extract about my pilgrimage to Gassan (from my book
HANA NO KAGE) at:
BBC HOME TRUTHS
HANA NO KAGE) at:
BBC HOME TRUTHS
audio version at:
LibriVox
LibriVox
full text if oku no hosomichi at:
University of Oregon
University of Oregon
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Main Japan Page
Main Japan Page
Basho wrote, "Nor is the story of Kansho and Bakuya out of place here,
for it also teaches us that no matter where your interest lies, you will not
be able to accomplish anything unless you bring your deepest devotion
to it. As I sat reflecting thus upon a rock, I saw in front of me a cherry tree
hardly three feet tall just beginning to blossom - far behind the season of
course, but victorious against the heavy weight of snow which it had
resisted for more than half a year. I immediately thought of the famous
Chinese poem about 'the plum tree fragrant in the blazing heat of summer
'
for it also teaches us that no matter where your interest lies, you will not
be able to accomplish anything unless you bring your deepest devotion
to it. As I sat reflecting thus upon a rock, I saw in front of me a cherry tree
hardly three feet tall just beginning to blossom - far behind the season of
course, but victorious against the heavy weight of snow which it had
resisted for more than half a year. I immediately thought of the famous
Chinese poem about 'the plum tree fragrant in the blazing heat of summer
'
Gassan, the
Mountain of Death,
seen from the col
between Yudono-san,
the Mountain of
Rebirth, and Gassan.
This is the route
Basho and Sora took
at the end of the 17th
century.
Mountain of Death,
seen from the col
between Yudono-san,
the Mountain of
Rebirth, and Gassan.
This is the route
Basho and Sora took
at the end of the 17th
century.
Oku no Hosomichi
by Matsuo Bashō (1644-1694)
Oku no Hosomichi (meaning Narrow Road
to Oku [the Deep North]) is a major work
by Matsuo Bashō.
Oku no Hosomichi was written based on a
journey taken by Bashō in the late spring
of 1689. He and his traveling companion
Sora departed from Edo (modern-day
Tokyo) for the northerly interior region
known as Oku, propelled mostly by a
desire to see the places about which the
old poets wrote. Travel in those days was,
of course, very dangerous to one’s
health, but Bashō was committed to a kind
of poetic ideal of wandering. He travelled
for about 156 days all together, covering
thousands of miles mostly on foot. Of all
of Bashō’s works, Oku no Hosomichi is
best known.
(Summary from Wikipedia)
by Matsuo Bashō (1644-1694)
Oku no Hosomichi (meaning Narrow Road
to Oku [the Deep North]) is a major work
by Matsuo Bashō.
Oku no Hosomichi was written based on a
journey taken by Bashō in the late spring
of 1689. He and his traveling companion
Sora departed from Edo (modern-day
Tokyo) for the northerly interior region
known as Oku, propelled mostly by a
desire to see the places about which the
old poets wrote. Travel in those days was,
of course, very dangerous to one’s
health, but Bashō was committed to a kind
of poetic ideal of wandering. He travelled
for about 156 days all together, covering
thousands of miles mostly on foot. Of all
of Bashō’s works, Oku no Hosomichi is
best known.
(Summary from Wikipedia)
OKU NO
HOSOMICHI
HOSOMICHI