Haiku:An Anthology Of Japanese Poems Read online

  BIRIKEN (dates and details unknown).

  BONCHŌ (died 1714). By profession a doctor, Bonchō edited a famous book of haiku poems with Kyorai, and also wrote many fresh and original haiku of his own. He was also interested in European studies, and was imprisoned for trading illegally with Dutch merchants.

  BŌSAI. See KAMEDA BŌSAI.

  BUSON (1716–83). Around the age of seventeen, Buson went to Edo (Tokyo) and studied painting and haiku. After his haiku teacher’s death in 1742, Buson wandered around the eastern provinces for more than ten years, later settling in Kyoto. Buson is now considered one of the greatest artists in the literati style, and second only to Bashō in the haiku tradition. Buson’s verses as well as his paintings show the warmth and brilliance of his vision of humanity and the natural world.

  CHIGETSU (1634?–1708?). Chigetsu, the wife of a freight agent, studied haiku with Bashō, and became one of the four famous women poets of her era. After the death of her husband in 1686, she became a nun. She lived in Ōtsu with her son, Otokuni, who also studied with Bashō and became a fine haiku poet.

  CHINE-JO (?–1688?). Chine-jo was the younger sister of Kyorai, who was one of the ten leading pupils of Bashō. In her early twenties, Chine-jo and Kyorai traveled together to Ise. During this trip, Chine-jo wrote haiku poems that were considered as good as or even better than those by her elder brother.

  CHIYO-JO (1703–75). Beginning to write haiku on her own at the age of fifteen, Chiyo-jo later studied with Shikō and eventually became a nun. Her haiku style achieved great popularity with its direct expression and witty mastery of language.

  CHORA (1719–80). Born in Shima (present-day Mie Prefecture), Chora later moved to Ise. He associated with poets such as Buson.

  CHŌSUI (1701–69). A poet in the middle of the Edo Period, Chōsui was born the son of a local governor in Chiba, and he later became a monk. One of his haiku disciples was Shirao.

  DAKOTSU. See IIDA DAKOTSU.

  EIJI (dates and details unknown).

  FUKUDA HARITSU (1865–1944). Born in the small town of Shingū in Wakayama Prefecture, Fukuda Haritsu became a pupil of Shiki in Tokyo, then moved to Kyoto where he led the life of a scholar-poet using the name Kodōjin (Old Taoist). He wrote haiku, waka, and Chinese-style poetry, and painted both haiga and literati landscapes.

  FŪSEI. See TOMIYASU FŪSEI.

  GARAKU (dates and details unknown).

  GIBON. See SENGAI GIBON.

  GOMEI (1731–1803). A poet in Akita Prefecture, Gomei studied Bashō’s haiku on his own.

  HAKUCHŌ (dates and details unknown).

  HAKUSHI (dates unknown). A writer of humorous verse from Edo (Tokyo).

  HARA SEKITEI (1886–1951). Born in Shimane Prefecture, Sekitei studied under Takahama Kyoshi. He was active in the haiku journal Hototogisu and he was also skilled in haiga painting.

  HARITSU. See FUKUDA HARITSU.

  HEKIGODŌ. See KAWAHIGASHI HEKIGODŌ.

  HISA-JO. See SUGITA HISA-JO.

  HŌITSU (1761–1828). Born in Edo (Tokyo) to the Sakai family, lord of Himeji fiefdom, Hōitsu excelled as a haiku poet and also a painter in the decorative tradition.

  HŌSAI. See OZAKI HŌSAI.

  IIDA DAKOTSU (1885–1962). Born in Yamanashi Prefecture, Dakotsu studied at Waseda University. He was one of the representative poets of the haiku journal Hototogisu.

  ISSA (1763–1827). A poet whose life was filled with personal tragedy, Issa became the most compassionate of all haiku masters, with a special feeling for children and common people.

