Rakushisha

Rakushisha was built around 1685 as a second house for the haiku poet Mukai Kyorai, who was a student of the famous Matsuo Basho. Rakushisha, meaning "falling persimmon fruit" in Japanese, is said to be named for the fruit of the 40 persimmon trees in the garden that fell overnight. Kyorai’s famous teacher actually visited and stayed three times at the residence as the two were quite close. This place is also well-documented in his teacher’s journal, "The Saga Diary (Saga nikki)." Also on site are exhibits of 13 haiku written by Gatori and Kyorai and as well as sayings of Takahama Kyoshi engraved in a stone monument. The straw-thatched roof of this building evokes the peace and tranquility of the past. Try imagining what Kyorai’s life was like and you may feel inspired to write a haiku yourself here to submit to the seasonal magazine “Rakushisha.” If your haiku is selected, not only will it be published in the magazine, but a copy of the issue will also be sent to you.