[Series: Following the Narrow Road to the Deep North ①] The journey through Tohoku begins with the "Shirakawa Barrier Crossing"

In the Edo period, when there were no airplanes, bullet trains, or automobiles, traveling on foot was the norm, and it was a life-risking journey fraught with great difficulties(Basho)

Matsuo Basho not only traveled through Tohoku on foot, but also left behind his travelogue along with haiku poems for posterity .

It is so highly regarded that it is still included in school textbooks today, and I'm sure you've all seen its famous preface and haiku at least once

In this series of seven articles, we will trace the footsteps that Basho left behind in the Tohoku region, and introduce the current state of the places he visited, as well as the haiku included in "Oku no Hosomichi" (The Narrow Road to the

What is Oku no Hosomichi?

"Oku no Hosomichi" is a collection of travelogues written by haiku poet Matsuo Basho and his disciple Kawai Sora, who traveled on foot from Edo to Mutsu (Michinoku), and from the Hokuriku region to Ogaki in Gifu, composing haiku

The preface , "The days and months are travelers who continue on their eternal journey, and the years that come and go are also travelers," has been translated into Japanese and appears in textbooks as "The days and months are travelers who continue on their eternal journey, and the years that come and go are also travelers."

The book introduces the local culture and haiku poems composed in the Michinoku region, and records a journey of approximately 2,400 km over 156 days, starting from March 27, 1689 (May 16, 1689 in the Gregorian calendar) .

[Shirakawa] Crossing the Shirakawa Barrier and entering Michinoku

On April 20, 1689 (June 7, 1689 in the Gregorian calendar), the two men fulfilled crossing the Shirakawa Barrier. then set foot in Michinoku, a region teeming with imaginary "utamakura" (places mentioned in waka poetry)

They had thought that the "Sakai no Myojin" (Sakae Shrine) on the old Oshu Kaido (currently National Route 294) was the "Shirakawa Barrier," but in fact they discovered that this was not the case, and that the true remains of the barrier were located two ri (8 km) further east

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What is Shirakawa Barrier? Shirakawa, a border town where a checkpoint was once located (Fukushima Prefecture)

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Until the Nara period, Shirakawa City in Fukushima Prefecture was located at the entrance to a region known as Emishi (present-day Tohoku), beyond the reach of the Imperial Court. A border checkpoint (Shirakawa Barrier) was established at the border, strictly controlling people's access. The Shirakawa Barrier Ruins are a designated National Historic Site. ©Fukushima Travel. *Emishi refers to people living in unknown lands beyond the reach of the Imperial Court, as opposed to Ezochi, the region inhabited by the indigenous Ainu people. Recent research suggests that the people living in the Tohoku region at that time were not Ainu, but rather the Yamato people...

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We then traveled to a post town called Hatajuku, close to the remains of the checkpoint, where we stayed the night, and visited the remains of the checkpoint the next day

This means, "Let's use the blooming unobtrusive flowers as hair ornaments in place of crowns and formal attire as we cross this barrier."

In the past, strict investigations were carried out at checkpoints, and travelers would enter the checkpoints in formal attire, including wearing a crown

Although Sora does not currently have a crown or formal attire, it is said that she hopes to at least use the unohana flower as a hair ornament in place of formal attire and pass through the checkpoint

Why didn't Basho compose a haiku at Shirakawa Barrier?

Although one of his main objectives was the Shirakawa Barrier, Basho did not compose a haiku there, and only this haiku written by Sora is included

The reason for this was that Sagara Tokyu, an acquaintance of Basho's who provided him with lodging in Sukagawa, asked him, "What kind of haiku did you compose at Shirakawa Barrier?"

Basho is said to have replied, "I was so moved that I was entranced by the scenery, and tired from the journey, I was unable to compose a haiku."

[Sukagawa] 7 nights of haiku poetry at a fellow haiku poet's house

After leaving the site of the Shirakawa Barrier, Basho and his companions stayed overnight in Yabuki, Kagami- numa known from the arrived in Sukagawa , a major post town on the Oshu Kaido, on April 22nd (June 9th in the Gregorian calendar)

Here, Basho stayed for seven nights at the residence of Tomitsu, an old friend and fellow haiku poet who was also the stationmaster of Sukagawa-juku , and enjoyed the pleasure of haiku poetry. Traces of Basho's time there remain in various places in what is now Sukagawa City.

Among them, I especially the "Fūryū no Hajimekan" (The Beginning of Elegance Museum), which has a wide variety of materials.

This is the first haiku that Basho wrote in Michinoku .

