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.