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March 27, 1689 (May 16, 1689 in the Gregorian calendar)and arrived in Sendai on May 4 (June 21, 1689 in the Gregorian calendar).
I stayed in this castle town of the 620,000 koku Sendai domain for four nights and five days, visiting the poetic landmarks and historical sites within the city. Then, on May 8th (June 25th in the Gregorian calendar), I traveled to my next destination, Shiogama, before heading to Matsushima, one of the poetic landmarks that Basho had long desired to visit
What is Oku no Hosomichi?
"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 moon and the days are travelers of eternity, and the years that come and go are also travelers,"is"The moon and the days are travelers on an eternal journey, and the years that go and the years that come are also travelers."translated in textbooks as
The book introduces the local culture and haiku poems composed in the Michinoku region, andMarch 27, 1689 (May 16, 1689 in the Gregorian calendar)records a journey of approximately 2,400 km over 156 days, starting from
Is it true that the original "Oku no Hosomichi" is located in Sendai?
Stone monument at Tokoji Temple, from Miyagi Digital Photo Library
Before arriving at Taga Castle, Basho and his companions crossed Imaichi Bridge, located upstream of Iwakita Bridge on the Nanakita River, which flows north of Sendai, and visited Toko-ji Temple
Near this temple is the village of Suga, and the Suga trees here are of such high quality that they are used to make hats and raincoats that they are even featured in utamakura poems as "Tofu no Suga."
The roads in this area during the Edo period were picturesque, and the haiku poet Oyodo Michikaze from Sendai named this road"Oku no Hosomichi"(The Narrow Road to the Deep North). It is said that Basho, who was impressed by this name, later used it as the title of his travelogue.
In front of the current Tokoji Temple gate"Oku no Hosomichi" (The Narrow Road to the Deep North)stands a magnificent stone monument inscribed with
Tokoji Temple <Information>
Facility name: Tokoji Temple
Address: 22 Iwakiriyama, Miyagino Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture
[Tagajo] Tears flow from a stone monument inscribed with the ancient provincial capital
The cave with the jar monument (Miyagi Digital Photo Library)
Taga Castle, built in 724, was the provincial capital of Mutsu Province and flourished as a cultural, political, and military base for the region until the mid-11th century
The Tsubo-no-Ishibumiis an ancient monument erected during the Nara period (around the 8th century). It inscribes the history of Tagajo, the surrounding area at the time, and Heijo-kyo, and has been featured in many waka poems as a poetic place name.
Basho, standing before this monument,"I was deeply moved and shed tears upon seeing this stone monument that remains unchanged even after a thousand years."wrote,
Tagajo Monument (Pot Monument) <Information>
Facility name: Taga Castle Monument (Tsubonoishibumi)
Address: Taga Castle Ruins, 16 Ichikawadayaba, Tagajo City, Miyagi Prefecture
Phone number: 022-364-5901 (Tagajo City Tourism Association Office)
[Suenomatsuyama] The area between Sendai and Shiogama is a treasure trove of utamakura stories
From the official website of Suenomatsuyama Tagajo City
On the way from Sendai to Shiogama, the journey"Sue no Matsuyama," "Noda no Tamagawa," and "Oki no Ishi (Oki no I)."included detours to famous poetic places such as
Suenomatsuyama is located on the mountain behind Hokokuji Temple, and was not submerged even in the great tsunami of the past, so it became famous as "a place where the waves never come over," and is a poetic pillow word that expresses unchanging love
The two pine trees, standing as if a man and a woman leaning against each other, exude a sense of transience
Okinoishi (Okino-i) from Miyagi Digital Photo Library
Further afield, Okinoishi, located at the foot of Matsuyama, is located in a residential area, yet its strange rock formations make their presence known
However, Tamagawa River in Noda is now covered with a concrete embankment and has lost all trace of its former glory
Sueno Matsuyama <Information>
Facility name: Suenomatsuyama
Address: 2-8-28 Yahata, Tagajo City, Miyagi Prefecture
In front of the shrine stands a pagoda donated by Fujiwara Tadahira, which contains an inscription that conveys Basho's feelings for the loyal warrior who, in accordance with the will of his father, Hidehira, fought to protect Minamoto no Yoshitsune until the very end