Basho, who did not compose any haiku at Shirakawa Barrier, is said to have composed this haiku, which was based on the rice planting that he saw taking place along the way, for his old friend Tokyu, whom he met for the first time in a long time, and as a commemoration of crossing the barrier

It is said to mean that "chestnut flowers that bloom on the eaves of a hermitage are simple flowers that go unnoticed by the general public, but they are deeply charming and represent the personality of the hermitage's owner."

Basho heard rumors about a monk named Kashin who had built a hermitage in the shade of a chestnut tree near Tokyu's house and was living a secluded life there. He went to visit the monk and was struck by how similar his lifestyle was to that of his beloved monk Saigyo, and began to visit the hermitage frequently

[Asakayama] [Shinobu Village] Head north along the Nakadori road to Fukushima City

On April 29th (June 16th in the Gregorian calendar), I will stay in Koriyama and "Kurozuka no Iwaya," the site , and "Ototsugataki Falls on the Abukuma River .

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The legend of the Adachi Plain demon hag. It's a scary ghost story with a tragic human drama! [Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture]

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There is a legend about an onibaba (badger witch) who attacks travelers in Adachigahara, Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture. This story is well-known nationwide, and has been adapted into kabuki and puppet theater performances under the title "Oshu Adachigahara," as well as a Noh play under the title "Kurozuka." Link: Kabuki Terminology Guide - The World of Oshu Attacks Link: theNoh.com - Kurozuka (Kurozuka) This time, we delved into the legend of the onibaba (badger witch) of Adachigahara (Kurozuka) and traveled to the site to search for traces of it. There are several versions of the legend that differ in their details, but the story handed down at Kanzeji Temple in Adachigahara, Nihonmatsu City, is as follows...

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Then, on May 1st (June 18th in the Gregorian calendar), we arrived in Fukushima City, the current capital of Fukushima Prefecture, and stayed there for one night

I visited Mojizuri Kannon Temple in Shinobu-no-Sato (present-day Yamaguchi, Fukushima City) saw the Shinobu-zuri Stone (Mojizuri Stone),

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What does "Shinobu Mochizuri" mean? Introducing related spots and folk tales [Fukushima Prefecture]

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Are you familiar with the term "Shinobu Mochizuri"? It frequently appears in the world of waka poetry, but it's actually a word with ties to what is now Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture. While it's rarely seen in everyday life these days, it remains a beloved local product of the capital, so much so that its name remains in waka poetry, folk tales, and historical sites. This time, we'll use "Shinobu Mochizuri" as a keyword to introduce a bit of Fukushima history. What does "Shinobu Mochizuri" actually mean? "Shinobu Mochizuri of Michinoku, for whom has it become so chaotic? I'm not sure what it means.".

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However, it is said that the Bunchi Suriishi stone was half buried underground at the time, and although Basho was disappointed inside, he pulled himself together and composed the following haiku

The meaning is, "It was a long time ago that 'Shinobusuri' was performed in this place in Shinobu, and it can no longer be seen today, but at least we can look at the movements of the young girls' hands as they pick the seedlings and remember the past."

[Senouejuku, the former site of Sato Shoji] [Iizuka] From Shinobu no Sato to Iizaka Onsen

From Bunchizuri Kannon, the two are said to have taken a bath at Sabakoyu hot springs in Iizuka (Iizaka Onsen) complained that "both body and mind seemed to disappear."

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Iizaka Onsen: A famous hot spring loved by Matsuo Basho! Introducing recommended public baths and inns in Fukushima Prefecture

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Along with Akiu Onsen and Naruko Onsen in Miyagi Prefecture, Iizaka Onsen in Fukushima Prefecture is one of the "Three Famous Hot Springs of Oshu." Iizaka Onsen has nine public baths, popular with tourists and locals alike for their daily bathing. Historical figures are also known to have enjoyed the hot springs; Matsuo Basho wrote about staying here during his journey through the Narrow Road to the Deep North, and other visitors include Yosano Akiko, Masaoka Shiki, and Helen Keller. This time, we'll introduce some of the most recommended baths and inns in Iizaka Onsen. Public baths generally cost around 200-300 yen! There are many public baths...

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However, I pulled myself together and set off from Iizaka, and on the way I visited the remains of the mansion of Sato Motoharu, who was also known as "Nobuo Shoji," and was the father of the Sato brothers Tsugunobu and Tadanobu, retainers of Minamoto no Yoshitsune

Basho was so moved when he learned that Yoshitsune's sword and the box that Benkei carried on his back were kept as temple treasures at Io-ji Temple, the family temple of the Sato family, that he composed a haiku poem about it

It means that "Yoshitsune's sword and Benkei's backpack would be good to display together with paper flags on the Boys' Festival. The belongings of Yoshitsune and Benkei, who were known for their bravery, are perfect for the Boys' Festival."

