WHF2002 / Basho Journey: PRELUDE (1)

WHF2002 - Basho Journey

The World Haiku Festival 2002
Basho Journey: PRELUDE (1)

The WHF2002 follows the successful WHF2000 which was held in London and Oxford two years ago, and will take place from 20 to 22 September 2002 at Yuwa Town, a picturesque and rustic place in Akita Prefecture, northern Japan. Basho Journey is a seven-day Oku-no-Hosomichi trip from 13 to 19 September 2002, following in the footsteps of Basho, with two optional events, i.e. the Kamakura Option (10 to 12 September) and the Kyoto Option (23 to 26 September).

In this new series, “PRELUDE” to the dynamic autumn event in the world’s haiku calendar, we will have the foretaste of the Basho Journey, will look at some aspects of WHF2002 and generally will talk about topics which are relevant to this exciting event.

BASHO JOURNEY OKU-NO-HOSOMICHI (From Fukagawa to Kisagata)

FUKAGAWA (Thursday 12 September 2002)

Members of the World Haiku Club and their friends visit the Basho Shrine in Fukagawa, Koto-ku Ward, Tokyo. The Shrine is an indication of the possible site of the Basho-an (Basho Hut) where the greatest haiku poet lived from the winter of 1683 (Tenwa 3) to the summer of 1694 (Genroku 7) when he set off to his last journey, which also turned out to be the end of his life which to him was a form of journey.

tabi ni yande yume wa kareno o kake meguru

Basho

on a journey, ailing –
my dreams roam about
on a withered moor

tr. by Makoto Ueda

This was his second Basho-an, as the nearby first Basho-an, where he had moved in during the winter of 1680 (Enpo 8), was burnt down in the great fire in 1682 (Tenwa 2) and Basho had to be evacuated to live with a friend in Tanimura of the Kai province (Yamanashi Prefecture) for about a year. It was this first Basho-an where a musa basjoo, or Japanese banana (basho), plant was given by Rika to his master and planted in the spring of 1681 (Enpo 9/Tenwa 1). This of course is the origin of the name of Basho’s house, and subsequently his haiku name (first recorded reference was in February 1682 (Tenwa 2)).

We also visit the Basho Memorial Museum and each member gives him/herself a quick refresher course on Basho in general and on the Oku-no-Hosomichi in particular. The Museum houses priceless treasures such as various portrait paintings of Basho, the master’s own writings in calligraphy such as his letters, tanzaku haiku rendition and some manuscripts of his famous literary output.

While we are visiting the Basho Shrine and the Museum, we write our own haiku poems partly as homage to the master we love and respect, and partly as a warming-up for the seven-day journey we are about to set off the following day in Basho’s footsteps. The exercise will also be the beginning of our everyday routine to endeavour to write as many good poems as we can during the whole journey and submit them to the “Oku-no-Hosomichi” Kukai, which will be held concurrently with the WHChaikuforumworkshop where all members can post their poems as entries to the Kukai.

In the preface to the Oku-no-Hosomichi, Basho wrote the famous first line:

Days and months are eternal travellers, as are the years that come and go.

tr., Susumu Takiguchi

The members start their long journey from their home in Canada, Croatia, Scotland, America, Korea, England etc. They also do so from their home in different parts of Japan itself. Some of the members assemble in Kamakura before the Oku-no-Hosomichi and enjoy the 3-day Kamakura Option, of which the 12 September is a part. On Wednesday 11 a public lecture/panel discussion is planned in Kamakura when James W. Hackett, WHC’s Honorable President, will be talking about his ideas on haiku and his relation with R. H. Blyth (a Conference theme of WHF2002 at Yuwa Town, Akita) and will also be reading from his forth-coming book. Dorothy Britton (Lady Bouchier), renowned internationally for her English translation of Oku-no-Hosomichi, is expected to join, as well as a few leading Japanese haiku poets, with Susumu Takiguchi, WHC Chairman, acting as convenor. There will be press and TV coverage envisaged. A visit to Tokeiji Temple in the City will be an important part of the Kamakura Option. We pay homage and tribute to the tomb there of R. H. Blyth.

sazanka ni kokoro nokoshite tabi tachinu

R. H. Blyth in Japanese

with my heart left
on camellia sasanqua, I have
set off to a journey

tr. by Susumu Takiguchi

In the evening of 12 September, we gather in a restaurant at our hotel in Tokyo “Shinjuku Washington Hotel” to give a rousing “Soko-kai” (send-off party) to whom, yes, to ourselves! We retire early in order to have a good night sleep and a sweet dream about the Basho Journey ahead, listening to cicadas, admiring waterfalls, thinking of ancient warriors, or travelling in a boat downstream the rapids of the Mogami River. The following morning (Friday 13 September), our chartered coach (bus) will come and fetch us and we will embark on our journey at 9 am sharp from “Shinjuku Washington Hotel” to our first destination, Nikko. Those who are not staying in this hotel must join us ideally by 8 am (we can have breakfast together) and not later than 8:30 am.

“Shinjuku Washington Hotel”: 3-2-9 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan 160-8336, TEL: +81 3 3343-3111 FAX: +81 3 3342-2575

Those who wish to join WHF2002 / Basho Journey should contact the WHC Headquarters for details and application form as soon as possible at:

WHC.takiguchi@susumu.freeserve.co.uk

Read more about Rogetsu

Read more about the WHF2002 Akita

2002 Speakers

See the WHC Website for Details & Application Form

Read the WHF2002 R. H. Blyth Competition Winners

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