  JŌSŌ (1662–1704). Due to poor health, Jōsō gave up his samurai position at the age of twenty-six and became a monk. He studied haiku with Bashō, and after the death of his master lived a quiet and solitary life.

  KAGAI (died 1778, details unknown).

  KAIGA (1652–1718). A pupil of Bashō, Kaiga was a close friend of the poet Kikaku.

  KAMEDA BŌSAI (1752–1826). One of the leading Confucian scholars and Chinese-style poet-calligraphers of his day, Bōsai only rarely wrote haiku. He inscribed his verse about “the old pond” over a portrait of Bashō.

  KANA-JO (dates unknown). A Kyoto poet, Kana-jo was Kyorai’s wife and had two daughters.

  KANSETSU (dates and details unknown).

  KAWAHIGASHI HEKIGODŌ (1873–1937). Born in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, Hekigodō studied with Shiki. He also wrote literary criticism and novels.

  KEISANJIN (dates and details unknown).

  KENJIN (dates and details unknown).

  KICHŌ (dates unknown). Kichō was best known as a critic and evaluator of poetry competitions during the Edo Period.

  KIGIN (1624–1705). Born in Shiga Prefecture, Kigin was known as a scholar of classics. He served the bakufu government. Kigin learned haiku with Teitoku, whose pupils included Bashō.

  KIJŌ. See MURAKAMI KIJŌ.

  KIKAKU (1661–1707). One of the ten leading pupils of Bashō, Kikaku was also an expert in Chinese-style poetry, Confucianism, medicine, calligraphy, and painting. His poetic style is known for its wit and humor.

  KIKUSHA (1753–1826). Born in Yamaguchi, Kikusha devoted herself to the arts, including painting, calligraphy, waka, Chinese-style verse, and haiku. After her husband died when she was twenty-four years old, she became a nun.

  KINOSHITA YŪJI (1914–65). Born in Hiroshima Prefecture, Yūji took over his father’s pharmacy store. As a poet, he was recognized by Kubota Mantarō, a popular literary figure of the time.

  KITŌ (1741–89). Learning haiku first from his father and later from Buson, Kitō also greatly admired the poems of Kikaku. Kitō wrote haiku with direct and unsentimental observations. He loved sake, and like several other haiku poets he became a monk in his final years.

  KŌJI (dates and details unknown).

  KŌYŌ. See OZAKI KŌYŌ.

  KUBOTA MANTARŌ (1889–1963). Mantarō was born in Asakusa, Tokyo. After graduating from Keiō University, he became famous as a writer, dramatist, and also a stage producer. Mantarō’s poems are characterized by their lyrical quality.

  KUBO YORIE (1884–1967). Born in Matsuyama, Yorie met Shiki and Sōseki when she was young and became interested in haiku.

  KYORAI (1651–1704). Born in Nagasaki, Kyorai moved to Kyoto at the age of eight and became known for his excellence in martial arts, astronomy, and general learning. He met Kikaku in 1684 and joined him to become one of the ten leading pupils of Bashō. He combined in his own verse the qualities of martial strength and poetic gentleness. Kyorai’s writings about poetics became influential for later haiku masters.

  KYORIKU (1656–1715). A samurai in the Hikone region (present-day Shiga Prefecture), Kyoriku excelled in the lance, sword, and horseback riding. He was also a good painter in the Kanō style. He studied haiku with Bashō.

  KYOSHI. See TAKAHAMA KYOSHI.

  KYŌTAI (1732–92). A native of Nagoya, Kyōtai tried to elevate haiku from the vulgarity of his day and return to the excellence of Bashō. He also followed the lead of Buson in creating poems combining strength of imagery with keen observation of the world around him.

  MANTARŌ. See KUBOTA MANTARŌ.

  MASAOKA SHIKI (1867–1902). Despite the brevity of his life, Shiki became the most influential haiku poet and theorist of the late nineteenth century. He insisted that haiku poets should cultivate the keen observation (shasei) of nature. He established the famous haiku journal Hototogisu.

