Fujiwara no Okikaze (藤原興風)
FUJIWARA no Okikaze (year of birth and death unknown) was a Japanese noble and poet of the Heian period. He was from the Capital House of the Fujiwara clan, and he was the great-grandchild of Sangi (councillor) FUJIWARA no Hamanari. He was the son of FUJIWARA no Michinari, who was Secretary of Sagami Province. He was ranked as Shorokui (Senior Sixth Rank), and served in the Jibusho (the Ministry of Civil Administration). He is regarded as one of the medieval 36 Immortal Poets.
Taking over after his father, he was appointed to Sagami Province. He successively filled various local government posts such as Kozuke no kuni Gon no Daijo (Acting Senior Secretary of Kozuke Province) and Kazusa no kuni Gon no Daijo (Acting Senior Secretary of Kazusa Province), and ended as Shorokuinojo (Senior Sixth Rank, Upper Grade), Jibu shojo (Junior Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Administration). Although his rank was not high, he was a representative poet during the time of the "Kokin wakashu" (Collection of Ancient and Modern Poems), and participated in a lot of uta-awase (poetry contests) such as the 'Kanpyo kisai no miya no uta awase' (Empress's Contest During the Reign of the Kanpyo Emperor) and the 'Teijiin Uta-awase' (Teijiin Contest). 42 poems of his were selected for the "Kokin Wakashu" (the Collection of Ancient and Modern Japanese Poetry) and other Chokusen wakashu (anthologies of Japanese poetry compiled by Imperial command) afterwards. His personal collection "Okikaze Shu" has survived. He is said to have excelled at playing wind and string instruments.
Ogura Hyakunin Isshu (the Ogura Anthology of One Hundred Tanka-poems by One Hundred Poets)
No. 34: Who shall I become friends with, when even the pines of Takasago are not my old friends anymore? ('Kokin wakashu' Miscellaneous I, 909)