柿もぎの金玉寒し秋の風

persimmon picking
my balls are cold
autumn wind
—Ryokan

(kakimogi no / kintama samushi / aki no kaze)

(Woodblock print by Tanake Ryohei)

Another haiku by our good friend, the zen monk Ryokan, from whom yesterday's haiku also came from.

I can imagine you might be a little shocked as you read this—His balls??—but don't be. Traditionally haiku were honest and direct and used what might be considered today crude or even dirty language.

At any rate, Ryokan wasn't trying to be crude or immature as he wrote the above haiku, both things we might assume in the West about people who talk about their balls—he was just being honest. In those days the kimono would have been the common way of dressing. The kimono is like a robe basically for those who have never worn one. We might assume he had a loincloth on underneath, but even so, you can imagine how cold that can be when the wind whips under and into your kimono. Brrr!

Persimmon—かき (柿)—is the kigo in this poem and it is an autumn kigo. Persimmons are everywhere in Japan. Many families even have persimmon trees in their home gardens (see today's Japan photo). Seeing trees full of the orange fruits set against the dark blue autumn sky is a very common image most Japanese people will have for this season. Going persimmon picking in autumn is still a common activity for friends and families.

Mmmm... persimmons. Speaking of which, I hope to go pick some with my family soon!

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.