Haiku
Chiyo-ni
Clay & Yumi Boutwell · Makoto Press
The most famous woman in the history of haiku. Fukuda Chiyo-ni (福田千代尼), often known to English readers as Chiyo-ni (千代尼) and in Japan as Chiyo-jo (千代女) or Kaga no Chiyo-jo (加賀の千代女), was born in 1703 in a small town in Kaga (加賀) province, the daughter of a scroll-mounter. She studied with disciples of Bashō (芭蕉), was celebrated across Japan while still in her teens, and later took Buddhist vows and the name Soen (素園), “Plain Garden.” The ending ni (尼) means “nun,” while jo (女) identifies her as a woman. For nearly three centuries her poems have been memorized by schoolchildren and quoted by poets. A well bucket claimed by morning glories, so she borrows water rather than break the vine. A dandelion that keeps waking the butterfly from its dream. A hundred gourds growing from a single vine’s heart. One person who laughs at another falling in the snow, then falls too. This book presents 25 of her most beloved haiku (俳句), each with: - Original Japanese with furigana (ふりがな) readings - Multiple English translations - Vocabulary breakdowns with JLPT levels - A simple Japanese explanation for reading practice - Cultural and literary analysis From Bashō (芭蕉) and the Big Four to Sōseki (漱石), Akutagawa (芥川), and now the greatest of the women poets, continue your journey through Japan’s finest poetry. Build your Japanese skills, deepen your appreciation of haiku (俳句), or simply enjoy the poems. Includes free access to all 25 poems in Sentence Explorer. Study interactively on the web or in the Japanese Explorer app. Part of the Learn Japanese through Haiku series by Makoto Press.
