Hasegawa Kanajo

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Hasegawa Kanajo 長谷川かな女

1887年10月22日-1969年9月22日
1887 - 1969



She was born near Nihonbashi, in the center of Tokyo.
Her grandson is the novelist Mita Kan (1956 - )

She entered the Mitsui Family in 1903 to learn about proper housekeeping and the virtues of a good wife (gyoogi minarai 行儀見習), but could not continue due to a heart disease. In 1909 she married her private English teacher, the haiku poet 富田諧三, who later was known as 長谷川零余子 Hasegawa Rsishi (1888 - 1928, July 27), who was a member of Hototogisu.

She begun to write haiku herself and on request of Takahama Kyoshi joined a Woman's Haiku Group 婦人俳句会.

Shortly after the death of her husband in 1928 her home in Shinjuku burned down and she moved outside to Urawa town, Saitama, where she died of lung infection at the age of 81.

In 1930 she started the haiku magazine 水明.
龍胆 in 1929
雨月 in 1939
胡笛 in 1955
定本かな女句集 in 1964
牟良佐伎 in 1969


In 1966 she received the
Medal with a Purple Ribbon 紫綬褒章受章.


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Ryu Yotsuya wrote:
Director of Hototogisu magazine, Kyoshi Takahama intended to propagate haiku to women. He instituted the section "The Kitchen songs" where were published women's haikus; there were published such excellent poets as Kanajo Hasegawa (1887 ~ 1969) and Midorijo Abe (1886 ~ 1980).

Sugita Hisajo 杉田久女


She was of a gentle and elegant character and showed great talent in keeping the female haiku poets of her time under her guidance.

Takahama Kyoshi said about her to his own daughters, whe were also haiku poets:

かな女さんを見習いなさい

Learn from Kanajo!



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摩利支天の露店の上や春の月
Marishiten no roten no ue ya haru no tsuki

above the shops
at the Marishiten Festival -
the spring moon


. Marishiten 摩利支天 　



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五色に塗る餅柔かしお命講
goshiki ni nuru mochi yawarakashi o-meikoo

the mochi cakes
in five colors and so soft ...
memorial for Saint Nichiren


. Goshiki 五色 Five Colors and Saint Nichiren 　


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大橋を恵方へ渡り詣りけり
oohashi o ehoo e watari mairi keri

crossing the Great Bridge
in the auspicious direction
for the New Year


. auspiciuos direction, ehoo 恵方 　　


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重陽や椀の蒔絵のことごとし
chooyoo ya wan no makie no koto gotoshi

Chrysanthemum Festival -
in the bowl this laquer image
almost the same


. Maki-e (蒔絵) sprinkled lacquer pictures .


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Musashino no tori kuru matsu no shin mugen

birds of Musashino plain
coming to the pine candles -
infinity


. Pine (matsu 松) 　


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御所人形の稚児輪ふくらむ牡丹の芽
gosho ningyoo no chigowa fukuramu botan no me

the fluffy hairdo
of this Gosho doll -
bud of a peony


. Gosho ningyoo 御所人形
Gosho dolls from the Imperial Palace, Kyoto .


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西鶴の女みな死ぬ夜の秋
Saikaku no onna mina shinu yoru no aki

the heroines of Saikaku
are all going to die -
autumn night


. The writer Ihara Saikaku 井原西鶴 　　


. . . . .


Translation suggestions and discussion by Mariko Shimizu:


the heroines of Saikaku
all die in the end
autumn night

or

the heroines of Saikaku
are all to die
autumn night


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Japanese Reference

長谷川かな女


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Related words

***** Introducing Japanese Haiku Poets　


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