Introduction
The New Poetry Society, with the Myojo as its organ, was founded by Hiroshi Yosano in April, 1900, in an attempt to reanimate the tradition of poetry, which, as an “artifact” or a thing made, had degenerated into a mere choosing and arranging of words. Judged by its external result, reasonableness and good taste were the only criteria, and poetry as an activity of the mind was forgotten. Now the purpose of the New Society was to glorify love and beauty and give expression to the larger and more stirring experiences of life. Western romanticism advocated by Professor Naobumi Ochiai (1861–1903) was influential in furthering innovations, but his background was too deeply rooted in the classical tradition and his personality too retiring to lead the new literary revolt. It took such a militant reformer as Hiroshi Yosano, an ex-Buddhist priest, a school teacher, and a patriot, who described himself as “too passionate to be a successful lover and too original to be
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