regular)
• “Ippon no michi” = 6 syllables (ji-amari, on the border of 6-7)
• “Tama-kiwaru” = 5 syllables
• “Waga inochi nari keri” = 8 syllables (ji-amari, from an expected 7)

Ji-amari is used intentionally to add the weight of feeling.

Ji-tarazu (Syllabic Shortfall)

Irregularity with fewer syllables. Rarer than ji-amari. Examples:

• 5 → 4: rare
• 7 → 6: possible

Ji-tarazu has the effect of halting the rhythm and is rarely used deliberately.

Hachō (Broken Rhythm)

Irregularity that breaks the syllable count greatly. Used consciously since avant-garde tanka. Example:

Tsukamoto Kunio: “Nihon dasshutsu shitashi / kōtei penguin mo / kōtei penguin shiiku-gakari mo”

• “Nihon dasshutsu shitashi” = 8 mora (upper 5 is 8)
• “Kōtei penguin mo” = 9 mora (middle 7 is 9)
• “Kōtei penguin shiiku-gakari mo” = 12 mora (lower 7 is 12)

This is a deliberate broken rhythm. By not keeping the fixed form, he expresses the chaos of postwar.

Terayama Shūji: “Matchi suru / tsukanoma umi ni / kiri fukashi / mi sutsuru hodo no / sokoku wa ari ya”

• Keeps the fixed form, but the question “sokoku wa ari ya” is impressive.

The Effect of Sound — The Musicality of Tanka

Tanka is also poetry to be recited by voice. The effect of sound cannot be ignored:

Head Rhyme (Tōin) — the heads of each phrase are the same sound

Example: “Hisakata no / hikari nodokeki / haru no hi ni / shizu-gokoro naku / hana no chiruramu” — the sound “hi” repeats (hikari nodokeki, haru no hi)

End Rhyme

Not much used in waka, but sometimes intentionally rhymed at the end.

Continuous Vowels

“Aka-aka to / ippon no michi / tōritari” — the continuation of the “a” sound creates power.

Balance of Voiced and Voiceless Sounds

• Voiceless (ka, sa, ta, na) — bright and light
• Voiced (ga, za, da, ba) — heavy and thick

Poets deliberately arrange voiceless and voiced sounds.

The Form of Modern Colloquial Tanka

In modern colloquial tanka (Tawara Machi, Homura Hiroshi, Kinoshita Tatsuya), the basic 5-7-5-7-7 is preserved. But with subtle differences:

Tawara Machi’s Faithful Fixed Form

“Kono aji ga / ii ne to kimi ga / itta kara / shichigatsu muika wa / sarada kinenbi”

• Strictly keeps 5-7-5-7-7
• Colloquial, but the syllabic skeleton is complete

Homura Hiroshi’s Slight Ji-amari

“Sabanna no / zō no unko yo / kiite kure / darui setsunai / kowai samishii”

• “Darui setsunai” = 7 mora
• “Kowai samishii” = 7 mora
• Keeps the form, but flows without punctuation because it’s colloquial

Kinoshita Tatsuya’s Soft Irregularity

“Shiroi hikari tte nani tte kikaretara / yama no yuki yori shiroi yo tte kotaeru”

• Syllable count is a little large, but the flow is easy to read
• Prioritizes the rhythm of the colloquial and adjusts the fixed form

Tanka Syllable Counts and the Difficulty of English Translation

When translating Japanese tanka (31 mora) → English, counting in English syllables:

• 31 mora ≈ 15-25 syllables
• If one keeps 5-7-5-7-7 syllables in English, the content becomes thin

Therefore modern English tanka translation:

• Does not keep syllable count (translates freely)
• Prioritizes semantic equivalence
• Makes an English poetic rhythm

The same problem as with haiku translation. The fixed form differs by language.

Historical Change of Prosody

Tanka prosody has changed over 1200 years:

Man’yōshū (8th c.)

• Goshichi-chō (5-7 / 5-7 / 7 rhythm)
• Declamation culture, sung by voice
• Makurakotoba and jokotoba are used heavily

Kokin Wakashū (10th c.)

• Shift to shichigo-chō (5 / 7-5 / 7-7)
• Maturation of writing culture, read on paper
• Kakekotoba and engo develop

Shinkokin Wakashū (13th c.)

