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- Haiku about Food - Essen -
more haiku about food are featured
in the ABC index of these archives.
This list is still growing. Please come back sometime.
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source : www.pej-lady.org
青ざしや草餅の穂に出でつらん
aozashi ya kusa mochi no ho ni ide tsuran
green grain crackers
the wheat ears come out of
veggie cookies
Tr. Reichhold
Written in 1683 天和3年, Basho was 40.
A sweet made of parched green wheat flour and twisted like a thread.
. Aozashi 青挿 (あおざし, 青ざし)
"fresh wheat sweets" .
aozashi 青ざし五巻文 - 青緡〔あおざし〕五貫文 referres to the new coins of Edo, bound with a rope through a hole in the middle of each coin.
誰が聟ぞ歯朶に餅おふ しの年
. taga muko zo shida ni mochi ou ushi no toshi .
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時鳥鰹を染めにけりけらし
hototogisu katsuo o some ni keri kerashi
the cuckoo
has stained the fish
I suppose
Tr. Reichhold
Maybe the bush warbler
sang too much
this skipjack
Basho is having dinner at the home of a wealthy retainer of the Akimono clan and is served skipjack, a thuna that we call AKU in Hawai'i.
It is something exotic for him, and he fancies that the bush warbler must have sung too much. The bush warbler is said to gush blood when it was that enthusiastic.
Tr. and comment : Robert Aitken
Written in 1681 天和元年 Basho was 38.
The sashimi raw meat of skipjack is quite dark red.
blood-red sunrise -
today's dinner is
katsuo sashimi
Gabi Greve
October 6, 2012
Just after writing the above text about Basho and his katsuo sashimi, we had the most impressive sunrise, with rain clouds already in the West and stark red above the pines in the East.
. Kamakura o ikite ideken hatsugatsuo .
(summer) first katsuo bonito. town of Kamakura. to be alive
MORE bonito hokku by Basho
. WKD : katsuo 鰹 bonito .
skipjack tuna - Katsuwonus pelamis
. katsuo uri ikanaru hito o yowasuran .
(summer) first skipjack katsuo. vendor, fish monger. charming people
. . . . . and
又越む佐夜の中山はつ松魚
mata koemu Sayo no Nakayama hatsugatsuo
summer) first skipjack katsuo bonito. Sayo no Nakayama pass. to cross again
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春立つや新年ふるき米五升
haru tatsu ya shinnen furuki kome goshoo
spring arises
ten quarts of old rice
in the new year
Tr. Reichhold
spring begins--
new year, old rice
ten quarts
Tr. Ueda
spring begins--
in a new year,
ten quarts of old rice
Tr. Barnhill
Written in 1684 貞亨元年. Basho age 41.
Basho used a dry hollow gourd as a box to keep his rice grains 米櫃の瓢, which could only hold five sho of rice. It was a kind of symbol for a poor man.
It was famous and called 四山の瓢, a name given by Yamaguchi Sodoo 素堂 Sodo.
1 shoo しょう【升】ca. 1.8 litres
Rice grains are called "kome, mai 米".
On the table and cooked, it is called "Gohan" ご飯 or "meshi" 飯 めし.
. Rice in various kigo .
. Masu 升 measuring cup .
and another haiku by Basho !
masu katte funbetsu kawaru tsukimi kana
芭蕉『四山瓢』
source : edosodou
ものひとつ瓢はかろき我よかな
mono hitotsu hisago wa karuki waga yo kana
. mono hitotsu waga yo wa karoki hisago kana .
just one possession,
my world light
as a gourd
Tr. Barnhill
With a further discussion of the gourd haiku.
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煩へば餅をも喰はず桃の花
wazuraeba mochi o mo kuwazu momo no hana
overcome with illness,
I can't even eat a rice cake:
peach blossoms
Tr. Barnhill
since I'm sick
not eating a rice bar
peach flowers
Tr. Reichhold
Written in 1686 貞亨３年
It seems Basho was suffering from some stomach illness. So even on this special day he could not eat the festive mochi rice cakes.
But at least he could write a haiku about it.
because I am sick
I can not even eat a festive rice cake -
peach blossom time
Tr. Gabi Greve
. Momo no sekku 桃の節句 Peach Blossom Festival .
