Taira no Kanemori (平兼盛)
TAIRA no Kanemori (date of birth unknown -January 21, 991) was a poet who lived in the mid-Heian period. He was one of the Thirty-six Immortal Poets. His father was TAIRA no Atsuyuki, a great-grandchild of Emperor Koko. Kanemori's date of birth is unknown, but considering his father Atsuyuki's dates of birth and death, he seems to have lived to be around eighty. He was raised to Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) in 946. In 950, he was appointed as Echizen no kuni Gon no kami (Provisional Governor of Echizen Province) and at the same time demoted from nobility to subject, given the family name of Taira. He held the following various posts: in 961 appointed as Governor of Yamashiro Province; in 964 appointed as Kenmotsu (duty); in 966 raised to Jugoinojo (Junior Fifth Rank, Upper Grade); and in 977 appointed as Governor of Suruga Province.
Kanemori is best known for his poem composed in the 'Tentoku Dairi Uta-awase,' in which he had a match with MIBU no Tadami. (The poem was chosen for Hyakunin Isshu (one hundred waka poems by one hundred poets): 'Though I try to hide it, my deep love shows in the blush on my face, and people ask me "Who are you thinking of?")
He was also known as the leading poet who took part in various utaawase (poetry contests) and uta-kai (poem competitions) such as 'Tentoku Dairi Uta-awase,' and he composed poems on folding screens. He has been known as a hero in various episodes and anecdotes. He passed away in December 990.
Kanemori's daughter (Akazome Emon) was married to OE no Masahira, therefore OE no Hiromoto and the Mori clan whose family name was OE were descended from Kanemori. When Kanemori divorced his wife, she had already been pregnant with Akazome Emon, giving birth to her after she got married to Tokimochi AKAZOME, so there is an anecdote which says that Kanemori demanded parental authority, taking it to court, although the case was dismissed.