Matsuo Basho The Narrow Road to the Deep North

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Matsuo Basho “The Narrow Road to the Deep North”

Travel literature is a genre that is extremely diverse in terms of people, places and cultures. This literature exists in almost all parts of the world. Travel literature is known as narratives accounts, which have been written by groups or individuals about their journeys. It involves relying information about a place that has been visited. It is a fact that travel literature tends to be extremely descriptive, as it encompasses all what the author has witnessed during the journey. Even in today’s modern society, travel literature is popular among many people. It tends to give information regarding scientific recording and dispassionate about various countries. Most of the readers of this genre of literature are in need of learning about the exotic regions, which are exciting and new to them.

An example of a known author of travel literature is Mark Twain who wrote the novels, the ‘Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer’ and the ‘Great American Novel’. The latter wrote many books, which are currently popular with many readers. The author Matuo Basho is known for being a notable Haiku poet and he came from Japan. It was during the era of the Edo that he came up with the book ‘The Narrow Road to the Deep North’. The intriguing journey started in Tokyo, known as Edo during the time, and on this journey traveled with a pupil called Sora. Some of the places visited by him include; Ohgaki, Hokuriku and Tohoku. The journey began in the year 1689, in the month of March, the twentieth, and ended the same year on twentieth of august.

The reason why Basho took on this journey was to find out about matters concerning his ancestors. He wanted to know his true origins in a bid to find a deeper understanding about himself. Basho believes that “Go to the pine if you want to learn about the pine or to the bamboo if you want to learn about the bamboo” (Basho & Yuasa, 1967, 68). Earlier writers of travel literature used facts in their pieces and Basho did not follow this method. Instead, he opted to uses prose in order to come up with compositions. Most times he came up with a unique sense of literary which dominated over his travel experiences. Basho did not want to be associated with earthly attachments, and this is depicted in the travel sketches he came up with. Also, he had the desire to fulfill his spiritual needs while going on this fascinating journey. The style of writing changes as Basho is about to discover the answers that he is searching for. Lastly, Basho wants to find out about the universe and the mysteries that it has. Also, he wants find out if eternity actually exists due to various elements of life that surround him. He claims that in poetry “if you’re feeling is not natural, if the object and yourself are separate, then you’re poetry is not true poetry but merely you’re subjective counterfeit” (Basho & Yuasa, 1967, 68).

The novel ‘The American Diary of a Japanese Girl’ was written by Yone Noguchi, a famous Japanese writer. The novel is based upon Trans nationalism about Japanese American, and it is also fictional. The novel focuses upon a Japanese girl who travels across various parts of the United States. The latter is known as Morning Glory, and she is eighteen years old. Morning Glory engages in vast observations, activities as well as preparations as she attempts to tour America. Both Basho and Naguchi wrote about their travelling experiences as they sort to find answers concerning life. The journey made by Morning Glory is not alone as she is accompanied by an extremely rich mining executive. The latter is Morning Glory’s uncle who is part of the travelling adventure. Basho also chose to have a companion as he undertook his journey in various Japanese lands.

Basho had a travelling sketch of the places that he visited and Naguchi also does the same. It is known that Morning Glory travelled to various American states such as Chicago, San Francisco, and New York. At the various states, activities done by Morning Glory are known. Naguchi ensures that the reader of her novel is aware about the reason why Morning Glory chose to travel. It seems that the latter was in search of adventure as well as a new sense of being. This is similar to what Basho was in search of; only that he did not go on the journey with the aim of obtaining adventure. As most people believe that the United States is a land where amusing things place, so did Morning Glory. The latter experienced the American life in the most exciting way possible. Her wealthy uncle made it possible for her to experience life the easy way. One knows that she visited exquisite places such as Nob Hill and the Palace Hotel. In contrast, Bash did not have a journey that was as successful as that of Morning Glory.

Morning Glory acquires things that she did not anticipate, such as improving her literary skills and even having a relationship. This shows the cultural exchanges that took place between the Americans and the Japanese. On the other hand, Basho found some answers that he sort to know by going on the journey. Basho only interacted with Japanese people as during that time in history many people did not travel to foreign lands (Noguchi, 2007.56). Finally, Morning Glory decided that she has had enough of the positive life of American and wants to experience something different. In turn, she decides to take up a job as a servant, in order to experience another riveting American journey.

Basho uses poetry in coming up with his travel literature, while, on the other hand, Naguchi writes in the usual manner. They have used different styles of literature, yet they are providing similar information, which regards to travelling. This means that an author can put across information according to the different styles they decide to use. Furthermore, travelling literature gives vital information regarding various aspects of life of different people. Moreover, Werner Herzog in his film ‘Wheel of Time’ focuses on travelling. It features the travelling done by the journey undertaken by a Kalachakra. The latter visits several places such as Mohabodhi Temple, Bodhgaya, Bodhi Tree and Mount Kailash. In fact, this is what the Dalai Lama focuses upon most times in his speeches (Herzog, 2005.34). He is advocating for people to have an opportunity to travel to various regions without being restricted. This is similar to the journeys made by Basho and Morning Glory, only that their movements were not restricted. In conclusion, traveling literature is fascinating and people should make an attempt to read it.

Work Cited

Basho, Matsuo. & Yuasa, Nobuyuki. The Narrow Road to the Deep North and other Travel Sketches. New York: Penguin Classics. 1967. Print.

Noguchi, Yone. Et Al. The American Diary of a Japanese Girl : An Annotated Edition. New York : Temple University Press. 2007. Print.

Herzog. Werner, Wheel of Time. 2005.