The Hina Doll Festival, March 3.
The festive rice cakes are called
. hishi mochi 菱餅 (ひしもち) Hishimochi rice cakes .
red, white, and green lozenge-shaped rice cakes
. Rice cakes (mochi 餅) .
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五つ六つ茶の子にならぶ囲炉裏哉
itsutsu mutsu cha no ko ni narabu irori kana
five or six
sitting with tea and cake
a fireplace
Tr. Reichhold
five or six of us
lined up before the tea cakes:
the sunken hearth
Tr. Barnhill
Written in Winter 1688/89.
Further discussion of this haiku:
. Snacks with Tea (cha no ko お茶の子) .
. open Japanese hearth, irori 囲炉裏 .
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秋涼し手毎にむけや瓜茄子
aki suzushi te goto ni muke ya uri nasubi
[headnote]
'Invited to a Certain Grass Hut'
autumn coolness
each peeling with our hands
melons and eggplants
Tr. Reichhold
'I was invited to a certain grass hut'
autumn is cool
let each hand set to peeling
melons and eggplants
Tr. Barnhill
Barnhill notes that an earlier version goes like this:
残暑しばし手毎に料れ瓜茄子
zansho shibashi tegoto ni ryoore uri nasubi
summer heat lingers,
let's set our hands to cooking
melon and eggplants
Oku no Hosomichi, Kanazawa 7月15日 - 23日
. Matsuo Basho 松尾芭蕉 - Archives of the WKD .
. Eggplant kigo 茄子 なすび .
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霰せば網代の氷魚煮て出さん
arare seba ajiro no hio o nite dasan
[headnote]
'People from Zeze have visited me at my cottage.'
if it hails
ice fish from the trap
I'll served cooked
Tr. Reichhold
'With many people visiting my grass hut in Zeze,'
if it hails
I'll cook and serve
wicker-caught whitebait
Tr. Barnhill
Written in December of 1689 元禄2年12月
source :itoyo/basho
Memorial stone at Otsu town, Shiga 滋賀県大津市田上南郷
"Well, my friends, thanks for coming to share my humble meal of fish.
If it would now start to hail, that would enhance our elegant fuuryuu 風流 enjoyment even more!"
Ajiro fish traps are prepared in late autumn and used in winter till spring.
The fish are then cooked in sweet soy sauce for a delicious meal.
. WKD : ajiro 網代 (あじろ) wickerwork fishtraps .
. hiuo, hio 氷魚 (ひうお) small ayu trout .
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compiled by Larry Bole - source : Happy Haiku Group
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秋の色糠味噌壷もなかりけり
aki no iro nukamiso tsubo mo nakari keri
Kukuu 句空 Kuku had asked Basho for a hokku that he could add to a scroll painting of priest Kenkoo 兼好法師 Kenko called "Nukamiso tsubo".
Written in 1691 元禄4年, Basho age 48
Kenko did not have much possesions, some say only one pot to wash his hands and take his meal. He kept this possession on his daily walks praying for food.
nukamiso salted rice-bran paste for pickling, barley miso
. WASHOKU - Miso (みそ or 味噌) Miso paste .
This is kept in special pots with a lid, even now in the "color of autumn".
This hokku is one sentence and has the cut marker KERI at the end of line 3.
It is best to start the translation from the end.
he does not even have
a pot in the colors of autumn
for fermented miso paste . . .
Tr. Gabi Greve
. Yoshida Kenkoo 吉田兼好 Yoshida Kenko .
(1283? – 1350?)
Tsurezuregusa - "Essays in Idleness"
Matsuo Basho visiting his diciple Kukuu 句空 Kuku.
. - Gichuuji 義仲寺 Temple Gichu-Ji - .
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. ALL haiku about mochi 餅 rice cakes .
mezurashi ya yama o Dewa no hatsu nasubi
First Minden-Eggplants from Dewa
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haiku about cooked rice 飯 meshi
. asagao ni ware wa meshi kuu otoko kana .
(autumn) morning glories. I am a man eating rice
花にうき世我が酒白く飯黒し
. hana ni ukiyo waga sake shiroku meshi kuroshi .
