Museums: Basho Museum, Kurobane

Basho visited Kurobane in 1689 during the first stage of his trek to northern Japan. Two of his disciples - brothers - were living here (one of them was the steward of the feudal lord of the small castle town of Kurobane) and Basho stayed here for a full 14 days, the longest break on his journey. He must have been delighted with the town and its hospitality - although the long rains in those days may also have contributed to the length of his stopover. Basho wrote several haiku in Kurobane (four of them have been included in Oku no Hosomichi) and acted as referee during two renga (linked verse) sessions.

 

[Statues of Basho and Sora, Basho no Yakata Museum, Kurobane]

Basho no Yakata Museum was built in 1989 (from wood that still smells fresh and new!) as a 300 year memorial to Basho's sojourn in the town. In the entrance hall are panels and photo's celebrating utamakura (the poetic and geographical epithets that were the inspiration for Basho's travel); panels about Oku no Hosomichi, Basho and Kurobane, how Basho traveled and about Basho as a human being.

The exhibition room has items related to Oku no Hosomichi, such as texts, a copy of a scroll by Buson, paintings etc. The museum also houses the Ozeki Library, the collection of old documents, manuscripts, tools and clothes which belonged to the Ozekis, the lords of Kurobane. The Seizan Library is a book collection donated by Seizan Takase, a 20th c. scholar and honorary townsman. The special exhibition room, finally, exhibits some armor, such as a halberds and daggers belonging to the Ozekis and decorated with their emblem.

In front of the museum is a bronze statue of Basho on a horse, with Sora walking beside him. This was how he came to Kurobane and also how he left it - a very appropriate way to give shape to the fleeting past. Along the Basho no Michi (leading to the town center from here) stand several kuhi, or haiku stones.

The museum is set in a beautifully wooded spot, not far from the ruins of Kurobane Castle. Nearby is also Daioji, a rustic Zen temple as ever there was one. Kurobane is a great place, completely untouched by commercialism. One does not meet ordinary tourists, the only persons one comes across are haiku enthusiasts quietly mumbling lines from Oku no Hosomichi. The Basho no Yakata does not have a great collection, but it is a welcome rest spot on a tour along Kurobane's haiku stones. When we sat there, sipping the free green tea from the tea server, we felt that it still exists, Kurobane's hospitality that made Basho stay for two weeks.

For the haiku stones in Kurobane see my Basho in Kurobane.

Address: 980-1, Maeda, Kurobane-machi, Nasu-gun, Tochigi-ken. Tel: 0287-54-4151
Hours: 9:00 - 17:00. Closed Monday, New year season.
Access: 35 min. walk from the Kurobane bus terminal.