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- Numbers used by Matsuo Basho -
. Basho using numbers in his haiku .
- - - - - featuring the following
kadomatsu ya omoeba hitoyo sanjuunen
Kyoo wa kuman kusen kunju no hanami kana
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under construction
- - - - - issun 一寸 about 3 cm
武蔵野や一寸ほどな鹿の声
. Musashino ya issun hodo na shika no koe .
(autumn) voice of the deer. Musashino plain. reaches about one sun
. akebono ya shirauo shiroki koto issun .
(spring) spring dawn. whitefish, whitebait. just one sun
枯芝やややかげろふの一二寸
. kareshiba ya yaya kageroo no ichi ni sun.
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秋近き心の寄るや四畳半
. aki chikaki kokoro no yoru ya yojoohan .
four-and-a-half mat tea room
あさむつや月見の旅の明け離れ
. asamutsu ya tsukimi no tabi no ake-banare .
(autumn) moon viewing. six in the morning. travelling. dawn
二日にもぬかりはせじな花の春
. futsuka ni mo nukari haseji na hana no haru .
(spring) cherry blossoms. on the second day I won't fail (at temple Hasedera 長谷寺)
花を宿に始め終りや二十日ほど
. hana no yado ni hajime owari ya hatsuka hodo .
(spring) cherry blossoms. from beginning to end about 20 days
半日は神を友にや年忘れ
. hanjitsu wa kami o tomo ni ya toshi wasure .
I spent half a day in the company of the deities
春立つや新年ふるき米五升
. haru tatsu ya shinnen furuki kome goshoo .
five shoo of rice - 1 shoo 升 is about 1.8 liter
初花に命七十五年ほど
. hatsu hana ni inochi nanajuu gonen hodo .
hatsu hana ni inochi shichi jū go nen hodo
I will gain at least 75 years
初真桑四つにや断たん輪に切らん
. hatsu makuwa yotsu ni ya tatan wa ni kiran .
melon cut in four parts
東西あはれさひとつ秋の風
. higashi nishi aware sa hitotsu aki no kaze .
(autumn wind) one feeling of aware in East and West
一日一日麦あからみて啼く雲雀
. hito hi hito hi mugi akaramite naku hibari .
one day, one day - day by day
一声の江に横たふやほとゝぎす
. hito-koe no e ni yokotau ya hototogisu .
just one call over the inlay
一尾根はしぐるる雲か富士の雪
. hito one wa shigururu kumo ka Fuji no yuki .
one mountain ridge and snow on Mount Fuji
ほととぎす鳴くや五尺の菖草
. hototogisu / naku ya go shaku no / ayamegusa .
go shaku 五尺. 5 shaku. 1 shaku is about 30.3cm.
百里来たりほどは雲井の下涼み
. hyaku ri kitari hodo wa kumoi no shita suzumi .
hyaku ri kitari / hodo wa kumoi no / shita suzumi
- - - one RI 里 is about 4 kilometers or a bit more than two miles. - hyaku ri 百里 one hundred ri distance
命二つの中に生きたる桜かな
. inochi futatsu no naka ni ikitaru sakura kana .
between our two lives
五つ六つ茶の子にならぶ囲炉裏哉
. itsutsu mutsu cha no ko ni narabu irori kana .
(winter) sunken hearth. five or six cakes
門松やおもへば一夜三十年
. kadomatsu ya omoeba hitoyo sanjuunen .
(New Year) pines at the gate, one night. 30 years
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隠れ家や月と菊とに田三反
kakurega ya tsuki to kiku to ni ta san tan
this hermitage -
the moon, chrysanthemums and
three tan of rice paddies
Tr. Gabi Greve
Written in the ninth lunar month of 1689
元禄2年9月, Basho age 46
Greeting hokku for Boku-In 木因 (Bokuin) at Ogaki 大垣.
On his trip to Oku no Hosomichi.
Basho had also visited Boku-In in 1688 貞享５年 (Oi no Kobumi)
. Tani Bokuin 谷木因 (1646 - 1725) .
- - - - - and also written for Boku-In :
来てみれば獅子に牡丹のすまひかな
kite mireba shishi ni botan no sumai kana
tan 反, 段（たん） an old unit of measurement measure of about 9.91 ar.
Equivalent to 300歩（ぶ）bu （坪 tsubo）.