(spring) cherry blossoms. floating world. white ricewine. black rice
飯あふぐ嚊が馳走や夕涼み
. meshi augu kaka ga chisoo ya yuu suzumi .
(summer) evening cool. boiled rice as a treat. old lady or wife
kaka 嚊 is an old word, derived from "okaasan お母さん", mother, used fondly for one's own wife. Here Basho shows a gentle evening scene, when the husband is back home from field work and his wife prepares the meal.
麦飯にやつるる恋か猫の妻
. mugi meshi ni yatsururu koi ka neko no tsuma .
水向けて跡訪ひたまえ道明寺
. mizu mukete ato toi tamae doomyooji .
cold rice from temple Domyo-Ji 道明寺
忘れ草菜飯に摘まん年の暮
. wasuregusa nameshi ni tsuman toshi no kure .
(winter) end of the year. licorice. rice gruel with rapeseen leaves
. . . . .
. WKD : "Gohan" ご飯 or "meshi" 飯 めし..
- including
似合はしや豆の粉飯に桜狩り
niawashi ya mame no ko meshi ni sakura-gari
bean-flour rice balls
我がためか鶴食み残す芹の飯
waga tame ka tsuru hami-nokosu seri no meshi
rice with dropwort
- - - - -
zoozu, zoosui, zosui 雑水 (ざふすい) dirty water
after washing rice or rinsing dishes
Basho uses the old spelling, but now it is an old version for
zoosui 雑炊 rice porridge
In the Edo period, this watery rice with some leaves of radish was the daily fare of the very poor. Now it is a favorite dish for dieting and also given to ill and recuperating people.
雑水に琵琶聴く軒の霰かな
zoosui ni biwa kiku noki no arare kana
while I eat my rice porridge
hail falling on the eaves sounds
like a biwa lute . . .
Tr. Gabi Greve
Written in 貞亨元年, Basho age 41 or later
at Arisoumi 有磯海. Basho is most probably home in Fukagawa and has a lonely meal.
All kinds of zoosui
. WKD : Zoosui 雑炊 (ぞうすい) rice porridge.
kigo for winter
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haiku about SOUP 汁
. norijiru 海苔汁 laver seaweed soup .
- including
牡蠣よりは海苔をば老の売りもせで
kaki yori wa nori o ba oi no uri mo sede
海苔汁の手際見せけり浅黄椀
nori jiru no tegiwa mise keri asagi wan
衰ひや歯に喰ひ当てし海苔の砂
otoroi ya ha ni kuiateshi nori no suna
. . . . .
. ara nani tomo ya kinoo wa sugite fukutojiru .
(winter) fugu blowfish soup
. chisa wa mada aoba nagara ni nasubi-jiru .
(summer) eggplant soup. salad. green
. kakusanu zo yado wa najiru ni toogarashi .
(autumn) red pepper. do not hide. home. leafy vegetable soup
. ki no moto ni shiru mo namasu mo sakura kana .
(spring) cherry blossoms. under trees. soup. fish salad
. suimono wa mazu dekasareshi Suizenji .
(summer) seaweed from temple Suizen-Ji水前寺. soup
. ume wakana Mariko no yado no tororo jiru .
(autumn) yam soup. plum and young greens. postal station of Mariko
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Continued
. MORE Haiku about Food by Matsuo Basho .
inochi koso imo dane yo mata kyoo no tsuki
- taro potatoes
wasuregusa nameshi ni tsuman toshi no kure
- licorice leaves and rapeseed rice gruel
shio ni shi te mo iza kotozute n miyako-dori
- hooded gull pickles with salt
kanashiman ya Bokushi seriyaki o mite mo nao
- dropwrot with cooked duck
yuki no ashita hitori karazake o kami etari
- chewing on dried salmon
asu wa chimaki Naniwa no kareha yume nare ya
- Chimaki ritual rice cakes
. chimaki yuu katate ni hasamu hitai gami .
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. Haiku Sweets 俳菓 haika .
The hokku by Basho featured here are not about food, though.
Only the sweets are all formed and named after his poems.
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. - cha 茶 tea - Tee - .
drinking tea with Basho
. daiko, daikon 大根 white radish .
