A Beginner's Guide to Japanese Haiku: Major Works by Japan's Best-Loved Poets - From Basho and Issa to Ryokan and Santoka, with Works by Six Women Poets
William Scott Wilson
May 2026 · Tuttle Publishing · Narrated by Marco Blasco
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4 hr 17 min
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An old pond;
a frog jumps in:
the sound of water
—Basho
This comprehensive introduction to Japan's best-loved haiku poets is the perfect book for anyone wanting to learn about haiku. Compiled and with commentary by renowned author and translator William Scott Wilson, the book features 26 poets and 550 haiku, exquisitely translated. Wilson takes listeners on a fascinating journey through the works of the major Japanese poets from the fifteenth century up to the present.
The poets include Basho, Shiki, Buson and Issa (the "Great Four") along with other well-known practitioners of the genre such as Ryokan, Kikaku and Chora. Wilson gives his own brand-new renditions of poems that are already known as classics, and also shares the delightful work of a number of poets who are rarely found in English translation, including six female poets such as Chiyojo and Hisajo, as well as novelist Natsume Soseki, who, unbeknown to many, also wrote haiku.
The book is divided into sections, each beginning with a brief introduction to the poet, followed by a selection of that poet's haiku in English translation.
a frog jumps in:
the sound of water
—Basho
This comprehensive introduction to Japan's best-loved haiku poets is the perfect book for anyone wanting to learn about haiku. Compiled and with commentary by renowned author and translator William Scott Wilson, the book features 26 poets and 550 haiku, exquisitely translated. Wilson takes listeners on a fascinating journey through the works of the major Japanese poets from the fifteenth century up to the present.
The poets include Basho, Shiki, Buson and Issa (the "Great Four") along with other well-known practitioners of the genre such as Ryokan, Kikaku and Chora. Wilson gives his own brand-new renditions of poems that are already known as classics, and also shares the delightful work of a number of poets who are rarely found in English translation, including six female poets such as Chiyojo and Hisajo, as well as novelist Natsume Soseki, who, unbeknown to many, also wrote haiku.
The book is divided into sections, each beginning with a brief introduction to the poet, followed by a selection of that poet's haiku in English translation.
An old pond;
a frog jumps in:
the sound of water
—Basho
This comprehensive introduction to Japan's best-loved haiku poets is the perfect book for anyone wanting to learn about haiku. Compiled and with commentary by renowned author and translator William Scott Wilson, the book features 26 poets a...
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About the author
William Scott Wilson was raised in Ft. Lauderdale, FL; he holds BAs from Dartmouth College and The Monterey Institute of Foreign Studies, and an MA from the University of Washington. He has worked as a translator and advisor on cultural affairs for the Japanese Consulate-General in Seattle, Washington; a teacher of Japanese language; and a guide for Japanese tourists in South Florida. He has had 20 books published, variously translated into 21 foreign languages, including The Lone Samurai: The Life of Miyamoto Musashi. His translation of Hagakure, an 18th century treatise on samurai philosophy, was featured in the film Ghost Dog, by the director Jim Jarmusch. Wilson was warded a Commendation from the Foreign Ministry of Japan, and inducted into the Order of the Rising Sun by the Japanese emperor.
Steven Heine is professor of Religious Studies and History and founding director of the Asian Studies Program at Florida International University. A specialist on East Asian religions and society, especially the origins and development of Zen Buddhism in medieval Japan, Heine has published three dozen monographs and edited volumes. The most recent titles include From Chinese Chan to Japanese Zen, Readings of Dogen's Treasury of the True Dharma Eye, Flowers Blooming on a Withered Tree, and Dogen: Japan's Original Zen Teacher.
Marco Blasco is a Japan-based editor, writer and audiobook narrator. He edits and proofreads novels and writes articles about Japanese culture and travel. He also is an avid reader and writer of fantasy and science fiction stories.
Steven Heine is professor of Religious Studies and History and founding director of the Asian Studies Program at Florida International University. A specialist on East Asian religions and society, especially the origins and development of Zen Buddhism in medieval Japan, Heine has published three dozen monographs and edited volumes. The most recent titles include From Chinese Chan to Japanese Zen, Readings of Dogen's Treasury of the True Dharma Eye, Flowers Blooming on a Withered Tree, and Dogen: Japan's Original Zen Teacher.
Marco Blasco is a Japan-based editor, writer and audiobook narrator. He edits and proofreads novels and writes articles about Japanese culture and travel. He also is an avid reader and writer of fantasy and science fiction stories.
William Scott Wilson was raised in Ft. Lauderdale, FL; he holds BAs from Dartmouth College and The Monterey Institute of Foreign Studies, and an MA from the University of Washington. He has worked as a translator and advisor on cultural affairs for the Japanese Consulate-General in Seattle, Washi...
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