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Matsuo Basho and Kawai Sora, who had traveled all the way from Edo to Hiraizumi in Oshu and accomplished their great goal, headed from Ichinoseki in Iwate Prefecture to Dewa (Yamagata/Akita). According to Sora's travel diary, they left Ichinoseki on May 14, 1689 (June 30 in the Gregorian calendar), passed Iwadeyama in Miyagi, and entered Yamagata at Sakaidagoe, now National Route 47
What is Oku no Hosomichi?
Statues of Basho and Sora at Risshakuji Temple
"Oku no Hosomichi" is a travelogue written by 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 journey on March 27, 1689 (May 16, 1689)
[Iwadeyama] Heading for Naruko Onsen from Ichinoseki, but turning back at dusk and staying the night at Iwadeyama
The inner river and promenade at the site of the outer moat of Iwadeyama Castle. From Miyagi Digital Photo Library
Basho passed through Mt. Iwade once and Ogorozaki and Mizunokojima , but only their names are mentioned in the text.
The statue of Basho that was previously at Ogurozaki has been removed, and at Mido Island, the "rocks with pine trees growing on them in the river sandbar" have been buried in mud by heavy rain, and only information boards remain standing in vain at both sites.
Since Naruko Onsen was quite a distance from here, Basho returned to Iwadeyama and stayed at an inn
By the way, in the town of Iwadeyama, there are the ruins of Iwadeyama Castle, which was Date Masamune's base before he built Sendai Castle, and the beautiful old townscape still remains, making it a fun place to walk around
[Urinomae Barrier] Learn about the rigors of crossing checkpoints and mountain passes
Basho monument at the site of the Ureshimae Barrier, from Miyagi Digital Photo Library
The pass at the border is also known as Sakaidagoe or Nakayamagoe, and although it is at a low altitude, it is a difficult route with a series of steep, narrow paths
However, it wasn't just the roads that were difficult; Basho and Sora aroused suspicion from the officials at Shitomae Barrier, a checkpoint of the Sendai domain on the Miyagi side of the pass ,andinvestigations took a long time, perhaps because few travelers passed through.
Afterwards, in the rain, we were allowed to stay at the home of a "Fukujin" (a person in charge of border security) in the Sakaida village, but we were unable to move due to heavy rain and spent two nights there
It is a fine private home with a large hearth, and even today the "Former Arijike House, Houjin's House," . The Sakaida area is a horse breeding area, and precious horses were kept inside the house to protect them from the cold. Basho was so moved by this atmosphere that he wrote a haiku here.
Pre-urinary contact information
Facility name: Urinary Seki
Address: 140 Ureshimae, Naruko Onsen, Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture
Google Map
Fleas and lice, horse urine by my pillow (Basho)
A literal translation would , "When you stay in a poor house, you are eaten by fleas and lice, and there is a horse by your pillow , and the sound of its urine echoes around you." Basho must have felt a withered emotion in the sound of horse urine, which is why he wrote this poem.
Former Ariji Family Residence (Fukuto no Ie) from the official website of the Mogami Town Tourism Association
While some interpret this poem as a complaint about a terrible experience, many others say that Basho was touched by the fact that a man in a snowy area kept a horse in the dirt floor of his house and treated it as if it were a member of the family
Former Ariji family residence <Information>
Facility name: Former Ariji Family Residence (Fukuin no Ie)
[Obanazawa] A long-term stay to reunite with the haiku poet whom Basho fell in love with
Basho Seifu Historical Museum (former Suzuki Yabei family store) From the Obanazawa City Hall official website
At the recommendation of the lord of Sakaida, Basho and Sora hired local young men as bodyguards and the Natagiri Pass, where bandits were said to appear arrived at Obanazawa, a post town on the Ushu Kaido road, on May 17th (July 3rd)
Basho was welcomed by his fellow haiku poet, Suzuki Seifu (whose real name was Suzuki Hachiemon), a wealthy merchant who represented the haiku world in Dewa
In the main text, Basho wrote about the man, saying, "He was wealthy but not lowly in heart, and he appreciated our long journey and let us stay with him for several days, giving us great hospitality."
Seifu also advised Basho and his companions to stay at Yosenji Temple, which had a great view, as it was the peak season for sericulture and Basho and his companions would be busy and restless. They stayed at Yosenji Temple for seven of their ten nights in Obanazawa
To express his gratitude for Seifu's hospitality, Basho included three haiku (one by Sora) in the Obanazawa chapter
I sleep in the coolness of my lodgings (Basho)
The poem states, "I feel at home in this cool inn," expressing gratitude for the refreshing hospitality and a sense of relief after looking back on the difficult mountain crossing
"Nemaru" means "relaxing" in the local dialect
Crawl out! The cry of the toads below the feed shed (Basho)
The poem means "A toad is chirping from under the shed, come crawl out here," where shed is a hut for silkworms and toad is a toad, and it represents a summer seasonal word
I can picture Basho hearing a family member complaining in frustration that "toads eat silkworms," and then telling the toad, "Come out and I'll take a look at your face."
With the image of the safflower in my mind, I look at the safflower (Basho)
This poem means, "Looking at safflowers makes me think of the eyebrow brushes that women use when applying makeup." It evokes a sense of sexiness by likening the shape of safflower, the ingredient used to make the rouge that gives women's lips their gloss, to a makeup brush
Safflower (from the official Yamagata Prefecture tourism website)
Seifu's business was selling safflower, a specialty of Yamagata, including Obanazawa
[Risshakuji Temple] Famous poems left behind at Yamadera, one of Mutsu's most sacred mountains
Risshakuji Temple Main Hall (From the official Risshakuji Temple website)
On May 27th (July 13th), we will say goodbye to the fresh breeze and head to Yamagata City, stopping off at Risshakuji Temple (also known as "Mountain Temple") at Hojusan Asokawain
When the group arrived it was already evening, so they changed their plans and stayed overnight at a temple lodging
This is a mountain temple with 1,015 stone steps to climb from the main gate to the inner sanctuary at the top. It is famous for its "Chikara Konnyaku," skewers of soy sauce-flavored balls of konnyaku, which can be eaten at souvenir shops along the approach to the temple
The quietness of the cicadas seeping into the rocks
This haiku, which means "Oh, how quiet it is, the chirping of the cicadas seems to penetrate the rocks," is considered to be one of Basho's finest
In the main text, Basho describes Risshakuji Temple as "beautiful scenery and solitude," a four-character phrase that describes a state of "beautiful scenery and tranquility," and states that the silence clears the mind
【A detour to the depths⑤】How many haiku appear in the text? What is the convergence of the low ears?
The four original versions of "Oku no Hosomichi" all 62 haiku , with Basho having 50 and Sora having 11 , and in fact there is one "Teiji" (there is a theory that Basho has 51 and Sora has 10).
Tatemimi's real name was Miyabe Yasaburo, and after they met in Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture, he played an important role, such as introducing Basho to lodgings. There is a theory that he may have been a support person sent by the Ogaki domain to await Basho's arrival
summary
Basho and his party had a lot of trouble crossing the mountain pass from Miyagi to Yamagata, as they were viewed with suspicion at the checkpoint on the Miyagi side and were unable to pass through, and they were also held up by heavy rain at the pass
After much hardship, the group finally reaches Dewa, and from Yamadera they head to their next destination, Kisakata. Before that, however, they stop at Dewa Sanzan, one of the three major Shugendo pilgrimage routes in Japan
【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!
