う
「卯の花を　かざしに関の　晴着かな」

7. The Barrier at Shirakawa, Nasu

When he passed through the barrier at Shirakawa, Basho and Sora thought they should purify themselves as they would when passing through a foreign country. But they had nothing with which to purify themselves.

So, they put Deutzia on their heads as kanzashi(an ornamental hairpin) to purify themselves and passed through the barrier.   Sora composed a haiku then.

u-no-ha-na wo           (Put the Deutzia flower)

ka-n-za-shi ni se-ki-no    (for the ornamental hairpin)

ha-re-gi-ka-na           (as our best attire.)

(by Sora)

“We used flower of Deutzia for ornamental hairpin as our best attire.”

Season word: Unohana=flower of Deutzia (Summer)