Ehime spring blooms
cascading from the mountains
pink waves on the sea shore

Kim M. Russell

Image found on japanbullet.com

My response to Carpe Diem #1161 Matsuyama City birth-place of Shiki

Chèvrefeuille has given us some background to the Japanese poet Shiki, who was born in Matsuyama City in Iyo province (present day Ehime prefecture) to a samurai class family of modest means. It was Shiki who gave the poetry form the name ‘haku – before him, it was mostly named ‘hokku’ or ‘haikai’.  He has also told us about the region where Shiki was born, Iyo Province (nowadays Ehime Prefecture), which is known for its waterfalls, mountains and meadows.

 Shiki was a master in using the haiku writing technique ‘shasei’ or ‘depicting the thing as it is’. An example of a “shasei”- haiku by Shiki:

come spring as of old
when such revenues of rice
braced this castle town!