At a party in Iga, Ueno
Genroku 2, 1689
Basho, age 45

It is difficult to get everyone’s attention at a party, especially if its cold. A group of Basho’s friends and disciples have joined him in Iga, Ueno province (where Basho was born) at the local inn. Everybody, pay attention, I know its cold, but let’s get this renga party going before we’ve drunk too much.

人々をしぐれよ宿は寒くとも
hitobito o shigureyo yado wa samuku tomo

Friends and disciples,
It’s sleeting and freezing,
Though the inn is cold, pay attention!

Good friends, everyone,
Listen up, it is sleeting!
Though the inn is cold.
(5-7-5 pattern)

Matsuo Basho, December 1689

[hitobito (people, everybody) o (particle expressing emphasis, ‘pay attention’) shigureyo (late autumn, early winter shower, December shower) yado wa (the inn is) samuku (cold, freezing) tomo (friends)]

Matsuo Basho, 1689

The year 1689 was one with a major accomplishment — Basho and Sora’s five month journey into Japan’s northern interior that would become Oku no Hosomichi, published after Basho’s death. The journey ended in Ōgaki, Gifu Prefecture, near Nagoya. Basho rested in the area for a while, then he traveled south to Iga, in Mie province perhaps to visit with family one more time.

There, friends and disciples gathered at an inn to catch up on old times, to recite haiku, and drink.