This poem, with the first five characters remaining, describes Yoshitsune and Benkei's feelings of sadness as they approach Hiraizumi, one of the goals of the journey

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Ioji Temple, the family temple of the Sato brothers Tsugunobu and Tadanobu, two of Yoshitsune's four heavenly kings, and their families [Fukushima Prefecture]

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On the way from Fukushima Station to Iizaka Onsen, if you take the Fukushima Kotsu Iizaka Line, you will get off at a station called "Iōji-mae" where you will find a temple where Sato Tsugunobu, Sato Tadanobu (counted as one of Minamoto no Yoshitsune's Four Heavenly Kings, though there are various theories), and their family are enshrined. Fukushima Kotsu Iizaka Line "Iōji-mae Station" Rurikōzan Iōji Temple. Iōji Temple is a Shingon Buddhist temple located in Iizaka-machi, Fukushima City, very close to Fukushima Iizaka Onsen. According to the temple's history, it was founded in 826 by Kōbō Daishi Kūkai. The temple grounds of Iōji Temple are the family temple of the Sato clan, a branch of the Ōshū Fujiwara clan who ruled the Shinobu region (present-day Fukushima City to Date City area)...

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【Oku no Hosomichi①] What is the origin of the title Oku no Hosomichi?

"Oku no Hosomichi" is also written in hiragana as "Oku no Hosomichi," with "oku" referring to "Michinoku" or the "Tohoku region."

The word "narrow road" literally means a long, narrow road that is unreliable, and it is thought that Basho thought that the path of haiku was also a long, narrow one

It is also said that he was inspired by the utamakura (poem) "Tsutanohoshomichi" (The Narrow Road of Ivy) in Azumakudari, or that he was impressed by a picturesque road he saw in Sendai that was called "Oku no Hosomichi" (The Narrow Road to the Deep North)

summary

Basho traveled from Shirakawa City to Fukushima City and across the Nakadori region of Fukushima Prefecture, staying seven nights in a row in Sukagawa, and then traveled the approximately 50km distance from Koriyama to Fukushima in one day, continuing his carefree journey without being bound by time

Then, on May 3rd (June 20th in the Gregorian calendar), Basho and Sora departed from Iizaka Onsen and headed north, entering Miyagi Prefecture from Fukushima Prefecture on the same day, and Matsushima .

【Articles in the series "Traveling the Narrow Road to the Deep North"

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[Series: Following the Narrow Road to the Deep North ①] The journey through Tohoku begins at the Shirakawa Barrier

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In the Edo period, before airplanes, bullet trains, or automobiles, traveling on foot was the norm, a life-threatening endeavor fraught with great hardships. (Basho) Matsuo Basho not only traveled around Tohoku on foot during this time, but also left his travelogue, along with haiku, for future generations. His work is so highly regarded that it is still included in school textbooks today, and you've likely come across his famous preface and haiku. In this seven-article series, we trace Basho's footsteps in Tohoku, introducing the current state of the places he visited and the haiku he wrote about in "Oku no Hosomichi." The Narrow Road to the Deep North and...

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[Series: Following the Narrow Road to the Deep North ②] Basho and Sora enter Miyagi Prefecture and head for Sendai, the city of trees

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On May 3, 1689 (June 20, 1689 in the Gregorian calendar), the haiku poet Matsuo Basho and his disciple Kawai Sora departed from Iizaka Onsen and crossed the treacherous Kunimi Pass on the Oshu Kaido road, entering Miyagi Prefecture. A small section of the old road remains at Kunimi Pass on the Oshu Kaido, and near the summit where a teahouse once stood, there is a monument to Basho, allowing visitors to experience the atmosphere of that time. What is Oku no Hosomichi? (From Miyagi Digital Photo Library) Oku no Hosomichi is a journey undertaken by the haiku poet Matsuo Basho and his disciple Kawai Sora, traveling from Edo through Mutsu, through Hokuriku, and to Ogaki in Gifu...

