18/11/2012

Oku Station 3 - Soka

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- Oku no Hosomichi - 奥の細道 - おくのほそ道
The Narrow Road to the Deep North -


. Oku no Hosomichi - 奥の細道 - Introduction .


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- - - Station 3 - Sooka 草加 Soka - - -


I walked all through that day, ever wishing to return after seeing the strange sights of the far north, but not really believing in the possibility, for I knew that departing like this on a long journey in the second year of Genroku I should only accumulate more frosty hairs on my head as I approached the colder regions. When I reached the village of Soka in the evening, my bony shoulders were sore because of the load I had carried, which consisted of a paper coat to keep me warm at night, a light cotton gown to wear after the bath, scanty protection against the rain, writing equipment, and gifts from certain friends of mine. I wanted to travel light, of course, but there were always certain things I could not throw away either for practical or sentimental reasons.


Tr. by Nobuyuki Yuasa
source : terebess.hu/english


ことし元禄二とせにや、奥羽長途の行脚、只かりそめに思ひたちて呉天に白髪の恨を重ぬといへ共耳にふれていまだめに見ぬさかひ若生て帰らばと定なき頼の末をかけ、其日漸早加と云宿にたどり着にけり。痩骨の肩にかゝれる物先くるしむ。只身すがらにと出立侍を、帋子一衣は夜の防ぎ、ゆかた雨具墨筆のたぐひ、あるはさりがたき餞などしたるはさすがに打捨がたくて、路次の煩となれるこそわりなけれ。


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During the times of Basho this was a small postal town with about 120 homes and maybe 5 or 6 lodgings. There was a tofu shop, dealers for salt, oil, dumplings, mochi rice cakes and a public bath and hairdresser. The other houses were farmers.



草加宿と芭蕉
- source : www.imayo-sokasyuku.com/history





Map with memorial stones and statue of Basho
- source : www.bashouan.com/YA_Map

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Soka Matsubara,
an avenue with a row of more than 600 pipe trees, is a well-known sightseeing spot in Soka.This place, also called Sembon Matsubara (lit. 1,000-tree Matsubara), has been a notable site along the highway since olden days, and is known as well for its deep relationship with haiku (a very short form of Japanese poetry typically characterized by having just three lines).
You can also enjoy stone tablets inscribed with haiku written by famous Japanese haiku poets, such as Matsuo Basho and Masaoka Shiki.
Soka Matsubara, where the green of the pine trees and the blue of the river show a beautiful combination, quietly speaks of the history of the Japanese road. .

- source : www.sainokuni-kanko.jp

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. Oku no Hosomichi - 奥の細道 - Introduction .



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