. ebi niru 海老煮る cooking shrimp .
. Hidara 干鱈 ひだら dried codfish, haddock .
. konnyaku 蒟蒻 Devil's-tongue .
used for well-liked dishes by Basho
. namasu 膾 pickled food .
. nattoo 納豆 Natto. fermented beans.
. nyuumen 煮麺 hot wheat noodles .
. sato-imo, sato imo, imo 里芋 taro .
Colocasia antiquorum
. toofu 豆腐 Tofu, bean curd .
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清滝の水汲ませてやところてん
. Kiyotaki no mizu kumasete ya tokoroten .
(summer) Tokoroten jelly. draw water from river Kiyotaki
for Sakai Yamei 坂井野明 in Sagano, Kyoto.
水無月や鯛はあれども塩鯨
. minazuki ya tai wa aredomo shiokujira . .
sea bream and salted whale meat
夏の夜や崩れて明けし冷し物
. natsu no yo ya kuzurete akeshi hiyashi mono .
hiyashimono - chilled food after a banquet
躑躅生けてその陰に干鱈割く女
. tsutsuji ikete sono kage ni hidara saku onna .
(spring) dried cod fish. azaleas. in the shadow a woman
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. - sake 酒 ricewine -
- sakazuki 杯 ricewine cup - .
more haiku about food are featured
in the ABC index of these archives.
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. Kobayashi Issa 小林一茶 wrote .
Today I was feeling sorry for myself for being poor simply because I wasn't able to eat a third meal, but when Basho went wandering long ago, he ate only two meals every single day.
三度くふ旅もったいな時雨雲
sando kuu tabi mottaina shigure-gumo
it's outrageous to travel
wanting three meals a day --
winter rain clouds
This hokku is from lunar 10/12 (November 25) in 1803, the lunar-calendar date on which Basho died and on which memorial services for him were held annually at Gichuji Temple near Kyoto, where he is buried, and at many other places by haikai poets. One of the names for Basho's memorial day is shigure-ki, or Cold Rain Memorial, since cold rain showers often fall in late autumn and early winter. The tenth month is the first month of lunar winter, so this is a winter hokku. On this date in 1803 Issa sees dark clouds in the sky. A fast-moving shower is either approaching or passing by a few miles away, and this gives a double meaning to the last line.
The word mottaina, 'wrong, outrageous,' in the second line had a stronger meaning in Issa's time than it does in modern Japanese, and Issa seems genuinely ashamed of his petty desire for more food as he walks along. The last two days he has been staying with his haikai poet friend and wealthy patron Furuta Gessen, with whom he has been discussing both haikai and the ancient Chinese Classic of Poetry (Shijing, in Japanese Shikyou). During Issa's stay, his host Gessen surely treated him well and served him three very nice meals a day, and while he stays in Edo Issa no doubt often eats three meals a day, since he meets many friends, students, and patrons there, although during his years of traveling in western Japan it is likely he usually ate twice a day, a style of eating common among people who aren't wealthy, so this isn't the first time Issa has traveled on only two meals a day.
On the day Issa writes this hokku he is traveling from the town of Fukawa, where Gessen lives, to Tagawa, further east. Both towns are on the northern bank of the Tone River northeast of the city of Edo. His desire for food and his dislike of being poor, both of which seem to have increased after staying with the wealthy Gessen, seem to make Issa feel ashamed of himself when he thinks of Basho on this day, since he reveres Basho and is trying hard to learn from him. He is surely conscious that his own personality, lifestyle, and haikai style are all fairly different from Basho's, yet he feels Basho's emphasis on positively embracing poverty, on enduring hardship, and on minimalistic wabi are worthy goals he also needs to embrace to a certain extent. The dark rain clouds in the hokku may therefore have a third meaning. They may suggest Issa's acute sense of his own of imperfection in the eyes of Basho, who, Issa seems to believe, would stare rather severely at Issa if he were still alive and could read Issa's mind and his haikai. Issa has many hokku about his own imperfection, but the thought of the superego-like Basho seems to make Issa feel his shortcomings even more strongly than usual.
Chris Drake
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. WASHOKU - Japanese Food Saijiki .
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