Online dictionary of history and traditions in Japan: Basho

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French version

Basho

場所
keywords: northern territory , sumo
related topics: Edo period , Ezochi , Sumo , Matsumae domain
explanation: During Edo period, some public places were rent to merchants against a part of the earnings coming from their activity. The most famous example is "Sumo Basho" because sumo tournaments occurred initially on the ground of temples or shrines. The exploitation of Ezochi (Hokkaido) also based on this model: wealthy merchants of Tokyo or Osaka received a lot of lands to exploit it freely such as fishing, forest and mines.

Matsuo Basho

松尾芭蕉芭蕉
alternative words: Basho Matsuo, Matsuo Bashou, Bashou Matsuo, Basho, Bashou
keywords: artist , famous person , poesy , writer
related topics: Haiku , Edo period
related web sites: http://www.bashouan.com/psBashou.htm , http://www.biwa.ne.jp/~hirobe/basyou/index.htm , http://www.ese.yamanashi.ac.jp/~itoyo/basho/basho.htm , http://133.67.71.133
explanation: Poet and travel writer of the early Edo period. Born in a samurai family of Mie prefecture in 1644, he learned Haiku first at Kyoto then Tokyo. There, he established gradually his own style and became a popular Haiku teacher. Unsatisfied with his fame, he spent the most of his advance ages in journeys. Nozarashi kiko (1684) related his journey in Kinki region, while Okuno hosomich (1689), in Tohoku region. He died in 1694 at Osaka when ready to depart to western Japan.