  MATSUSE SEISEI (1869–1937). A poet from Osaka, Seisei was a follower of Shiki and wrote haiku in traditional style, opposing radical change in the world of poetry. In 1902, he became the haiku editor of The Asahi newspaper.

  MEITEI. See TSUKAKOSHI MEITEI.

  MIZUOCHI ROSEKI (1872–1919). Born in Osaka, Mizuochi Roseki studied haiku with Shiki. He was considered to be the leader of the Osaka haiku group of the time.

  MURAKAMI KIJŌ (1865–1938). Born as the eldest son of a low-ranking samurai in Tottori, Kijō suffered from constant poverty. He was an early representative of the ha
iku journal Hototogisu.

  NAKAMURA TEI-JO (1900–1988). Born in Kumamoto, Tei-jo joined the haiku journal Hototogisu. She promoted women’s haiku writing through mass media.

  NAO-JO (dates and details unknown).

  NATSUME SŌSEKI (1867–1916). The most famous novelist of his time, Sōseki studied in England and later taught English literature in Japan. Less known as a haiku poet, he nevertheless wrote many fine verses.

  OGIWARA SEISENSUI (1884–1976). Born in Tokyo, Seisensui graduated from Tokyo University, majoring in linguistics. He advocated free-style haiku. Taneda Santōka was one of his followers. He wrote widely on Issa and Bashō.

  OKADA YACHŌ (1882–1960). Born in Tsuyama City, Yachō started composing senryū in his early twenties. He engaged in farming and was a gentle person known for senryū with topics taken from his daily life.

  ONITSURA (1661–1738). At the age of eight, Onitsura began to learn haiku. At thirteen, he became a pupil of Matsue Shigeyori, and he also received instructions from Kitamura Kigin and Nishiyama Sōin. In 1865, Onitsura stated that he came to realize that sincerity was the most important quality in poetry. Thus, his haiku poems were written in a simple and straightforward style.

  ONTEI. See SHINOHARA ONTEI.

  OTSUYŪ (1675–1739). Also known as Bakurin, Otsuyū was a priest at Ise. He studied with Bashō when Bashō visited his area. He also painted haiga.

  OZAKI HŌSAI (1885–1926). Spending his life working at temples, Ozaki Hōsai wrote haiku noted for their free form and direct language.

  OZAKI KŌYŌ (1867–1903). Known primarily for his novels such as Golden Demon, written in colloquial style, Kōyō was also a fine haiku poet during his short life.

  RAIZAN (1654–1716). A merchant in Osaka, Raizan started with comical and witty haiku but later changed to a more serious style close to Bashō’s.

  RAKUKYO (dates and details unknown).

  RANKŌ (1726–98). Born in Kanazawa, Ronkō later moved to Kyoto, where he practiced medicine. He promoted Bashō’s haiku style by compiling the master’s writings.

  RANSETSU (1654–1707). Ransetsu studied painting with Hanabusa Itchō, a famous painter, and haiku under Bashō. Ransetsu also studied Zen Buddhism, and its influence is discernible in his later haiku. He was one of the disciples whom Master Bashō highly appreciated, and is known for his gentle and sophisticated poetic style.

  RITŌ (1681–1755). An Edo poet, Ritō was one of the pupils of Ransetsu. One of his followers was Ryōta.

  ROSEKI. See MIZUOCHI ROSEKI.

  RYŌKAN (1758–1831). Born in Echigo, present-day Niigata Prefecture, Ryōkan became a Zen monk. He spent his life, full of interesting episodes (some of which are legendary), in poverty as an itinerant monk. His poems are full of a wonderful free spirit. Ryōkan also excelled in waka poetry, Chinese poetry, and calligraphy.

  RYŌTA (1718–87). When young, Ryōta moved to Edo (Tokyo) and studied with Ritō, Ransetsu’s pupil. He then became a haiku teacher and was reported to have many pupils under him.

