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From the poem by Yukihira, no. 876 in the Shinkokinshū: "The sleeves of the traveler have turned cold; the wind from Suma Bay blows through the pass."

A modified quotation from the poem by Hōkyō Chūmei, no. 187 in the Kin'yōshū: "Pillow of grass—as I sleep on my journey I realize I have no companion but the moon."

The words "salt sea," which can also be translated "brine," lead to mention of the brine cart even though the cart does not logically belong in the context.

From the poem by Fujiwara Takamitsu, no. 435 in the Shūishū: "In this world which seems difficult to pass through, how I envy the pure moon!"

The following description is generally inspired by the "Exile at Suma" chapter of The Tale of Genji.

Ojima is one of the islands at Matsushima, a place renowned for its scenic beauty. Both names are conventionally associated in poetry with ama, fisherwomen.

The following passage is a tsukushi, or "exhaustive enumeration," of place-names associated with the sea, including allusions and plays on words. This passage was apparently borrowed from an older work, a play called Tōei that was set by Ashinoya Bay. Michinoku is a general name for the northern end of the island of Honshu. Chika was another name for Shiogama ("Salt Kiln"), and sounds like the word meaning "near."

Akogi is the name of a stretch of shore on Ise Bay. The pulling in of the nets and the hauling of the wood for the salt kilns at Akogi were frequently mentioned in poetry.

Futami-ga-ura (Twice-See Beach) is a word evocative of Ise and often used in poetry for the meaning of its name.

Narumi was often mentioned in poetry because of its dry flats that appeared at low tide.

Ashinoya (modern Ashiya) and Naruo are two places near Suma. Ashinoya means literally "reed house."

Derived from the poem in the 87th episode of the Ise Monogatari: "At Nada by Ashinoya, I have no respite from boiling brine for salt; I have come without even putting a boxwood comb in my hair."

The line recalls the poem quoted in note 12, but it is used because

of the pivot-word tsuge no, "of boxwood," and tsuge, "to inform." Similarly, kushi sashi, "Setting a comb (in the hair)," leads into sashi-kuru nami, "in-rushing waves."

Poem no. 962 in the Kokinshū.

Derived from a poem by Fujiwara Tameuji, no. 361 in the Shingo-senshū: "The fishermen of Suma are accustomed to the moon, spending the autumn in clothes wet with waves blown by the salt wind."

Literally, "purification on the day of the serpent." The ceremony was performed on the first day of the serpent in the third month. Genji had the ceremony performed while he was at Suma. The streamers were conventional Shinto offerings.

A slightly modified quotation of the anonymous poem, no. 746 in the Kokinshū. It is also quoted in Lady Han.

The first part of a poem by Ki no Tomomori, no. 593 in the Kokinshū. The last two lines run: "When I wear it there is no instant when I do not long for him."

The first part of an anonymous poem, no. 1023 in the Kokinshū. The last part runs: "Helpless, I stay in the middle of the bed."

The river of the afterworld.

A paraphrase of the poem by Yukihira, no. 365 in the Kokinshū. Another paraphrase is given in the following speech by Murasame, and the poem is given in its correct form below. In Japanese matsu means both "pine tree" and "to wait.'

The poem by Yukihira mentioned in note 21.