The End of March, 2nd year of Genroku, 1689
Kanuma City, Tochigi Prefecture,
Oku no Hosomichi

鐘撞かぬ.里は何をか.春の暮
kane tsukanu . sato wa nani o ka . haru no kure
When no bell rings
What do the villagers do,
— Spring Nightfall

Matsuo Basho, Oku no Hosomichi, late Spring 1689

What do you do when no bell rings to tell you its sunset?

After leaving Edo, this was Matsuo Basho’s fifth or sixth stop on his five month long journey, Oku no Hosomichi. Bell ringing at dusk is symbolic in the Buddhist religion. The ringing of the bells (or bell,m depending on the wealth of a village and its temple) is to purify the heart of its 108 earthly desires. Each stop, each village bell, on Basho’s journey, one supposes was shedding one earthly desire. At the very least, the bell told the farmers it was time for rest and relaxation.

Basho had not yet gotten to Nikko. Desiring to see Urami Falls, he took a detour. Indeed, he would take many detours along the way.