Japan Book Club: The Narrow Road to the Deep North – Part 1
This week we want you to begin reading one of the most important and beloved pieces of literature in Japan’s history – The Narrow Road to the Deep North, a journal that details the travels of Japan’s most famous poet – Matsuo Basho. (click on that link to get your free ebook copy).
Japanese literature is very different from Western stories. You’ll find very quickly that Basho’s book is not filled with conflicts and problems like our stories are, instead its almost a poetic look at nature, religion, and the Japanese people.
The Narrow Road to the Deep North is a very short text – less than 50 pages – but we want you to read it very carefully, slowly trying to picture the places and people that Basho describes from each day of his journey. We really encourage you to read and re-read each passage to try to really understand and imagine what Basho saw and experienced as he wrote. Why? Well that’s pretty simple – some of the places that Basho traveled to are places that you’ll be standing in less than nine months.
This week we want you to read to page 20 (PDF) or page 18 (page numbers in the text). This is confusing, because the page numbers in the text don’t match the page numbers of the PDF file we’re sending you. Either way, stop when you see this poem:
so whereabouts is
Rain-Hat isle? how far along
muddy roads of June
We stayed the night at Iwanuma.
After you’ve read, please answer the following questions in the comments section of this page. Why do you think Basho’s story is considered among the greatest in Japanese history? What is it about this book that has made it so popular even 300 years after the author died? What is it about this story that you like so far?
Be sure to type out your answers in complete sentences. Be sure to back up your ideas with some examples, evidence, or proof. Be sure to check back and see what other people say too. Be sure to comment on what they say.
Every student in our Japan group is required to participate. You must comment on this post with your thoughts (probably a good paragraph or two – maybe more), then, come back and comment on what other people have said – you are required to make an effort to keep the conversation going by replying to at least 2 other students (more than just “I agree” or “you are right.” Give them reasons why you agree/disagree or what they said that was meaningful – make this a discussion).
The next book we’ll read as a group will be The Old Man Mad About Drawing by Francois Place (so start to try and get yourself a copy of that one soon). After that, we’ll be reading Bushido: The Soul of Japan a story about the samurai by Inazo Nitobe – you can look for a copy if you want, but I will be sending everyone a free ebook copy of Bushido when we get to it.
Minooka TAP 
So far, this book is really letting me connect with a very spiritual Japanese native. It is almost letting me become Basho, and when your writing can do that, you know it’s amazing. Basho wrote this book 300 years ago, which is enough time for people to forget him if he was an ordinary writer. But he’s not ordinary. He is the Shakespeare of Japan, and people still bother to read him because his work is so strong and incredible. So far, this book has shown me some great things. It’s not as easy to keep up with as The Big Wave, but when you do truly figure out what it means, you see the beauty and the art in the writing. I like how you can tell that Basho is very quiet and proper, but at the same time it seems like he will have a very fun and exciting experience.
I like how you say that he is the “Shakespear of Japan.” It’s true from what I have seen. The way he writes puts you in his shoes. I also agree when you say that his writing style is unique. He isn’t the average Japanese man on the inside. He does show that sense of humor that makes his stories fun to read.
I can’t agree with you more. His writing is “amazing”. Your description of him being the Shakespeare of Japan is spot on and I don’t know what else to add. I, too, feel like I’m there experiencing everything with his superb imagery. The story just adds to the beatiful culture and history of Japan. After seeing the respect Basho gives to his country, I know that it must be wonderful.
mark i defiantly agree that this book help to connect with the different culture and see things through their eyes
I actually prefer with your way of calling him the shakespeare of japan drew, The book helps us americans experience what a different culture is like here.
Basho’s story of the Narrow Road to the Deep North was of great impoartance to Japan’s history. It gave a great, detailed account of it then and showed the beauty of the country. The text itself was and still is something to marvel at. It will always be a classic because of it’s timeless contents. It told the story of his admiration of Japan and people are proud to say that it is their home. So far, I enjoy hearing ang learning of all the respect that Basho and others give to their country. It makes me wonder how people then thought of America.
You have just helped me realize that once Basho wrote this poem, the people of Japan were probably so proud of their country. A lot of them probably learned to appreciate the beauty of their country so much more by just reading this short book.
I agree with you when you say how it describes Japan’s beauty. It is probably one of the biggest reasons it is so admired in Japan even today.
