Matsuo Basho (1644 - November 28; 1694); was the most famous poet of the Edo period in Japan. During his lifetime; Basho was recognized for his works in the collaborative haikai no renga form; today; after centuries of commentary; he is recognized as a master of brief and clear haiku. His poetry is internationally renowned; and within Japan many of his poems are reproduced on monuments and traditional sites.

Basho was introduced to poetry at a young age; and after integrating himself into the intellectual scene of Edo he quickly became well-known throughout Japan. He made a living as a teacher; but renounced the social; urban life of the literary circles and was inclined to wander throughout the country; heading west; east; and far into the northern wilderness to gain inspiration for his writing. His poems were influenced by his firsthand experience of the world around him; often encapsulating the feeling of a scene in a few simple elements. Pictures From History