Product Description

In his perfectly crafted haiku poems, Basho described the natural world with great simplicity and delicacy of feeling. When he composed "The Narrow Road to the Deep North" he was a serious student of Zen Buddhism setting off on a series of travels designed to strip away the trappings of the material world and bring spiritual enlightenment. He wrote of the seasons changing, of the smell of the rain, the brightness of the moon and the beauty of the waterfall, through which he sensed the mysteries of the universe. These travel writings not only chronicle Basho's perilous journeys through Japan, but they also capture his vision of eternity in the transient world around him.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #91155 in Books
• Published on: 1974-11-28
• Original language: Japanese
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 176 pages

Review
Written in a mixture of prose vignettes known as haibun and the 17-syllable poems of haiku, this slim volume contains five travel sketches from Bashi's wanderings through his native Japan in the 17th century. Few books so brilliantly marry a journey through a physical exterior with the interior landscape of the traveller. Mountains collared by clouds and cedar trees dripping rain become a subtle revelation of Bashi's own state of mind. The purity and simplicity of the writing is breathtaking. In four short haiku lines Bashi is able to conjure the spirit of place and of his own shifting moods in a way that would take other writers whole pages. (Kirkus UK)

Synopsis
In his perfectly crafted haiku poems, Basho described the natural world with great simplicity and delicacy of feeling. When he composed "The Narrow Road to the Deep North" he was a serious student of Zen Buddhism setting off on a series of travels designed to strip away the trappings of the material world and bring spiritual enlightenment. He wrote of the seasons changing, of the smell of the rain, the brightness of the moon and the beauty of the waterfall, through which he sensed the mysteries of the universe. These travel writings not only chronicle Basho's perilous journeys through Japan, but they also capture his vision of eternity in the transient world around him.

About the Author
Basho, the Japanese poet and diarist, was born in Iga-ueno near Kyoto in 1644. He began to write verse while studying as the companion of the son of the local lord, and continued write when he moved to Edo (now Tokyo) in 1667. He eventually became a recluse, and on his travels relied on the hospitality of temples and fellow poets. His work is much influenced by Zen Buddhism. Nobuyuki Uasa teaches English at the University of Hiroshima.

Customer Reviews

Briiliant insight into modern japan love of tradition
This book was written in the 17th century, and gives an account of the poet's travels in the North of Japan. What is so interesting is the correspondance with modern Japan - their feelings for the past, for their traditions are put into focus by the descriptions of what the poet sees. An essential accompaniment for your travels in Japan, if you really wish to understand the Japanese.