0.09917 hectares , about 0.2451 acres
991.7 square meters, 1186 square yards
This is a Japanese measure (not introduced from China).
First mentioned in 645 in the Taika no Taishin 大化改新,
when 1 tan was equivalent of 360歩 bu.
In 1591 it was revised to measure 300歩 bu.
This hokku reminds of a waka by Zen master Ikkyu 一休禅師
about living in the mountains, with three tan of paddies, some miso paste, a young attendant and fresh water - all you need to be content.
山居せば上田三反味噌八斗
小者一人に水の良き所
. Ikkyu Sojun 一休宗純 (1394-1481) .
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九たび起きても月の七ツ哉
kokono tabi / okite mo tsuki no / nanatsu kana
nine - seven
この心推せよ花に五器一具
. kono kokoro suiseyo hana ni goki ichigu .
goki 御器 one set of "honorable bowls" for begging and eating
ichigu 一具 means hitosoroi 一揃い one set, containing bowls for soup and food.
. koyoi tare Yoshino no tsuki mo juuroku ri .
(autumn) moon. tonight. Mount Yoshino. 16 Ri distance
名月の出づるや五十一ヶ条
meigetsu no / izuru ya goyū / ichi kajō
gojuuichi 51 joo - about Hoojoo Yasutoki 北条泰時 and his 51 laws 条文
見しやその七日は墓の三日の月
mishi ya sono / nanuka wa haka no / mika no tsuki
day seven - moon on day three
百歳の気色を庭の落葉哉
. momo tose no keshiki o niwa no ochiba kana / momotose .
(autumn) fallen leaves. hundred years. landscape. garden
. mono hitotsu waga yo wa karoki hisago kana .
(summer) gourd flowers, just one possession
奈良七重七堂伽藍八重ざくら
Nara nanae / shichi doo garan / yae-zakura
temple compound with seven halls
. Temples visited by Basho .
呑明て花生となる二升樽 - nomi-akete hana-ike to naru nishoodaru
呑明て 花生 にせん二升樽 . - nomi akete hana-ike ni sen nishoodaru .
a sake ricewine barrel of two SHOO 二升 (about 3,6 liter)
六月や峯に雲置あらし山
. rokugatsu ya mine ni kumo oku Arashiyama .
summer) sixth lunar month, at Arashiyama 嵐山, Kyoto
盃に 三つの名を飲む 今宵かな
. sakazuki ni mitsu no na o nomu koyoi kana .
(autumn). sake cup. three names (friends)
桜より松は二木を三月越し
sakura yori / matsu wa futaki o / mitsuki goshi
two trees - three moons (March)
桜狩り奇特や日々に五里六里
. sakuragari kidoku ya hibi ni go ri roku ri .
walking 5 or six RI to see cherry blossoms
- - - one RI 里 is about 4 kilometers or a bit more than two miles.
三尺の山も嵐の木の葉かな
san jaku no / yama mo arashi no / ko no ha kana
a mountain of three shaku
田一枚植て立去る柳かな
. ta ichimai uete tachisaru yanagi kana .
(spring) one field planted, in memory of the willow tree of saint Yugyo 遊行
月十四日今宵三十九の童部
. tsuki juuyokka koyoi sanjuu ku no warabe .
moon on day fourteen, tonight I am still a child of 39
月影や四門四宗もただ一つ
. . tsuki kage ya shimon shishuu mo tada hitotsu .
four gates and four (Buddhist) sects. at temple Zenko-Ji 善光寺, Nagano
蔦植て竹四五本のあらし哉
tsuta uete take shi go hon no arashi kana
. Visiting 伊勢神宮 Grand Shrine at Ise .
four or five saplings of bamboo
我に似な二ッに割れし真桑瓜
. ware ni niru na futatsu ni wareshi makuwa uri .
(summer) Makuwa-melon. Do not be like me. two halves of a melon
四方に打つ薺もしどろもどろ哉
yomo ni utsu / nazuna mo shidoro / modoro kana
"the four directions"
. WKD : The Four Directions 東西南北 .
四つ五器のそろはぬ花見心哉
. yotsu goki no sorowanu hanami gokoro kana .
my begging bowl set of four is not complete
行く秋や身に引きまとふ三布蒲団
. yuku aki ya mi ni hikimatou mino-buton .
lit. I wrap my body in a matress of three NO width. minobuton 三幅蒲団
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. WKD : Numbers used in Haiku - Zahlen .
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