  SAIMARO (1656–1738). Born to a samurai household, Saimaro studied haiku with Ihara Saikaku, the famous fiction writer and haiku poet of the time. Saimaro also kept an association with Bashō. Later in his life, he enjoyed considerable power in the Osaka haiku world.

  SANO RYŌTA (1890–1954). Born in Niigata Prefecture, Ryōta was known for his fresh expressions of nature.

  SANPŪ (1647–1732). A pupil and patron of Bashō, Sanpū provided the master with his famous cottage Bashō-an (Banana Plant Hermitage).

  SANTŌKA. See TANEDA SANTŌKA.

  SEIBI (1749–1816). Born into a wealthy family, Seibi associated with Shirao and Kyōtai. He was known as one of the three great haiku poets of his day along with Michihiko and Sōchō. He was Issa’s benefactor.

  SEIFU-JO (1731–1814). Born in Musashi Province, Seifu-jo studied with Chōsui and Shirao. Her haiku style is often highly subjective and personal.

  SEISEI. See MATSUSE SEISEI.

  SEISENSUI. See OGIWARA SEISENSUI.

  SEISHI. See YAMAGUCHI SEISHI.

  SEIUN (dates and details unknown).

  SEKITEI. See HARA SEKITEI.

  SENGAI GIBON (1750–1837). A Zen master from Kyushu, Sengai became beloved for his paintings, which often show his delightful sense of humor.

  SHADŌ (died 1737?). A poet and doctor in Ōmi (present-day Shiga Prefecture) area, Shadō studied haiku under Bashō and participated in Bashō’s haiku-composing gatherings. He published one of Bashō’s well-known anthologies, Hisago (Gourd).

  SHIGEYORI (1602–80). Born in Matsue, Shigeyori lived most of his life in Kyoto. He studied haiku with Teitoku. He later compiled Bashō’s haiku, and had fine haiku pupils such as Onitsura.

  SHIKI. See MASAOKA SHIKI.

  SHIKŌ (1665–1731). After serving as a Zen monk at Daichi-ji, Shikō became a doctor, later meeting and becoming a disciple of Bashō. When told he might be reborn as an animal if he did not lead a pure life, Shikō observed that it might well be an improvement.

  SHINKEI (1406–75). A linked-verse (renga) poet, Shinkei was an influential figure for the next generation of the linked-verse poets, such as Sōgi.

  SHINOHARA ONTEI (1872–1926). Born in Kumamoto Prefecture, Ontei worked for a newspaper company in Tokyo and studied haiku under Shiki and Kyoshi.

  SHIRAO (1738–91). Born in Shinano (present-day Nagano Prefecture) and studying haiku in Edo (Tokyo), Shirao later traveled to many areas and vigorously taught haiku. He wrote several manuscripts on haiku theory that emphasized naturalness of expression.

  SHIRŌ (1742–1812). Born in Nagoya, Shirō practiced medicine. He studied haiku with Kyōtai and was also known for his skill in playing the biwa (lute).

  SHISHŌSHI (1866–1928). Born in Tokyo, Shishōshi was very active in promoting senryū and mentored many poets.

  SHŌHA (died 1771). Shōha studied Chinese poems with Hattori Nankaku. A beloved haiku pupil of Buson, Shōha died before his teacher, and Buson thereupon wrote a preface for Shōha’s collected haiku that became very famous. Shōha’s own poems show his keen visual sense.

  SHOKYŪ (1741–81). Born in Echigo (present-day Niigata Prefecture), Shokyū took the tonsure after her husband’s death. She also traveled widely.

  SHŪSHIKI-JO (1669–1725?). Shūshiki-jo studied with Kikaku, and she married the haiku poet Kangyoku, also a pupil of Kikaku. Shūshiki-jo’s poems became famous for their gentle and humane observations of everyday life.

  SŌCHŌ (1761–1814). The son of the famous calligrapher Yamamoto Ryōsai, Sōchō became a successful artist and haiku poet in Edo (Tokyo).

