Ihara Saikaku Biography

Ihara Saikaku was a Japanese poet and creator of the "floating world" genre of Japanese prose (ukiyo-zōshi). His early work focused on haikai poetry, where he achieved extraordinary feats of solo composition. Later in life, he became renowned for his racy accounts of the financial and amorous affairs of the merchant class and the demimonde. His stories, filled with wit and sensuality, catered to the tastes of the ascendant merchant class and their entertainment districts.