Basho-o ekotoba den (The Life of the Venerable Basho in Pictures and Words), 1 volume

Chomu, author

Kansei 5 (1793)

Izutsuya Shobei/Tachibana Yashibei, publisher

In this work, the mid-Edo-period haiku poet Chomu, a priest of the Jodo-shu Buddhist sect who hailed from Kyoto, depicts Basho’s life story to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of his death. Born nearly 40 years after Basho’s death, Chomu never met the haiku master in person, but he conducted yearly memorial rites for Basho at Gichuji Temple, where Basho’s grave is located, and he traveled throughout the provinces to publicly honor Basho and promote recognition of his achievements.

The published work shown here was based upon an emakimono (picture scroll) which can be found at Gichuji Temple.