I know this is probably insignificant but, America wasn’t even independent then so scratch the last line and replace it with the other parts of the world.
I think Basho’s story is considered one of the greatest stories of Japanese history because he tells the story of his journey so elaborately while including so much in formation on the history and sights. It is also one of the greatest because it was one of the first to really expose poetry freely. The thing that has made this book so popular when it is so old is its constant way to incorporate facts on Japanese history within the poetry. Also, Basho had a great way of really describing his experience so that it is as if you were on that journey with him. This story has many great elements to it, but my favorite would be the incorporation of strong emotions. Basho describes how he feels so unimaginably well that you feel as if you were a part of him and you were also feeling that same way.
Yeah Sydney, his writngs were filled with so many strong emotional descriptions it did feel like you were a part of him on his journey. If you closed your eyes you could imagine exactly what he was describing.
Your right, it is one of the first to expose poetry freely. What Basho did was take one little top and make it into a poem that may be simple, but thoughtful. And he does make it seem like you are on the journey with him as he explains different stories to the readers of every place he visits.
I too love the way he makes you feel like your traveling along side him 300 years ago through just his writing. His emotions pour out onto the page when he writes, and that shows you how much he enjoys writing and basically how good he is at it.
I think Bashos story is considered among the best in history because it is a simple story of a very extreme experience. Basho’s story is Japan, represented by his writing and poetry.
What made this story so popular is that, again, it is Japan in a story. A very well writen story. When you read the story, it is so full of life and culture.
My favorite part of this story is how true it is and how it feels like you are there with him when you read.
Good point, his stories are popular because it is basically Japan in one story. It is full of the Japanese culture and their life. This is why it is important and famous in Japan.
Your right, it is such a simple explanation of his journey. That made it appropriate for all readers. Also, the whole story is summing up all of the sights in Japan that Basho saw. Again, he does provoke emotions that really make you feel as he is feeling.
You prove very good points when you say how the book actually is just Japan in one book. Basho went all over Japan and wrote about what he saw and what he remembered about it in Japanese culture and history.
I think that the story is the greatest in Japanese because of the deep meaning. Every phrase, page, and poem shows great emotion and detail. People still enjoy the tale much later, because people can interprete it many ways. It shows people how the world can be. My favorite part so far is how Basho weaves in the haiku peoms in with the story. I think that this gives the reader a new way to interpret the enviorment that Basho is in.
I agree Ben, I really like the haiku poems too. I like how Basho can take the most simplest of things, such as a flower, and can turn it into a beautiful, descriptive yet simple poem.
I agree that it does give the reader a new way to interpret the environment tht surrounds the charactors.
I think Basho’s story is one of the greatest stories in japan because of the magnificent details he puts in to deescribe what he sees. Like when he says “even woodpeckers leave the hermitage untouched in the summer trees.” Also I think what has made this book so popular after 300 years after the authour’s death is that it tells you what life was like in the 1600’s for the japanese and went they went through along with what it looked like. Also the thing i like the most about the story so far is when they went towards the killing stones and when he saw all the dead clumps of different life. It was my favorite becasue that was the first time I had ever heard of something like that.
I think the same way of how Basho makes you feel like your there in the 1600’s as he traveled in the North. You see the world in his eyes and how he pictured the magnificent land of Japan.
I agree with you, the details in this story is amazing. After reading, you can almost feel like you were there, standing right next to him, experiencing everything how he did. He taught me to look at a lot of things differently.
i think that Basho’s story is considered among the greatest in Japanese history because, he explains and tells what he is doing. He doesn’t just leave you in a “what does he mean/” kind of situation, he explains. He tells you what he did, and how he did it, he mentions the important people in his story and important events.
He has made this book popular, because it is kind of like a haiku but in a book. he specifies what he is saying and what he is doing.
So far i like how Basho mentions important things instead of listing the unimportant things.
I agree that Basho explains in more exquisite ways than most poets. He expresses everything that he sees, hears, smells, and feels; not just leaving you with a question like how you were saying.
I also love how he doesn’t leave you guessing. Everything is explained, but in beautiful words to describe it perfectly. When you read his book, it’s almost as if you are there. You can picture everything in your mind. His description is wonderful.
I think Basho’s story is considered among the greatest in Japanese history because it is really descriptive. It makes you feel like your with both Basho and Sora in there long journey. It also captures Japan’s beauty, it shows how beautiful a flower can really be.
