Ochi Etsujin
Ochi Etsujin (1656?-1739?) was one of the few pupils of Bashō, and one of the greatest. He was born in Northern Echigo, but later lived in Nagoya. He is said to have been very handsome. In English, "Etsujin" literally translates to "man from Etsu" which is the provinces of Echigo and Echizen in Northern Japan.
He used the pen name Kinkaoo for his poetry, which meant "old man rose of sharon."
Etsujin's grave is located at temple Choen-Ji in Nagoya.
Haiku by Etsujin
- Covered with cherry blossoms,
- If I could die now
- In this dream of mine!
- Autmn evening -
- "Isn’t it time," she comes to asks,
- "to light the lantern?"
- only a chirping insect
- told me it was night
- so bright was the moon
- first snow
- having looked at it
- I wash my face
- The departing year:
- from my parents I have kept
- my grey hair hidden.
- the candlelight
- draws my attention -
- mountain cockoo
- If I may
- I wish to die
- under the cherry blossoms in spring
- just around the full moon
- in April
-
the soot of the lantern
makes me feel the cold even more -
snow in the evening
Next: Hashin