Japanese literary scholar Keene's reflections on haiku rhythm, travels of Matsuo Basho

The Mainichi

16-06-2025

Donald Keene's journey tracing the footsteps of haiku poet Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) in Basho's masterpiece "Oku no Hosomichi," which Keene later translated into English as "The Narrow Road to Oku," took him from Miyagi Prefecture into the adjacent Yamagata Prefecture.
His first stop was the renowned temple Risshakuji, also known as "Yamadera." This was in late spring 1955, 70 years ago. Details of Keene's journey were published in the June 1955 issue of the literary magazine Chuo Koron under the title "Komo Oku no Hosomichi" (loosely translating as "Westerner's narrow road to Oku").
In April 2025, admirers of Keene including this reporter undertook the same journey while reflecting on his travelogue and translation of Basho's work. Here we start with a visit to Risshakuji Temple in Yamagata Prefecture and an encounter there.
Yamadera
Basho traveled from Hiraizumi to Dewa province (Yamagata Prefecture) via Naruko Onsen hot spring, but Keene entered Yamadera via Sakunami Onsen hot spring to the south. The route going through Sendai was probably convenient for him as he was traveling by rail.
Here, too, Keene was welcomed by cherry blossoms in full bloom. "There was a young monk on the veranda of the Konpon Chudo (Yamadera's main hall), who was absorbed studying an English reader. When I called out to him, he decided to guide us," Keene recalled, though he noted, "The explanations that the monk had memorized sounded a bit odd." At the time, it was likely rare for foreigners to visit Yamadera. The monk's earnest effort to provide explanations using the English he had just learned is endearing.
Yamadera today is different, I found.
Due to the revival of inbound tourism, there were many foreign visitors there, joyfully running up the 1,015 stone steps. I met one young man there, from Australia. He was on a six-week vacation traveling across Japan from the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido all the way down to Kagoshima in the southwest, using a rental car as accommodation. He told me with delight that Japan has hot springs everywhere and that he planned to head to Hakuba Happo in Nagano Prefecture next. He said he was 33 years old, -- the same age Keene was when he visited.
I explained the origin of the statues there of Basho and his student Kawai Sora (1649-1710), but received a puzzled response: "Basho? Donald Keene?" The names were apparently unfamiliar to him, but he added before departing that it was intriguing and that he planned to look them up. In some way, he mirrored the young Keene.
Ryushaku-ji
There is a mountain temple in the domain of Yamagata called the Ryushaku-ji. It was founded by the Great Teacher Jikaku, and is a place noted for its tranquillity. People had urged us to go there "even for a brief look," and we had turned back at Obanazawa to make the journey, a distance of about fifteen miles. It was still daylight when we arrived. After first reserving pilgrim's lodgings at the foot of the mountain, we climbed to the temple itself at the summit. Boulders piled on boulders had created this mountain, and the pines and cedars on its slopes were old. The earth and stones were worn and slippery with moss. At the summit the doors of the temple buildings were all shut, and not a sound could be heard. Circling around the cliffs and crawling over the rocks, we reached the main temple building. In the splendor of the scene and the silence I felt a wonderful peace penetrate my heart.
shizukasa ya / iwa ni shimiiru / semi no koe
How still it is here -- / Stinging into the stones, / The locusts' trill.
It was on the 27th day of the fifth month according to the old lunar calendar (July 13 in the Gregorian calendar) that Basho visited this place. This was around when the rainy season was coming to an end and the full brunt of summer was arriving. Keene often referenced this famous haiku in his later lectures. When the haiku is romanized, the vowel "i" appears seven times. "This is what makes the haiku rhythmic," Keene said. To his ear, probably not only the cicada's song but also the "rhythm of the haiku," unnoticed when rendered in Japanese characters, was audible.
Shitomae Barrier
After visiting Yamadera, Keene headed north, turned east from the city of Obanazawa, crossed the mountain pass at the prefectural border, and arrived at Naruko Onsen. Regarding Naruko's famous "kokeshi" dolls, he mused, "It seemed a bit strange for adults to collect such things."
More intriguing to him were the historical remains of the barrier station that Basho had dedicated a chapter to, known as "Shitomae Barrier." What kind of place was it?
Shitomae Barrier
