This is the entrance of Basho-an, where Matsuo Basho visited his friend Tesshu, who was the head monk of the temple at the time. (Photo: Masayoshi Hirose)

Kyoto

Konpukuji: Sacred Temple of Haiku

The grace and tranquillity of Basho-an

Takako Sakamoto Dec 01, 2014 - ใช้เวลาอ่าน 1 นาที

I visited Konpuku Temple in Rakuhoku, Kyoto, on November 22 in 2014. Located at the far end of a quiet residential area, this temple is related to several celebrities in history.

Revered haiku poets like Matsuo Basho and Yosano Buson passed through here. This temple was also the setting of the last part of the historical novel 'Life of a flower', whose heroine was Taka Murayama.

When I viewed the Rakuhoku area of Kyoto and the red autumn leaves from the higher ground on which Basho-an and the stone monuments of these celebrities were standing, I couldn't help imagining what Kyoto was like when these people lived here.

Takako Sakamoto @takako.sakamoto

I was born in and grew up in Tokushima prefecture, and have lived in many places since then: Nishinomiya, Kyoto, Nara, Mie, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Fukuoka and Fukui. I am currently living in Yokohama City. All the places I lived, all the places I visited, I have loved dearly. The histor...