• Completion of shichigo-chō
• Honka-dori gives multi-layered prosody
• Sonic layering of yūgen and yojō

Meiji-Shōwa (Since Shiki)

• With the thought of shasei, the syllable count is kept but technique is removed
• The mingling of colloquial (Takuboku’s three-line writing)

Avant-Garde Tanka (1950-)

• Deliberate use of broken rhythm
• Tsukamoto’s 8-9-mora irregularities

Modern Colloquial (1987-)

• Keeps the basic 5-7-5-7-7
• Easy to read with the colloquial rhythm
• Fits Twitter’s 140 characters

Forms Kept by Modern Tanka Poets

The mainstream views today:

Position of the “Keepers”

• 5-7-5-7-7 must be absolutely kept
• Irregularity in principle not allowed
• Attitude of the Araragi school and traditionalists

Position of the “Flexible”

• Basically keep, but subtle ji-amari and ji-tarazu are OK
• Deliberate irregularity to emphasize feeling
• Homura Hiroshi, Kinoshita Tatsuya — the modern mainstream

Position of the “Free”

• Irregularity and broken rhythm also freely
• The lineage of Tsukamoto Kunio
• A minority, but experimental

The Meaning of “Shortness”

The shortness of 31 syllables is an essential feature of tanka. This:

1. Ease of Memorization

31 syllables are near the upper limit of what a human can memorize at one time. That is why the Hyakunin Isshu can be memorized.

2. Ease of Utterance

The rhythm of 5-7-5-7-7 fits Japanese breathing. It is easy to read aloud.

3. Concentration of Feeling

Precisely because the syllable count is limited, one carves feeling with carefully chosen words. Redundancy is not allowed.

4. Possibility of Joint Composition

Because it is short, one can compose alternately in a za (the place of renga). This is the ground of medieval renga.

The Origin of 5-7-5-7-7

Why 5-7-5-7-7? The clear reason is unknown, but there are several theories:

1. The Natural Rhythm of Japanese

Japanese is a mora-timed language, and the rhythm of 5 and 7 is said to fit breathing. In fact, everyday phrases such as “arigatō gozaimashita” (10 mora) contain the 5-7 rhythm.

2. Influence of Chinese Five-Character / Seven-Character Quatrains

The theory that Chinese five-character and seven-character quatrains were transmitted to Japan and combined into 5 and 7. But Chinese poetry counts by syllable, and Japanese tanka by mora, so it is not simply an influence.

3. Theory of Ritual Numbers

The theory that in ancient Japan’s ritual, 5 and 7 were special numbers. The 5-7 rhythm also appears in Shinto norito.

Today it is thought that these formed 5-7-5-7-7 in combination.

Comparison of Tanka with Other Japanese Poetic Forms

Form	Syllables	Origin	Feature
Tanka	5-7-5-7-7 = 31	Man’yōshū (8th c.)	Mainstream since Heian
Haiku	5-7-5 = 17	Bashō (17th c.), Shiki (19th c.)	Independence of the hokku of tanka
Renga	5-7-5 + 7-7 → 5-7-5 + …	Heian-Muromachi	Joint composition
Senryū	5-7-5 = 17	Edo (18th c.)	Comic, no season word
Chōka	repeated 5-7 + 5-7-7	Man’yōshū	Only in Man’yō, then died out
New-style poetry	free	Meiji (1882)	The prototype of modern free verse
Free-rhythm tanka	no fixed form	Shōwa (Takuboku, etc.)	Minority

Among Japanese poetic forms, tanka has the longest-continuing fixed form. It has kept 5-7-5-7-7 for over 1200 years.

Form vs. Content in Tanka

Since Meiji, there has been a debate of form emphasis vs. content emphasis:

Form Emphasis (Araragi and Traditionalists)

• 5-7-5-7-7 is absolute
• Irregularity is not allowed
• The inheritance of technique is important

Content Emphasis (Avant-Garde and Modern)

• The form is a guideline; the content has priority
• Irregularity is free
• The expression of the age is important

Today’s mainstream is a compromise of “keep the form, but treat the content freely.” Tawara Machi, Homura Hiroshi, and Kinoshita Tatsuya keep the fixed form while singing of the modern.

From This Article to the Next

We have treated the techniques and forms of tanka. Last, we look at what is in modern Japan the most formal place of tanka — the Imperial House and Utakai-hajime. The traditional ceremony held every New Year by the Emperor, Empress, and Imperial Family, its history of over 1200 years, its modern significance — the final article traces these.