In this work, Ishikawa transcribes two poems each from the beginning and the end of the Man’yōshū, written solely in kanji, with periods at the lower right of some characters indicating the end of each poem. The first two poems are chōka (long poems) by Emperor Yūryaku and Emperor Jomei from the opening of the first volume. The calligrapher himself provides an insightful explanation of their content:

The first poem, “Komoyo mikomochi…,” is an invocation of the Shinto gods. It reflects the emperor’s pure role as a minister of the sacred. The second poem, about climbing a mountain to view the land, is a political poem in which the emperor ascertains his power in ancient times. (Reading the Man’yōshū in Man’yōgana)

By contrast, the latter part of Four Poems from the Man’yōshū features two poems by Ōtomo no Yakamochi who belonged to the latest generation among the poets featured in the Man’yōshū and was a representative poet of them. These poems are taken from the conclusion of the final, twentieth volume. The aforementioned Reading the Man’yōshū in Man’yōgana is a book that meticulously studies the Man’yōshū from the point of writing characters. Through these explorations, Ishikawa reached the following insight:

The way one applies and releases pressure in each stroke, the tactile sense derived from force and vector, forms a single brushstroke. These brushstrokes jointly give the character its shape. It is only through a certain tactile sense, supported by the force and vector of writing, that literature—be it Japanese or Chinese poems, or prose writing—comes into being. (ibid.)

Ishikawa Kyuyoh (calligrapher; b. 1945)

Born in Fukui Prefecture, Japan in 1945. Graduated from the Faculty of Law at Kyoto University. After serving as a professor at Kyoto Seika University and the director of the Institute for Writing and Civilizations, he is now an emeritus professor at the same university. Ishikawa has elucidated the concept that "calligraphy is the art of brush touch (using the term 'taction')," and interprets the structure and history of calligraphy. As a critic, he is also active in discussions on the Japanese language and culture, which have had a significant impact across various fields. In both his artistic creations and written works, Ishikawa continues to produce cutting-edge expressions and insights. His body of work includes over 2,000 calligraphic pieces and more than 100 published books.