  SODŌ (1642–1716). Born in Kai, Sodō moved to Edo (Tokyo) and became associated with Bashō.

  SŌGI (1421–1502). A highly respected linked-verse (renga) master and literary theorist, Sōgi excelled in calligraphy. He was also very well learned in classical poetry, and he lectured to many nobles and high officials, including a shogun. Sōgi’s linked-verse collection Minase Sangin Hyakuin (One Hundred Verses by Three Poets at Minase), which he composed with two other masters, represents a high point of linked verse.

  SŌKAN (1458?–1546?). From a samurai family, Sōkan served the shogun Ashikaga Yoshihisa. After his father’s death, however, Sōkan became a monk and lived the rest of his life in a hermitage, where he developed a new form of simplified linked-verse (renga) poetry. In time he became considered the inventor of haiku.

  SORA (1649–1710). Giving up his life as a samurai, Sora went to Edo (Tokyo) and studied Shintō and waka with Kikkawa Koretaru. Later, Sora became a pupil of Bashō and often traveled with his teacher on haiku journeys.

  SŌSEKI. See NATSUME SŌSEKI.

  SŌSHI (dates and details unknown).

  SUGITA HISA-JO (1890–1946). A poet in the coterie of Takahama Kyoshi, Sugita Hisa-jo married a painter. Her haiku style has a rich romantic flavor.

  TAIGI (1709–71). Born in Edo (Tokyo), Taigi moved to the entertainment district of Kyoto, where he became associated with Buson. He
is known for his haiku on human affairs.

  TAKAHAMA KYOSHI (1874–1959). Kyoshi was one of the masters of the haiku tradition in the late Meiji, Taishō, and early Shōwa periods. The name Kyoshi was given him by Masaoka Shiki. Kyoshi inherited Shiki’s haiku magazine Hototogisu and continued Shiki’s literary circle, where writers and poets reviewed their own works. Kyoshi also wrote novels and essays, but was most celebrated for his poems, which were traditional in style but fresh in spirit.

  TAKAMASA (late seventeenth to early eighteenth century). A follower of the Kyoto Danrin school of haiku, Takamasa lived in Kyoto and befriended pupils of Teitoku. He wrote haiku poems describing natural scenes in an unpretentious, free, and sometimes wild style.

  TANEDA SANTŌKA (1882–1940). Born in Yamaguchi Prefecture, he attended Waseda University but never graduated. He studied haiku under Seisensui. After the bankruptcy of his household, he divorced his wife and became a monk. He spent his life as a traveling monk composing free-style haiku.

  TEI-JO. See NAKAMURA TEI-JO.

  TEISHITSU (1610–73). Running a paper business in Kyoto, Teishitsu studied haiku under Teitoku. He was also a skilled musician, playing the biwa (lute) and flute.

  TESSHI (died 1707). Tesshi traveled widely in the Kansai, Kantō, and northern areas of Japan. The book by Tesshi entitled Hanamiguruma is a collection of gossip about haiku poets, who appear in the book as courtesans.

  TOKOKU (?–1690). A rice merchant in Nagoya, Tokoku became Bashō’s pupil when the latter came to the area. He traveled with Bashō, and his death was deeply lamented by his master.

  TOMIYASU FŪSEI (1885–1979). Fōsei traveled in Europe and the United States, then returned to Japan to study under Kyoshi. Eventually he became one of the leading haiku poets of the twentieth century.

  TSUKAKOSHI MEITEI (1894–1965). A poet born in Tokyo, Meitei worked for newspaper companies, one of which was in Taiwan. He created a Taiwan senryū circle before returning to Japan after World War II.

  USUDA ARŌ (1879–1951). Born in Nagano Prefecture, Arō learned haiku under Takahama Kyoshi.

  WATSUJIN (1758–1836). A poet in the Kyōtai tradition, Watsujin was a samurai from Sendai who wrote haiku under a variety of art names.