When you really think of it the narrow road to the deep north really represents the people, the conditions, and Japan itself. Even after 300 years since Basho’s death there is just so much history and understanding that comes with this story.
So far what I like about this story is that it is beauty that makes you look for more. As I read this I think the words are beautiful. The way Basho’s uses the words is poetry (even when its not). Thought I like that about the book it is not what I love. What I really love is that some of the words have deeper meaning. For example when I can across the sentence “I could understand why the poet had felt at this spot that he wanted to send word to the people in the capital that he had crossed the Barrier”, I thought it was just a typo in the English version of the story. I thought this until I can to the bottom of page 14. “*why the poet an allusion to a poem by Taira no Kanemori (d. 990), in which he expresses the wish to tell the
people in the capital that he had crossed the Barrier. For him, as for Bashō, the Shirakawa Barrier clearly
represented an emotional and psychological crossing-point, as well as a simple geographical frontier”. This kind of blew my mind I had no idea that simple and beautifully worded sentences had a deeper meaning to it. I really loved that part it made me re-read the sentences with the * symbol.
OHMYGOODNESS!!! I didn’t even relize that when I read (last qoute)!!! It turely is amazing how when you word something, it can mean something so simple, but yet have such a deeper meaning!!!
Lyssette your right that this book helps to capture the inner beauty of nature around Basho and how it gives a different and deeper meaning to this place we will visit this year
I think Basho’s story is considered among the greatest in Japanese history because he was very old, close to dying and took an extraordinary journey and just because he was a good writer/ poet. This book became so popular even after the author Basho died because of his creativeness and skill with writing. Also how unpopular writing was at the time. I enjoy the journey itself and the fact that Basho was so old and was still willing to travel.
Basho really does have a skill for writing. I haven’t seen a lot of authors now a days with such a skill.
What stood out for me is when you said that he was old. It didn’t occur to me untill just now that it’s really hard for older folk to do things like that. The fact that Basho can do this really shows his dedication to his country and writing as a whole.
Basho’s stories are considered as the greatest in Japan probably because of how it includes important places and artwork in Japan. His stories are very strong and he is like the Shakespeare of Japan. His stories tell how beautiful Japan was 300 years ago. He even includes stories of the places he visited. Like why they are named what they are named and what happened there. Even though it is harder to follow than The Big Wave, I think it is easier to get hooked into and it makes you want to read more. I love how he vividly describes the places he visits, and my favorite place he incorporates that into is when he and Sora visited the mountain shrine of Ni-ko.
I agree with you, It was hard for me to get hooked on this in the beginning. Althought now I really like it and im intrested to read on.
I agree, honestly at first i wasn’t that hooked. But after reading further in to the book i realized this book is interesting. It also taught me a lesson Just keep reading and i might get better.
I think that Basho’s book is considered so great because it illustrates how beautiful his country is. The descriptions he gives of his surroundings while on his journey makes you feel like you are on the journey with him. Basho was able to soak in and appreciate everything around him then pass that along in his writings.
Basho’s story is still popular today because it can relate to our writings today. Now days, all you hear is teachers tell you to give the best description possible of what you’re writing about, that’s exactly what Basho accomplished. HIs writings are still popular today because people can still travel in his footsteps and try to see and feel what he felt so long ago.
For the reasons I have stated above, I like this story. I like the descriptive writing, the feeling of being with him on the journey. I also like reading his creative Haiku poems.
Though people can travel in his footsteps and see everything he saw, I don’t think they would exactly feel and “see” what Basho saw since, from his poetry, he seen everything different than what most poets would see; which, I think, many people still admire him now.
You are right about the teachers. Everyone always says that you should be able to provoke emotions to your readers. That is precisely what Basho did, he makes you feel as if you are accompanying him on his long journey.
I agree that Basho did illustrate the beauty of his country. Also, I agree with you that when teachers do say give as much detail and describe as much as possible. Basho did do that to get his point across, he was an amazing poet and I think you did a great job giving your opinion about Basho.
In my opinion, Basho’s story is one of the many greatest in Japanese history because of his descriptive words he uses in his diary and poems. The “colorful” words that he uses make him different from many other poets that don’t give you the same vibe. Even now his story is famous because of that reason. He, who was old, was still able to travel through the North and capture the beauty of nature in Japan on paper. That is something people who have had many different experiences that had made you wise enough to think a different way. I like so far is, Basho’s ability to be able to travel at such an old age, one last time, and write astonishing poems in such an old era. Basho has now become someone that I now look up to since I wish to become an author that has many colorful, descriptive words.