Turning back to look at the road stretching far off to Nambu in the north, we spent the night at the village of Iwade. We passed by Ogurosaki and Mizu no Ojima, and from the hot springs at Narugo headed for Shitomae Barrier, intending to cross into Dewa Province. Travellers are rare along this road, and we were suspiciously examined by guards at the barrier. Only with much trouble did we manage to get through. By the time we had climbed the mountain there, the sun had already set. We found a border guard's house and asked to spend the night. For three days a terrible storm raged, and we had no choice but to remain in those dreary mountains.
nomi shirami / uma no shito suru / makura moto
Plagued by fleas and lice, / I hear the horses staling / Right by my pillow.
Though it was an important highway from Sendai to Dewa province, travelers were rare, and Basho and his party apparently came under suspicion. Today, only a fence and a small storehouse remain, with a grassy area that can't really be called a park spreading out desolately.
Standing there, Keene reflected on the name Shitomae, consisting of the characters for "urine" and "front": "Perhaps due to the name Shitomae, I suddenly felt the urge to urinate. Normally, I wouldn't have hesitated to relieve myself, but the guides were calling me 'Dr. Keene, Dr. Keene,' so I felt I had to act like a doctor. ... It made me think, there are times when being treated as a doctor is troublesome." This anecdote was typical of Keene, always full of a spirit of humor.
As for Basho, after somehow managing to pass through the barrier, his party sought shelter at the house of a barrier official along the highway as dusk approached. They ended up being stuck there for three days due to a storm. This house still exists and is open to the public as "Hojin no Ie" (house of the barrier guard). Inside, the room where Basho stayed is preserved, and sitting by the sunken hearth, one can feel as if they've traveled back in time.
Mogami River
The final stop on our journey was the Mogami River, the setting for the famous haiku "samidare wo" (The summer rains). After visiting Yamadera, Basho traveled north along the river, waited for favorable weather in the town of Oishida, and boarded a boat. Let's look at Keene's translation of Basho's original text.
The Mogami River
We waited for the weather to clear at a place called Oishida, intending to sail down the Mogami River. People told us that the seeds of the old haikai poetry had been scattered here, and they still recalled nostalgically the unforgotten, long-ago days of its glory; the rustic notes of a reed pipe brought music to their hearts. "We are groping for the right path, uncertain which to follow, the old or the new, but there is no one to guide us on our way," they said, and I had no choice but to compose with them a scroll of poems. The poetry-making of this journey had reached to even such a place.
The Mogami River has its source in Michinoku, and its upper reaches are in Yamagata. The Chessboard and Peregrine Rapids are among the terrifying danger spots in its course. The river flows north of Itajiki Mountain, and finally enters the sea at Sakata. Mountains overhang the river on both sides, and boats are sent downstream through the thick vegetation. Probably what the poet called "rice boats" were boats like mine, except loaded with rice. Through breaks in the green leaves we could see the White Thread Falls. The Hermit's Hall stands facing the riverbank. The river was swollen and the boat in danger.
samidare wo / atsumete hayashi / Mogamigawa
Gathering seawards / The summer rains, how swiftly flows / Mogami River.
Keene visited this river in early spring and noted, "The Mogami River was still 'swift,' but there were no boats or driftwood, and it felt lonely." The water level was likely low.
Before heading for Risshakuji, Basho stopped at Obanazawa. There, he stayed at the home of the local haiku poet Suzuki Seifu (1651-1721). This house remains and Keene also visited it. It now serves as the Basho-Seifu Historical Museum and displays material related to Basho.
Keene saw a monument inscribed with the "samidare wo" haiku at a nearby temple, but wrote, "I am not particularly interested in haiku monuments. Wherever I go, I am guided to them first. Out of courtesy, I try to hide my lack of interest by touching the monument or tracing unreadable characters, but to tell the truth I don't find them interesting at all. It may be evidence that I lack the spirit of haiku."
Having learned about the traditional short poetry form of haiku through Basho, Keene would later compile a biography of Masaoka Shiki (1867-1902), the Meiji-era poet who revived the allure of haiku in modern times. When he gave lectures in towns with deep connections to haiku, he would sometimes compose one himself after being invited to do so. Keene apparently was unable to settle into the idea of leaving haiku behind on monuments, but he appreciated the allure of haiku, which depict a world without limits within their 5-7-5 syllable format.