Kaedehara Kazuha and Manyo-Shu

As the first playable character from Inazuma, Kaedehara Kazuha has been widely praised, not only because of his unique function, but also because of his characteristics and stories. Take his voice-over as an example, many of his words are inspired by the famous collection of Japanese waka (poetry in classical Japanese), Manyo-Shu (万葉集).

Fallen leaves, adorn my night!

The sentence will be said by Kazuha when using the elemental burst, which gains inspiration from Manyo-Shu 8:1586,
黄葉乎 落巻惜見 手折来而 今夜挿頭津 何物可将念
(The red leaves have fallen from the maple, and I am so regretful; Tonight I pick them up on me, no more yearnings there should be.)

Clouds hide, the birds call!

It is also an elemental-burst line, derived from Manyo-Shu 9: 1703,
雲隠 鴈鳴時 秋山 黄葉片待 時者雖過
(Clouds are hiding as if shy, the geese are calling in the sky; I am waiting for the red leaves on the mountain, but it has passed the maple season.)

As one with wind and cloud!

There are three lines for Kazuha when using his elemental burst in total, and this is the last one, which can be related to Manyo-Shu 12:3178,
國遠見 念勿和備曽 風之共 雲之行如 言者将通
(So far away from hometown, but don't feel homesick; With help of the wind and cloud, they will send your messages quick)

I hear a storm strike far and distant, with only a whisper light and faint. From the sky there falls no rain, thus here I shall still remain.

This line appears in the official introduction of Kaedehara Kazuha, the meaning of which is similar to what is conveyed by Manyo-Shu 11: 2513/2514
雷神 小動 刺雲 雨零耶 君将留
雷神 小動 雖不零 吾将留 妹留者
(Thunder appalls, a storm not far away; I wish the rain falls, so that you could stay.
Thunders appall, but there is no rain; I will stay after all, since you wish me remain.)

Much Japanese literature like discussing the deep feeling or pathos of things, which is also called "mono no aware", and the very first appearance of mono no aware is also in Manyo-Shu. Perhaps Kaedehara Kazuha was originally designed to embody mono no aware, but the character is now more modernized. He yearns for peace and dislikes conflicts, such thoughts are becoming more and more valuable now, and together with mono no aware, Genshin Impact presents us with an attractive image of a wandering samurai, Kaedehara Kazuha.