okunohosomichi

Preface:

A haiku contains seventeen syllables broken into three lines of five,
seven and five syllables each. It is the shortest fixed poem form in
the world.
　A haiku also always includes a season word evoking a particular
moment in the cycle of the year as manifest in nature.

　Oku-no Hoso-michi is a journey documented in haiku that Basho
took with his traveling companion, Sora. Oku-no means “of the north”
or “back” and hoso-michi means literally “narrow road” or “path.
　 “Narrow Path through the Northern Region” would be one translation
for Basho’s work.

　A deeper meaning of hoso is “narrow” as in “well-honed” or the
sharpness or keenness of our senses when they are alert as they
might be listening to the faraway sound of a flute.

　These qualities reflect Maｔuo Basho’s refined taste and poetic soul. Basho’s journey on foot was based
on the idea that a human life is a sort of journey.
　 Hence “A Poetic Journey Through the North Country” is also an apt title for Oku-no Hoso-Michi as Basho
named his collection in Japanese and the one we choose for our translation.

Oushukaido was a primary road from Edo to the north existing at the time of Basho’s journey.

May you enjoy Basho’s world of haiku and painting.