Yosa Buson (1716-1784) was a haiku poet in the Edo era and also active as a painter. Therefore, his haiku has a feature that highlights a visual image clearly. Buson honored the great master of haiku Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) and his style of the poetry.
The haiku poems of the famous Japanese poets
<Japanese>
春雨や ものがたりゆく 蓑と傘
Harusame ya/ Monogatari-yuku/ Mino to kasa
<English>
The spring rain.
Talking and passing
<Japanese>
行く春や 重たき琵琶の 抱心
Yuku haru ya/ Omotaki biwa no/ Daki-gokoro
<English>
The fading of spring.
The feeling of holding
Of the biwa.
biwa:A four‐stringed Japanese lute.
<Japanese>
菜の花や 月は東に 日は西に
Na-no-hana ya/ Tsuki ha higashi ni/ Hi wa nishi ni
<English>
The canola flowers.
The moon in the east.
The sun in the west.
<Japanese>
夕立や 草葉をつかむ むら雀
Yudachi ya/ kusaba wo tsukamu/ Mura suzume
<English>
The afternoon shower.
Catch the grass or leaf
The villege spallow.
<Japanese>
牡丹散りて 打ちかさなりぬ 二三片
Botan chirite/ Uchi-kasanarinu/ Ni san hen
<English>
The peony flower scattered
And accumulated
A few of the petals.
<Japanese>
不二ひとつ うづみのこして 若葉かな
Fuji hitotsu/ Uzumi nokoshite/ Wakaba kana
<English>
Only Mount Fuji
Is left unburied
By young leaves.
<Japanese>
夏河を 越すうれしさよ 手に草履
Natsukawa wo/ Kosu ureshisa yo/ Te ni zori
<English>
The summer river.
It’s happy to walk across it.
My hands with zori sandal.
<Japanese>
線香や ますほのすすき 二三本
Senko ya/ Masuho no susuki/ Ni-san bon
<English>
The incense sticks.
The reddish soil color pampas grasses
A few of peices.
<Japanese>
秋たつや 素湯香しき 施薬院
Aki tatsu ya/ Sayu koubashiki/ Seyaku-in
<English>
Autumn has come.
The plain hot water is fragrant.
The Seyaku-in.
*Seyaku-in:The Pharmacy Institution in ancient Japan.
<Japanese>
宿かせと 刀投げ出す 吹雪かな
Yado kase to/ Katana nagedasu/ Fubuki kana
<English>
“Put me up for a night!”
He threw the katana.
It is a snow storm.
<Japanese>
斧入れて 香おどろくや 冬木立
Ono ire te/ Ko odoroku ya/ Fuyu kodachi
<English>
Cutting into with the ax,
I was surprised at the scent.
The winter trees.
Books about Yosa Buson
Other famous Japanese poets
