Matsuo Bashō: The Complete Haiku

What does it mean to capture the essence of a moment in just seventeen syllables—to distill the beauty of falling snow, the sound of a frog jumping into water, the loneliness of a crow on a bare branch into words so precise they disappear into pure experience? Matsuo Bashō stands as Japan's most renowned poet and one of the most revered writers in world literature. Wherever Japanese poetry, Zen, or haiku are studied, his work carries profound weight. Yet despite his stature, Bashō's complete haiku have never been collected into a single English volume—until now. This definitive edition presents all of Bashō's haiku, meticulously translated over ten years by Jane Reichhold, offering readers the full scope of the master's genius.

At first glance, haiku might seem like simple nature poems—brief observations of seasons, weather, and the natural world. But Bashō's haiku are far more: they are moments of awakening, expressions of Zen insight, invitations to see the world with fresh eyes. Bashō was a genius with words, obsessively seeking the perfect phrase to capture the very essence of experience. He traveled Japan as a wandering poet-monk, living simply, observing deeply, and writing verses that reveal the extraordinary within the ordinary. This collection divides his work into seven periods of development, each framed with biographical sketches of his travels, influences, and personal journey. Scrupulously annotated notes, a glossary, and original sumi-e ink drawings by Shiro Tsujimura complement the poems, making this the most authoritative and complete work on Bashō available in English.

For readers seeking contemplative wisdom, Bashō: The Complete Haiku offers an immersive journey into the mind of a master who saw poetry as a spiritual practice. Reichhold's translations honor both the precision and the spirit of Bashō's work, inviting us to slow down, to notice, to find beauty and meaning in each fleeting moment. This is a book for anyone who loves haiku, who seeks to cultivate presence and awareness, who wants to see the world through the eyes of one of history's greatest poets. It's a reminder that the deepest truths are found in the simplest observations, and that poetry can be a path to awakening.

What You'll Discover

• The complete haiku of Matsuo Bashō, Japan's most renowned poet
• Over ten years of meticulous translation work by Jane Reichhold
• Seven periods of Bashō's development with biographical sketches
• Scrupulously annotated notes, glossary, and two indexes
• Original sumi-e ink drawings by artist Shiro Tsujimura
• The definitive and most authoritative English edition of Bashō's work

Matsuo Bashō (1644-1694) was a Japanese poet and Zen practitioner who transformed haiku from a playful pastime into a profound art form and spiritual practice. Born into a samurai family, Bashō left behind worldly ambition to become a wandering poet-monk, traveling Japan's remote regions and writing verses that capture moments of insight, beauty, and the impermanence of all things. His most famous haiku—"An old pond / A frog jumps in / The sound of water"—exemplifies his ability to distill Zen awakening into the simplest of images. Bashō's influence on Japanese literature and world poetry is immeasurable, and his work continues to inspire poets, Zen students, and seekers of beauty across the globe.

Perfect for: Readers seeking Japanese poetry and haiku mastery, students of Zen Buddhism and contemplative practice, those drawn to nature poetry and seasonal awareness, anyone interested in the art of haiku and Japanese aesthetics, readers who love poetry as spiritual practice, admirers of Bashō and the Japanese poetic tradition, seekers exploring presence, impermanence, and awakening, students of world poetry and translation, those interested in the intersection of poetry and Zen.

Kodansha hardcover edition with sumi-e illustrations. The complete and definitive collection—offering every haiku by the master poet who transformed seventeen syllables into moments of awakening.