I agree and really like how you describe his writings as colorful, it fits it perfectly.
I agree, you told your opion so well. I like how you said that you now look up to Basho as an author. I gives a great connects between the reader and the author. Basho did use colorful words to explain the things he saw and felt.
So far i am actually really enjoying the descriptive words and poems used in the journal Basho kept. I believe that this is one of the reasons that it has still remained popular in today’s generation. I also think that the fact that Basho tells of all the different prides of Japan and even some of its folktales is why it has remained a proud part of Japanese literature. I am really liking how even though he uses so little of words, i can imagine almost exactly what he had seen, and i gets me even more excited to see them myself when we go. This book looks like it was a great choice, and I am anxious to read more.
I can definitley say I agree. The esquisite text in this book is amazing and it makes me thirst for more. I can’t wait see it.
I agree, when i first started reading i instantly enjoyed The book mainly for that reason That you can imagine exactly what Basho saying in just those short words. It keeps you coming back for more.
I agree with you Jackie, the text is amazing, and i also agree with the fact that the desriptive aspects of the text keeps new generations interested.
Yeah, I can defiantly visualize what Basho is saying as well. He uses many different words that aren’t really used too often. It brings a very unique aspect to his writing
I well the same way. Just from Basho showing us what he saw and how beautiful it sounds makes me even more excited to go to Japan and go on a jouney like Basho’s.
i agree with you jackie, i can visualize what he is seeing by just him writing all of these descriptions.
I think Basho’s story is considered among the greatest in Japanese history mostly because its simple but still very descriptive .It makes you imagine that you was right there with Basho and Sora on there journey.
The Narrow Road to the Deep North is popular even 300 years after the author died not only because it captured the true beauty of japan but it kept history in sync making you instantly want to read more.
I like that in the story you can get alot of information about the history of japan but not be bored. I would say It was interesting and new to me. I look foward to reading and learning more.
Why else would this story be considered great other than being descriptive and simple?
That is true. This story does capture Japan’s beauty and makes you feel right there. I remember the one part with the rainny sence. I smelt it, felt it, and could hear it.
I do agree with you Yazmine, with the simplicity of the book, yet it is so descriptive with the poetry which does keep many interested on his journey.
I think that Basho’s story is considered among the greated of Japanese history because so far he is making such a long journey and showing such commitment to what he wants. This book is still so popular after 300 years because their journey was so big that people today still want to learn about the history of Japan. I like that at the end of every page there is a poem. Having that there keeps me interested.
I agree about how you like how there is a poem at the end of every page, Tyler. It brings more creativity to the story and keeps the reader’s more hooked onto Basho’s obervations.
I believe that Basho’s story is condsider the greatest in Japanese history because he’s old. Let’s face it. It’s always the old dudes who get all the praise. Everybody raves about Shakespeare poems, but do people really like them? My polls conclude that No (my mom, anunt, uncle, and grandma) is the bigger answer than Yes (nobody voted for you…). Then what makes his work so great? He’s old and therefore must be great! Is Basho the same way? Yes, but atleast his story is enjoyable! That’s how he’s kept everyone hooked for the past 300 years!
I like how this story opens up with some humor. I thought it was pretty funny when he talks about how the hut was a hut for him, but for the new owner the hut could become a nasty, haunted, ghostfull hut. After reading that part, I thought of the band Kanon x Kanon’s song The Doll House. The new owner was screaming and running out of the ghost filled hut at the part of the song when it goes, “Please get me outta here!” I also liked the part where he ties some yen onto a saddle of the horse of Joboji. I’m like, “Will the horse really go back to his master’s home? If only that could happen in America. Japan for the win, again.”
Alex, I totally agree about how the people hooked onto Basho’s writing. I never looked at it that way but I must agree! Yes, he is old but his story is very enjoyable and insightful to anybody who reads it.
Well it isn’t ALWAYS the old man that gets all the praise. The only reason why the people that get praise are mainly more elderly people is because, they have more knowledge and more experience to contribute to what they are doing.
And I defiantly do agree with the humor part.
Yeah Kamil, people don’y usually want to listen to some kid that might have less respect for Japan’s wonders. An old man with knowledge can just be trusted more and respected.
usually the only reason that the old people get more attention is because the have old wise tales and more knowledge.
