the flower in tomorrow

Issa Original
さく花に長逗留の此世哉
saku hana ni nagatouryu no kono yo kana

David English
among blooming flowers---
a long stay
in this world

Sakuo Renku
明日は此花見ぬ人もあり
asuha kono hana minu hitomo ari

tomorrow there will be those who
can not see those flowers

the following

Issa Original
包丁で鰻よりつつ夕すずみ
houtyou de unagi yoritsutsu yuusuzumi

David English
with a kitchen knife
choosing eels…
a cool evening

Sakuo Renku
次の番とは夢にも思わず
tugi no bann towa yume nimo omowazu

the following watch
never thinking

all it's back people

Issa Original
名月や出家士諸商人
meigetu ya shukke samurai shoakindo

David’s English
harvest moon-gazing
priests,samurai,
merchants

Sakuo Renku
後姿はみんな人なり

all the sight of its backs
are people.

let's pay with us

Issa Original
夜ざくらや美人天から下るとも
yozakura ya bijin ten kara kudaru tomo

David’s English
night’s cherry blossoms
heavenly ladies
among us

Sakuo Renku
地に舞い降りて共に遊ばん

come down to the earth
let’s play together

fly on the dark sea

Issa Original
蝶とぶやこの世に望みのないように
chou tobu ya kono yo ni nozomi no nai youni

David’s English
butterfly flits
as if wanting nothing
In this world

Sakuo Renku
何処と知れず闇の海行く
izuko to sirezu yamino umi yuku

unknown to where
flying on the dark sea

this world of blossoms

Issa　Original
ことしからもうけ遊びぞ花の娑婆
kotosi kara mouke asobi zo hana no shaba

David’s English
from this year on
just carousing…
this world of blossom

Sakuo Renku
いざ籠に乗り友待つ里へ

Now ride on a stretcher
to the village friend waiting

draw the curtain

Issa Original
とく暮よことしのような悪どしは
toku kure yo kotoshi no yona akudoshi wa

David’s English
end quickly!
this year, you’ve been
an evil one

Sakuo Renku
早く幕引け地獄の芝居

swiftly draw the curtain
Drama of Hell

bird is innocent

Issa Original
鶯や泥足ぬぐふ梅の花
uguisu ya doroashi nuguu ume no hana

David’s English
nightingale wipes
his muddy feet…
plum blossoms

Sakuo Renku
家紋を知らぬ鳥のどか
with out knowing crest
the bird is innocent

All off horse

Issa Original
大名を馬からおろす桜哉
daimyou wo umakara orosu sakura kana

David’s English
a lord
forced off his horse…
cherry blossoms

Sakuo Renku
大御所眠る桜の社
oogoshyo nemuru sakura no yashiro

the first Shogun
sleeping in the cherry shrine

selfless duet

Issa Original
藪越の乞食笛よ鶯よ
yabukoe no kojiki fue yo uguisu yo

David’s English
wafting through trees
a beggar’s flute
a nightingale

Sakuo Renku
無欲同志の春のデュエット
selfless friend sing
spring duet

without string all fall

Issa Original
反古凧や隣は前田加賀守
hogo-dako ya tonari ha maeda kaga no kami

David’s English
a wastepaper kite
next to that of Maeda
Lord of Kaga!

Sakuo Renku
どちらも落ちる
命の糸よ
Both of them fall
without life strings

difficult to be right

Issa Original
人はいさ直な案山子もなかりけり
hitoha isa suguna kakasi mo nakari keri

David’s English
like people
an upright scarecrow
can’t be found

Sakuo Renku
我も正しく非ずなり
Me too
can not be right

children voices in Issa hut

13 Oct afternoon at Kashihabara
I visited Mrs. Nakamura, museum attendant in Issa Memorial Museum.
She explained many selections, the interesting are farm equipments, daily life tools, and clothes.
I found the bamboo carriage used in time of Issa. That reminds me
Issa’s handicap of walking.

14 Oct noon at Kashihabara
There were many school children in Issa’s hut, crying loudly.
I wish to let Issa hear their voices.

秋空に子供の声や一茶庵

In autumn sky
full of children’s voices…
Issa’s hut

10 disciples and apples

13 Oct noon at Naganuma
Being in the Civil hall, many villagers visit to Director , Mr. Hideo Kobayashi.
They all like haiku and are the fun of Issa.

There were 10 famous disciples in the village.

The village is full with apples. The grand houses are lined along Hottsukoku route. Those give us rich feeling.

It takes 2 or 3 hours on foot from Issa’s village. Riches of nature as well as of human feelings. I can understand Issa come to here so often.

弟子１０人迎える村や秋豊か

of the village
10 disciples welcomed
rich autumn

autumn sun set

On 12 Oct, afternoon at Takayama
Kubota Syunkou was the biggest land owner
in Edo era in Takayama.
His land had occupied the three fourth of
the village ground.

