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On May 3, 1689 (June 19, Gregorian calendar), the haiku poetMatsuoBasho(Matsuobashō)and his discipleSora KawaiThe journey begins at Iizaka Onsen, crosses Kunimi Pass, a difficult section of the Ou Kaido road, and enters Miyagi Prefecture
A small section of the old road remains at Kunimi Pass on the Oshu Kaido, and near the top where a teahouse used to stand there a "Basho Monument ," allowing you to experience the atmosphere of that time even today.
What is Oku no Hosomichi?
Basho and Sora from Miyagi Digital Photo Library
"Oku no Hosomichi" is a travelogue written by the haiku poet Matsuo Basho and his disciple Kawai Sora, who traveled from Edo to Mutsu, and from Hokuriku to Ogaki in Gifu, visiting famous places and historical sites while composing haiku in each area
Utamakura refers to famous places and historical sites that poets of the ancient capital wove into their waka poems, imagining their images and emotions, and were the object of admiration for poets and haiku poets
The preface , "The days and months are passing guests of a hundred generations, and the years that come and go are also travelers," appears in textbooks and is translated as "The days and months are travelers who continue on an eternal journey, and the years that come and go are equally travelers.
The book introduces the climate of Michinoku and the haiku poems written there, and is a record of the journey of approximately 2,400 km over 156 days, starting from the start on March 27, 1689 (May 16, 1689 in the current calendar)
[Kasashima] Crossing Kunimi Pass from Fukushima Prefecture and entering Miyagi Prefecture
From the official website image library of Kacchu-do, Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture
Basho and Sora left Iizaka Onsen and the "Kouori" train , entering Miyagi Prefecture. However, Basho stayed at an inn in Iizaka Onsen that was infested with fleas and ticks, which made him feel unwell and his chronic illness returned, leaving him feeling depressed.
However, realizing that even if he died during his journey, it was his divine will, he pulled himself together and the "Date no Okido" gate , entering the territory of the Sendai domain (Miyagi Prefecture).
Statues of Kaede and Hatsune, wives of the brothers Tsugunobu and Tadanobu of the Armor Hall. Official website of the Shiroishi City Tourism Association
the Armor Hall of Tamura Shrine on Abumizurizaka (Shiraishi City) , they viewed statues of warriors, including the wives of Sato Tsugunobu and Tadanobu, who served Minamoto no Yoshitsune, and it is said that they stayed at a lodging in the castle town of Shiraishi on May 3rd (June 19th).
The next day, on May 4th (June 20th), we stopped off in Iwanuma to see Takekoma Myojin Shrine (Takekoma Inari) and Takekuma Pine headed into Sendai Kasajima Island
In the main text, Basho states that he "stayed in Iwanuma," but Sora's accompanying diary states that he stayed in Sendai on the 4th, so it is said that Basho may have misunderstood
Tamura Shrine (Armor Hall) <Information>
Facility name: Tamura Shrine (Armor Hall)
Location: 115 Kamimukayama, Saikawa, Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture
"I wonder where Kasashima (connected to Fujiwara no Sanekata) is? There's no way I can visit it on this muddy May road." Fujiwara no Sanekata, the subject of this poem, was a poet from the mid-Heian period who was posted to Taga Castle (Miyagi Prefecture) as the governor of Mutsu Province, but is said to have died after falling off his horse on Kasashima Island
The grave of Fujiwara no Sanekata (Natori City Tourism and Products Association official website)
Later, Saigyo visited the site and composed a funeral poem, and Basho, who greatly admired Saigyo, longed to visit the site himself, but his wish was not fulfilled as he fell ill in Iizaka and apparently did not have the strength to walk the muddy roads caused by the rain
Fujiwara no Sanekata's grave still stands quietly behind the farmhouse on Kasajima
Grave of Lieutenant General Sanekata <Information>
Facility name: Tomb of Fujiwara no Sanekata Ason (Chujo Sanekata)
Address: 42 Kitano, Shiotejima, Natori City, Miyagi Prefecture
Phone number: 022-384-2111 (Natori City Education Department, Culture and Sports Division)
[Takekuma] Head north through Miyagi Prefecture to Sendai, the city of trees
Takekoma Myojin Shrine from Miyagi Digital Photo Library
( Takekoma Myojin), which is said to have been built by Ono no Takamura, who was appointed as the governor of Mutsu Province in June 842, by dividing the shrine from Fushimi Inari , and the nearby Takekuma Pine .
Basho was so moved by the sight of the "Toki no Matsu" (two pine trees) that it split into two at the base that he left behind a haiku poem about it
Two pine trees survive three months longer than cherry blossoms (Basho)
"When I left for my trip in March, when the cherry blossoms were in bloom, I wished to see these two Takekuma pines, and three months later, my wish came true."
Saigyo retraced the footsteps of the monk Noin who had seen this pine tree, and Basho followed him further and composed this poem. However, the pine that Basho saw was said to be the fifth generation, and was different from the fourth generation pine that the monks saw
Takekuma Pine from Miyagi Digital Photo Library
Furthermore, the current "Takekuma Pine" is said to be the seventh generation, and the next eighth generation pine has already been planted.
Takekuma Pine ＜Information＞
Facility name: Takekuma Pine (Niki no Matsu)
Address: 2-2-2 Niki, Iwanuma City, Miyagi Prefecture
Google Map
[Miyagino] Cross the Natori River and arrive in Sendai
Sendai Toshogu Shrine Miyagi Digital Photo Library
On May 4th (June 20th), Basho and Sora the Natori River, stayed at an inn called Osakiya in Kokubuncho, Sendai, the castle town of the Sendai domain, which had a fief of 620,000 koku,
During this time, we visited the following utamakura and famous places and historical sites in Sendai city, guided by the painter Kaemon, who has long been involved in the development of famous places and historical sites in the Sendai domain and is said to have an understanding of elegance
I tie iris grass to my feet, the straps of my straw sandals (Basho)
This haiku means, "Let's set off, imitating the navy blue straw sandals with straps given to us by Kaemon as the irises that are displayed during the Boys' Festival."
Kaemon, who had prepared straw sandals with navy blue straps for Basho, also Shiogama and Matsushima , and it is said that Basho was so impressed by Kaemon's refined character that he composed this poem.
【Detour to the Deep North ②: What was the purpose of Basho's journey?
The grave of Fujiwara no Sanekata, who is associated with Basho and Saigyo Hoshi. From Miyagi Digital Photo Library
It is said that Basho's purpose in visiting the temple was to see with his own eyes the famous utamakura (poems) and historical sites visited by his beloved monk Saigyo and Noin, whose footsteps Saigyo followed, and to experience the poetic spirit of the ancients
Utamakura are words created by poets in the capital who imagine famous places and historical sites in remote areas, and Basho likely wanted to see them with his own eyes. On this journey, Basho came to understand the cosmological view of "futeki-ryuko," which holds that the universe is constantly changing (fashion) yet unchanging (fueki), and the way of life known as "karumi," which involves overcoming a life full of sorrows with a smile
summary
Basho and Sora entered Miyagi Prefecture from Fukushima Prefecture and continued on their journey further into the mountains
Basho's health deteriorated due to the poor conditions at his lodgings in Iizaka Onsen, but he regained his strength by saying, "Even if I lose my life during this journey, it is my destiny."
After arriving in Sendai, the castle town of the Sendai domain with a fiefdom of 620,000 koku and staying there for four nights, on May 7th (June 23rd) I headed to Matsushima, one of the places I had been wanting to visit on this trip
【Articles in the series "Traveling the Narrow Road to the Deep North"
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!