Basho’s story is considered among the greatest in Japenese history beacuse it really tells it in a beautiful, and spiritul way. It tells how great the country of Japan is. It sounds like basho is really telling his story from his heart.It is extreamly beautiful, and it makes you think and wonder. What makes this book so popular is how wonderful it is. Basho is an amazing writer and he is a literature master. He tells differnt experiences in a way that makes you think, and the text makes you almost feel like your seeing the same thing Basho saw, but through his eyes. What I like about the story so far are the poems he’s written. They are so beautiful, it makes me feel that I’m there seeing the same things Basho saw 300 years ago. As I said before the poems really do make you think, and I think that is a great way to get attached to a book. I also like how he gives great detail about the place’s he’s benn to.
This story is very insightful to me. It seems to showcase Japan’s beauty through poetry,and i usually dont even like to read poetry! However with this book it is not the case. I do believe this book is still so popular, for the poetry describing Japan, and how it shows some religion with Confucius and the Buddha yet still remains purely thoughts not completely focused on that. I believe that is why Basho’s story is considered to be one of the best. It is entirely his thoughts and poetry, personal to him, which not many authors do. He has a way with putting the poetry so that it flows so well with how he’s describing his experiences and Japan’s beauty.
This story is very outstanding and is considered one of the greatest stories in Japanese history in so many ways. The book describes and brings great detail of the amazing wonders of Japan’s nature. Therefore, showing and expressing the small things that most people usually wouldnt stop and observe. Even though Basho died about 300 years ago, his poetry still lived on and inspired many people to this very day. Basho’s story is very extrordinary and shows great experiences throughout his journey. Compared to other authors, Basho stands out completely with his work. So far, I like how Basho deeply describes all of the places he has visited and how he writes a poem to describe each of his surroundings. Just the way his poerty flows and how he paints a picture in the reader’s mind interests me in his writing.
I liked when you said how he paints a picture in the readers head when he describes his surroundings, that’s exactly how I felt when I read his story.
I think that Basho is considered among one of the greatest in Japanese history, because he in a way, revolutionized poetry and story writing. He found a very good way to incorporate poems and a great story. It shows Japan in a whole different light. I think that that is what has made this book so popular. It is something new, something different, something that I have never seen like before. This is what interested me the most the style that it is written in, totally different.
This story gives people who don’t have the right mind to be able to see Japan in such a way as Basho, an idea of what it really is. Not the overpopulated cities, or the technological advances. Before that, when all there was was beauty. At least, that’s how it was in Basho’s eyes. He saw past the flaws and everything everyone else saw, to reveal the real Japan. He took it to the next step, and wrote poetry about it. I think this book is so popular, even 300 years later, because of his unique perspectives. That is why I enjoy it, at least. He can make anything sound beautiful. This book has really exited me to see Japan, and go where he went.
I think Basho’s story is one of Japan’s greatest is because Basho uses very detailed poetry to describe some of the best places he saw in Japan. This book is still popular because Basho was one of the best poets in the world and he describes everything so well. Like I said before Basho wrote wonderful poems, he uses very well description, and I like counting the syllables in the haiku.
This section really puts me into Basho’s shoes and how he looks at Japanese culture. He uses so much detail in his poetry explaining every little aspect of places he has seen and the culture. The nature in Japan is explained so well and he shows us things that some people wouldn’t bother to think about. He poems flow so well and explain everything so clearly. You might have to read it a few times but it really makes you grasp the feeling of being on this journey with him. People appreciat is writing because he is showing you what Japan is really like.
in this part of the book it fells as if you ARE Basho. Basho is not just an regular old writer, you can tell by the way you feel while reading this book. So far, this book has shown me some REALLY REALLY good haikus. i dint think id be able to tell what it was saying but wants it clicks youll be able to tell how great the story is. he seems like a person id like to go to a different country with, very into what hes doing/ going to.
I think that the reason Basho’s book is still widely popular due to the fact that it had a very large impact on world literature and that all of the writings and poems were extremely good and (plz don’t yell at me!) i read ahead a little and loved every bit of it!
I think Basho’s story is considered among the greatest in Japanese history because that
he explored japan and learned it’s bueaty and noticed the little things no one eles really cared about and i think it has inspired many people. also i think that is how this book has been so popular even 300 years after the author died. in this book i like how it is out doors and how he is going around his country and writeing about the little things that some people don’t notice.