He was a good patron of Issa and the center of
Haiku activity in this area.

The neat villa stands as memory of Issa
in declining autumn sun set.

Relaxed on the stone

On 12th Oct, at Nakano.
Among the family of Fukurou-Ya Seizaemon , there were Mr. Baidou and his son Baijin who had helped Issa, supplying center of haiku meeting at this Nakano district.

The descendant of the family is Mr.Yamagishi , as President of business, well has maintained Issa’s documents and the room where
Issa and his students enjoyed the haiku party.

I found how Issa was relaxed with Fukurou-Ya family.
There is a stone in the pond that is shaped like bed on which Issa
was laying and looked sky, thinking Haiku.

The stone is named Zazen stone.

Nice hot spring ! in Yudanaka !

on 11th October ,at Yudanaka visited.
Mr. Yumoto is hot spring owner .
His ancestor had taken a good care for Issa in every way,
Especially Issa liked hot spring very much.
Yumoto family has owned hot spring that had made Issa easy.

After seeing Issa’s things, I had a nice talk with Mr Yumoto,
the decendant, who know well the history and told about relation
between Issa and mordrn Haiku-ist, Isensui and Santouka.

I took hot spring, thinking ISSA and hearing autumn first rain.

My trip to Issa's home area

The purpose of my trip to Issa’s home area is to get basic image
for haiga making featured on my Blogs .

It was done on 11th to 14th October.




Location.
Issa was born in kashiha-bara, northern district of Nagano Prefecture.
Now it takes 3 hours by train from Tokyo.
In Issa’s time, a week by foot from Edo (Tokyo called 130 years before)

Issa’s characteristic of teaching Haiku.
(1) His active area was limited to along big river.
In Edo, Tone river and Edo river.
In Nagano, Chikuma river.
(2) Main active area size
50×50 kilo meter square.
(3) Core sponsor and grouping students.
There were rich sponsors helping Issa who stayed in
and received money from them.
Many students gathered at the sponsor’s house and
enjoyed making haiku with Issa.
(4) Issa’s documents and memorial goods are gathered at the special
sponsors whose descendants have made galleries where
I visited at this time trip.

My reports are described by sponsor’s name with visited date and place.
(1) Mr. Yumoto hot spring owner , on 11th October ,at Yudanaka
(2) Mr. Fukuro-Ya medical doctor and merchant, on 12th Oct, at Nakano
(3) Mr. Kubota big land owner, on 12th Oct, at Takayama
(4) Naganuma- group 10 powerful citizen, on 13th at Naganuma
(5) Issa’s house and Memorial gallery, on 14th Oct, at Kashihabara.

Come down!

Issa original 1812
降りよ降りよ野火がついたぞ鳴く雲雀
ori yo ori yo nobi ga tsuita zo naku hibari

David’s English
come down! come down!brushfires have started...singing lark

Sakuo Renku
子は探す火は遠くとも
Ko ha sagasu hi ha touku tomo

Little birds looking for
even fires faraway

tired of traveling

Issa Original
1810,48 years old still in Edo.

手枕や小言いうても来る蛍
temakura ya kogoto iute mo kuru hotaru

David’s English
arm for my pillow--
though there's nagging
a firefly guest

Sakuo Renku
旅に疲れて発句浮かばず
Tabi ni tukare te hottsuku ukabazu

tired of traveling
feel short on haiku

the other's bride

Issa　Original　 1803 41 years old, living in Edo.
嫁もらう時分となるや梅の花
yome morau jibun to naru ya ume no hana

David's English
'tis the season
for taking a wife...
plum blossoms

Sakuo Renku 1
共に咲かせん我青春

bloom together
my Youth

sakuo Renku 2
指をくわえて人の嫁見る

Putting my finger in my mouth
watch other's bride

happy inventry

Issa Original
富士山も数え込みけり棚卸し　　一茶
fuji-san mo kazoe-komi keri tana oroshi

David’s English
even Mount Fujimakes the list...New Year's inventory

skauo Renku
一つ二つの不足 気にせず
Hitotu futatu no fusoku kini sezu

One or two shortages
Never mind

Your and my happiness !

Issa Original
物陰に笑う鼠や棚卸し
Mono kage ni warau nezumi ya
tana-oroshi

David’s English
hidden in shadows
a laughing mouse
New Year’s inventory

Sakuo Renku
貴殿の幸せ拙者の幸せ
Kiden no siawase　settsusya no siawase

Your happiness is
My happiness.

hit by thunder

Issa original
稲妻や狗ばかり無欲顔
Inazuma ya inu bakari muyoku kao

David’s English
Lightning flash---
Only the dog’s face
Is innocent

Sakuo Renku
欲に踊って雷に打たれる
yoku ni odottsute rai ni utareru

dancing with desire
hit by thunder