あさむつや月見の旅の明け離れ

six in the morning—
my trip for moon-viewing
ends at dawn
—Basho†

Asamutsu ya / tsukimi no tabi no / ake-banare

(print by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi 月岡芳年)

Moon viewing was a big deal back in the day in Japan. Actually, it still is considered a traditional activity to do, but it is nowhere near as popular as it once was.

Basho wrote 15 haiku wandering around in this night while watching the moon. This was the last one written when it started to became light.

Asamutsu is also the name of a bridge he crossed in Fukui. Basho wrote of this in the preface to this haiku: When we crossed the bridge of Asamutsu, which is popularly known as 'Asazu', I recall a passage in 'The Pillow Book of Sei Shanagan who wrote: "The most interesting bridges are the bridge of Asamutsu, (and of Nagara and of Amabiko)". This is the very bridge.

The wordplay makes it a little ambiguous, and some other translators choose to translate the first line as bridge. Here is how Jane Reichhold translates it:

bridge of morning
a journey of moon-viewing
at dawn

Either one could be correct and perhaps both are. Haiku often have wordplay and double meaning. As the reader, you are free to interpret in your own way.

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Footnotes:

†Tr. Gabi Greve

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Don't miss the other great haiku in the Haiku of Japan series!

#1 - Traveling to the inn
#2 - Childless Woman
#3 - Old Dancing Butterfly
#4 - Seeing the Moon
#5 - Checking the Scarecrow
#6 - Skill of Insects
#7 - The Spider Lilies
#8 - A Thousand Green Mountains
#9 - Falling Lead Enlightenment
#10 - Lonely Night
#11 - Her Day Off
#12 - Autumn Crow
#13 - Faint Footprints
#14 - Alone on the Road
#15 - Autumn Begins

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David LaSpina is an American photographer and translator lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time and searching for the perfect haiku. He blogs here and at laspina.org.