Episode 590 - An Interview with Dr. Mike Freiling

·58 min·5 clips

A former AI PhD student explains how he ended up translating classical Japanese poetry after a year in Japan.

This episode of the History of Japan podcast features an interview with Dr. Mike Freiling, a former AI PhD student and translator. Host Isaac introduces the episode as a departure from the usual format, focusing on Japanese poetry through Freiling's new book, '100 Poems from Old Japan,' a translation of the Hyakunin Isshu. Freiling recounts his personal journey, from growing up in San Francisco during the hippie movement to studying at MIT and spending a year in Japan as a Henry Luce scholar, which sparked his interest in Japanese poetry. He explains why he gravitated towards tanka over haiku, emphasizing tanka's ability to convey human drama and romantic tension with its extra two lines. The conversation shifts to Fujiwara Noteka, the compiler of the Hyakunin Isshu, detailing his role as a tastemaker during the transition from the Heian to Kamakura periods and his interactions with historical figures like Emperor Gotoba and Minamoto no Sanetomo. Freiling outlines his translation philosophy, prioritizing readability and emotional resonance over strict academic fidelity, using concepts like 'dramatic structure' and the advice to 'kill your darlings.' Several poems are analyzed, including Kino Tsurayuki's nostalgic piece about plum trees, Lady Horikawa's poem on romantic confusion that references Tsurayuki, and Seishonagon's witty exchange with a lover, illustrating the social and literary dynamics of the Heian court. The episode concludes with reflections on the universality of human experience across centuries, promoted by poetry, and details about the book's release and accompanying audio recordings.

As heard by us

A poetry interview that stays grounded in translation choices, footnotes, and allusions.

History of Japan uses this interview to make Japanese poetry feel immediate rather than remote. The host opens by saying he does not have much background in poetry, then brings in Dr. Mike Frayling and his new publication, 100 Poems from Old Japan, a Translation of a Text.

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Why you'd press play

A poetry interview where translation choices, footnotes, and self-editing do most of the work.

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