Burning House :: Haiku of Japan #88
いつせいに柱の燃ゆる都かな
issei ni hashira no moyuru miyako kana
all at once
flaming wooden pillars
in the capital
—By Mitsuhashi Toshio
(Tr. David LaSpina)
(Tokyo Firebombing, May 26th, 1945, from Wikicommons)
Mitsuhashi favored the shinko haiku style, which was free-form (i.e., not 17 syllables) without a season word. Within this style, there was a sub-genre called senka sobo haiku which was all about commenting on the war, often negatively. Unfortunately this led to the group being targeted by the government for anti-patriotic activity. Many of the leaders were thrown in prison, tortured, and killed.
Major air raids over Tokyo began the night of March 9th, 1945. Mitsuhashi was a soldier overseas at the time and he later returned to find his house gone. This is his imagining the burning of his house.
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| Don't miss other great haiku in the Haiku of Japan series! |
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Recent Haiku
- 81 — Winter Game
- 82 — Hated Crow
- 83 — Passing Through
- 84 — Dried Salmon
- 85 — Little Demon Hunters
- 86 — Still Alive
- 87 — After Demon Purification
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- Collection 4 :: Haiku 31-40
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- Collection 7 :: Haiku 61–70
- Collection 8 :: Haiku 71–80
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I post one photo everyday, as well as a haiku and as time allows, videos, more Japanese history, and so on. Let me know if there is anything about Japan you would like to know more about or would like to see.
| Who is David? | |
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 | David LaSpina is an American photographer lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time. |
A lot of people forget about the fire bombings of Tokyo. The fact is that more people died during these than in the Nagasaki and Hiroshima bombings.
A lot of people, in the West anyway, but not everyone. I make a big post on social media about the worst of the firebombing every year.
Thanks for the comment :)
I was impressed by that haiku before I knew that the author faced arrest and execution to produce it. Very cool post.
Glad you enjoyed it :)
I was always told so much of the Japanese national identity was linked dot their ability to withstand disaster. I was told they built with wood and paper because it could be readily re-built. Still imagining the lost of one's home to the fires of war ... I imagine this haiku was cathartic.
I've heard that before, about linking their national identify to their ability to withstand disaster. It's somewhat nihonjinron, somewhat Ruth Benedict creation from thin air. The second part is true enough though, about the reason why they use wood and paper.
I can't imagine what he must have sent through. Terrorized by his own government, forced to fight in a war he didn't agree with, then coming back to find his house (and most of Tokyo) gone. What a horrible experience.
I love the idea of the haiku then a point to history. This is great stuff you can be sure I'll be watching.
Thanks 3B :)
wow its looking awesome and 1945 photo thats amazing... ;-)
@adityajainxds #thealliance
Thanks :)
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