After paying their respects, they charter a boat to enter Matsushima by sea and disembark on Oshima Island
Shiogama Shrine (Shiogama Shrine) <Information>
Facility name: Shiogama Shrine (Shiogama Shrine)
Address: 1-1 Ichinomoriyama, Shiogama City, Miyagi Prefecture
[Matsushima] I was so moved at the long-awaited land of Utamakura that I was once again unable to compose a haiku
Matsushima landscape from Miyagi Digital Photo Library
Around noon on May 9th (June 26th in the Gregorian calendar), BashoMatsushima, one of Japan's three most scenic spots,arrived in
The text praises the natural beauty of the islands of various sizes and shapes floating in the bay, each carrying a pine tree, as a magnificent sight, and expresses the author's further excitement at the moonlit view at night
Perhaps deeply moved by the fulfillment of his long-held wish,"so magnificent that he couldn't think of a poem to compose"Sora's haiku was included in the text, as he had described Matsushima as being
SoraA poem composed by
Matsushima, the cuckoo gives itself to the crane
It means, "The magnificent view of Matsushima is a place befitting a crane, so I hope the cuckoo singing now will also transform into a crane."
It is said that the graceful crane suits the beautiful scenery of Matsushima better than the beautiful song of the little cuckoo
[Matsushima] When did Basho visit Zuiganji Temple?
Zuiganji Temple Main Hall (From Zuiganji Temple Official Facebook Page)
The text states that Basho visited Zuiganji Temple on May 11th (June 28th in the Gregorian calendar), but Sora's travel diary suggests that he arrived in Matsushima on the 9th and immediately visited Zuiganji Temple
Zuiganji Temple has existed in Matsushima, a sacred site, since the 9th century under a different name, but itwas named "Zuiganji" when Date Masamune made it his family temple. The main hall and the adjacent priest's quarters are designated as National Treasures.
These buildings still look the same as they did when Basho visited, but the nearby National Route 45 is lined with souvenir shops and restaurants, and amid the hustle and bustle of tourists and cars, you can sense the timelessness of fashion
To commemorate Basho's visit, Zuiganji Temple holds a Basho Festival every year on the second Sunday of November
【A detour into the depths③: What kind of person was Matsuo Basho?
Matsuo Basho from the official Iga City tourism website
Basho was an Edo period haiku poet who elevated the artistic value of haikai, which was originally a pastime for waka poetry, and"Shofu haikai."established a style of haiku known as
He was born in 1644 in Iga Ueno (Mie Prefecture) to a farming family that was allowed to use the surname and carry a sword. He took the name Matsuo Munefusa and served a samurai family, where he discovered haiku
Basho then went to Edo at the age of 29 in search of a new life in haiku, where he deepened his connections with haiku poets in Nihonbashi and made a name for himself, before living a secluded life at Basho-an in Fukagawa
Then,at the age of 46, realizing the transience of living in seclusion and owning a home, he decided to travel to Michinoku (the Tohoku region), and for the rest of his life, he found his ideal as a haiku poet in his travels.
summary
The official spelling is "Shiogama," but it is sometimes written as "Shiogama." Between Sendai and Shiogama is Taga Castle, the capital of Mutsu Province, and there are many important poetic sites there, and Basho and Sora stopped off at many of them
Furthermore, Basho states in the textthat "after visiting Zuiganji Temple on the 11th, I headed towards Hiraizumi but took a wrong turn and ended up in Ishinomaki," but Sora's travel diary indicates that he traveled to Ishinomaki on the 10th and stayed there overnight.
It is unclear whether this was a misunderstanding on Basho's part or if there was some other intention behind it, but they left Matsushima and headed for Hiraizumi in Iwate Prefecture, the final destination of their journey to the depths of the country
【Articles in the series "Traveling the Narrow Road to the Deep North"
I'm a former Edoite (Tokyoite) who loves Morioka and the six prefectures of Tohoku, and I'm a big fan of history, gourmet food, travel, sports, alcohol, and choral singing.
I'll introduce you to interesting things, delicious food, and great places in Tohoku!
