Matsuo Bashō Books

"The literary significance of these six texts is enormous, and a single, affordable volume containing all of them, in clear and accessible translations, with thorough annotations, [will] be a great boon to teachers of Japanese literature. The strengths of this translation are clear. . . . The annotations are extremely valuable: they show a solid grasp of Bashō's life, work, and times, and provide rich and detailed background, with plentiful information about allusions to Chinese and Japanese texts and connections with other works by Bashō. I don't think I have encountered an English translation of Bashō, or indeed of any Japanese poet, with such comprehensive annotation. . . . The thoroughness with which [these translations are] annotated will make this book a significant scholarly resource; it will also help general readers appreciate the density and delicacy of Bashō's writing. In short, I think this translation of Bashō's travel diaries will be an important and welcome addition to the English-language literature on one of the most important poets of the Japanese tradition." --David Lurie, Columbia University

"Matsuo Bashō (1644-1694) is arguably the greatest figure in the history of Japanese literature and the master of the haiku. Bashō: The Complete Haiku of Matsuo Bashō offers in English a full picture of the haiku of Bashō, 980 poems in all. Andrew Fitzsimons's translation is the first to adhere strictly to form: all of the poems are translated following the syllabic count of the originals. This book also translates a number of Bashō's headnotes to poems ignored by previous English-language translators. In Fitzsimons's beautiful rendering, Bashō is much more than a philosopher of the natural world and the leading exponent of a refined Japanese sensibility. He is also a poet of queer love and eroticism; of the city as well as the country, the indoors and the outdoors, travel and staying put; of lonesomeness as well as the desire to be alone. His poetry explores the full range of social experience in Edo Japan, as he moved among friends and followers high and low, the elite and the demi-monde, the less fortunate: poor farmers, abandoned children, disregarded elders. Bashō: The Complete Haiku of Matsuo Bashō reveals how this work speaks to our concerns today as much as it captures a Japan emerging from the Middle Ages. For dedicated scholars and those coming upon Bashō for the first time, Fitzsimons's elegant translation-with an insightful introduction and helpful notes-allows readers to enjoy these works in all their glory"-- Provided by publisher

A masterful translation of one of the most-loved classics of Japanese literature—part travelogue, part haiku collection, part account of spiritual awakening Bashō (1644–1694)—a great luminary of Asian literature who elevated the haiku to an art form of utter simplicity and intense spiritual beauty—is renowned in the West as the author of Narrow Road to the Interior, a travel diary of linked prose and haiku recounting his journey through the far northern provinces of Japan. This edition, part of the Shambhala Pocket Library series, features a masterful translation of this celebrated work. It also includes an insightful introduction by translator Sam Hamill detailing Bashō’s life and the art of haiku, three other important works by Bashō—Travelogue of Weather-Beaten Bones, The Knapsack Notebook, and Sarashina Travelogue—and two hundred and fifty of his finest haiku, making this the most complete single-volume collection of Bashō’s writings. The Shambhala Pocket Library is a collection of short, portable teachings from notable figures across religious traditions and classic texts. The covers in this series are rendered by Colorado artist Robert Spellman. The books in this collection distill the wisdom and heart of the work Shambhala Publications has published over 50 years into a compact format that is collectible, reader-friendly, and applicable to everyday life.

In his beautifully crafted haiku, Basho captures the natural world with simplicity and deep feeling. As an ardent student of Zen Buddhism, he embarked on travels aimed at shedding material distractions and seeking spiritual enlightenment. His writings reflect the changing seasons, the scent of rain, the brightness of the moon, and the beauty of waterfalls, revealing the mysteries of the universe. This seventeenth-century travel writing chronicles Basho's challenging journeys through Japan while expressing his vision of eternity in the transient world around him. Nobuyuki Yuasa’s lucid translation preserves the lyrical qualities of Basho's poetry and prose, using contemporary language and rhythms. The introduction explores the haibun style, where poetry and prose coexist, and the edition includes maps and notes for context. For over seventy years, Penguin has been a leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world, offering a diverse collection of more than 1,700 titles. Penguin Classics is trusted for its authoritative texts, enhanced by introductions and notes from distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, along with modern translations by award-winning translators.

Japan's celebrated Buddhist poet balances the smallness of humanity with nature's epic drama in these magical seventeenth-century haikus.

Der reich illustrierte Taschenkalender lädt dazu ein, die jahreszeitlichen Veränderungen in Japan zu erleben. Wöchentlich werden Haiku von Matsuo Bashô und seinen Schülern präsentiert, ergänzt durch Mondphasen, Sonnenaufgänge und Feiertage. Zudem gibt es Platz für eigene Notizen.

"Plötzliche Klarheit - Weisheit des Zen" präsentiert die Gedichte des japanischen Dichters Matsuo Bashō, der nach dem Tod eines Freundes Zen-Mönch wird. Seine Haiku, meisterhaft in der Darstellung der Natur und des gegenwärtigen Moments, laden zu inneren Reisen ein und zeigen die Tiefe der Zen-Philosophie.

Japanischer Taschenkalender für 2024 Frühlingswind, Leuchtkäfer, das erste fallende Blatt – nirgendwo ist die Aufmerksamkeit für den jahreszeitlichen Wandel der Natur größer als in Japan. Mit dem reich illustrierten Taschenkalender lässt sich das Glück solch naturnaher Erfahrungen miterleben. Im Wochenrhythmus präsentieren sich klassische japanische Haiku von Matsuo Bashô (1644–1694) und seinen Meisterschülern mit den passenden Jahreszeitenworten (kigo) , sorgfältig kommentiert und illustriert. Pro Woche bleibt eine Seite zum freien Notieren. Das Kalendarium mit dem Terminplaner verzeichnet die genauen Auf- und Untergangszeiten von Sonne und Mond für Deutschland sowie die 24 Witterungsabschnitte (sekki) des japanischen Sonnenjahres.

Die drei herausragenden Beispiele der ostasiatischen Literatur in diesem Band beschwören die über Jahrhunderte hinweg ungebrochene Faszination des Lebens in einer einfachen Hütte in der Natur. Der Tang-Dichter Bai Juyi (618–907), der buddhistische Laienmönch Kamo no Chômei (1153–1216) und der Haiku-Klassiker Matsuo Bashô (1644–1694) – sie alle zogen sich zeitweise oder auf Dauer in einfachste Behausungen in der Natur zurück, unternahmen eine Art Daseinsexperiment und prägten mit ihren Aufzeichnungen aus der Grashütte das ästhetische und spirituelle Ideal des einfachen Lebens in Abgeschiedenheit. Nach der Rückkehr von seiner großen Wanderung in die nördlichen Provinzen kehrte Bashô in die »Klause der Illusionen« (Genjûan) am Biwasee ein. Sein Leben dort beschrieb er in der neu konzipierten literarischen Form des Haibun, der Kunstprosa im Geiste des Haiku. Diese »Klause der Illusionen« in der Tradition von Kamo no Chômei und Bai Juyi ist eine Metapher für die Unbeständigkeit des Seins.