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[Series: Following the Narrow Road to the Deep North ③] Basho and Sora leave Sendai and travel to Matsushima by boat from Shiogama

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Matsuo Basho and his disciple Kawai Sora departed from Fukagawa in Edo on March 27, 1689 (May 16, 1689 in the Gregorian calendar), arriving in Sendai on May 4 (June 21, 1689 in the Gregorian calendar). They stayed in this castle town of the 620,000-koku Sendai domain for four nights and five days, visiting various poetic landmarks and historical sites. On May 8 (June 25, 1689 in the Gregorian calendar), they traveled to their next destination, Shiogama, before heading to Matsushima, one of Basho's long-desired poetic landmarks. What is "Oku no Hosomichi"? "Oku no Hosomichi" is a journey by the haiku poet Matsuo Basho and his disciple Kawai Sora, traveling from Edo through Mutsu, then through Hokuriku to Ogaki in Gifu, composing haiku along the way while visiting poetic landmarks and historical sites...

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[Series: Following the Narrow Road to the Deep North ④] Basho's long-cherished wish to visit Hiraizumi, the Pure Land of the Three Fujiwara Clan

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According to Sora's travel diary, Matsuo Basho and Kawai Sora left Matsushima on May 10, 1689 (June 26, Gregorian calendar), and stayed overnight in Ishinomaki. However, for some reason, the text states that they left Matsushima on the 12th, planning to visit utamakura sites in northern Miyagi Prefecture, such as Odaebashi Bridge and Aneha no Matsu, but ended up getting lost and ending up in Ishinomaki. What this means is unclear, but Basho and Sora left Ishinomaki on the 11th, stayed overnight in Tome, Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture, and arrived in Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture, on the 12th. What is the Oku no Hosomichi? Statue of Matsuo Basho...

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[Series: Following the Narrow Road to the Deep North ⑤] Heading to Dewa Province, struggling through narrow mountain passes and strict checkpoints

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Having traveled all the way from Edo to Hiraizumi in Oshu to accomplish their major objective, Matsuo Basho and Kawai Sora set off from Ichinoseki in Iwate Prefecture towards Dewa (Yamagata and Akita Prefectures). According to Sora's travel diary, they departed Ichinoseki on May 14th, 1689 (July 1st in the Gregorian calendar), passed through Iwadeyama in Miyagi Prefecture, and entered Yamagata Prefecture from Sakaidagoe, now National Route 47. What is "Oku no Hosomichi"? The statues of Basho and Sora at Risshaku-ji Temple depict "Oku no Hosomichi," a journey by the haiku poet Matsuo Basho and his disciple Kawai Sora, traveling from Edo through Mutsu, through Hokuriku, and to Ogaki in Gifu Prefecture, composing haiku along the way and visiting famous places and historical sites...

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[Series: Following the Narrow Road to the Deep North ⑥] Rafting down the Mogami River and visiting Dewa Sanzan, one of Japan's three major Shugendo trails

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/25527

On May 28, 1689 (July 15, 1689 in the Gregorian calendar), Matsuo Basho and Kawai Sora returned to Obanazawa from Yamadera (Risshaku-ji Temple) and stayed at the home of Takano Ichiei in the neighboring town of Oishida. They stayed there for three days, their purpose being to wait for the weather to improve. During their rest, a haiku gathering was held with local haiku poets. Basho and his companions then moved to Shinjo, enjoyed a boat trip down the Mogami River, and visited the Dewa Sanzan mountains: Hagurosan, Gassan, and Yudonosan. What is Oku no Hosomichi? The itinerary of Oku no Hosomichi and haiku composed in various locations (from the official website of the Oku no Hosomichi Musubi no Chi Memorial Museum)...

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[Series: Following the Narrow Road to the Deep North ⑦] The journey is finally coming to an end, from Dewa to Uzen, and then to Hokuriku

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On June 10, 1689 (July 26, 1689 in the Gregorian calendar), when Matsuo Basho and Kawai Sora departed from Mount Haguro, Basho, perhaps due to fatigue, borrowed a horse to descend the mountain. They stayed at a samurai's house in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture, enjoying haiku poetry and other activities, but Basho fell ill and stayed until the 12th. On the 13th, they traveled by boat from Tsuruoka to Sakata, stayed one night, and then headed to Kisakata in Akita Prefecture, one of their destinations on their journey through Mutsu Province, famous for its scenery comparable to Matsushima. What is Oku no Hosomichi? (Image caption: Basho's haiku monument on Mount Haguro; from the Yamagata Prefecture official tourism website) "Oku no Hosomichi" is a story of the haiku poet Matsuo Basho and his disciple Kawai Sora...

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DaiwaConsilio

I'm a former Edokko man who loves Morioka and the six Tohoku prefectures, and I also love history, food, travel, sports, alcohol, and singing.
I'll be introducing you to the interesting, delicious, and great things about Tohoku!