Bokusui-ki (Wakayama Bokusui Memorial Day)

What Is Bokusui-ki?

September 17th is "Bokusui-ki," the death anniversary of poet Wakayama Bokusui, who passed away at his home in Numazu, Shizuoka Prefecture, on this day in 1928, at the age of 43.

A Poet Who Loved Travel, Sake, and Nature Through 8,600 Poems

Wakayama Bokusui was a tanka poet active from the Meiji through early Showa periods, said to have composed roughly 8,600 poems over his lifetime.

• Life: Born in Miyazaki Prefecture in 1885, he died on September 17, 1928
• Style: Known as a lyrical poet whose work reflected a deep love of travel and sake, along with candid, heartfelt responses to nature
• Cause of death: He died at his home in Numazu at age 43, from acute gastroenteritis and cirrhosis of the liver

The Wandering Spirit Behind His Most Famous Poem

Bokusui's best-known tanka—roughly translated as "however many mountains and rivers I cross, is there ever a land beyond loneliness? Today too, I travel on"—captures a life spent questioning the meaning of existence through endless journeys. The sake he loved deeply was likewise inseparable from his work.

How to Mark the Day

• Read some of Wakayama Bokusui's best-known tanka poems
• Look into Numazu, where he spent much of his life, and Miyazaki, his hometown
• Pick up a book about Bokusui's life and character
• Revisit a favorite poem of his and reflect on it in your own words

A Wandering Spirit That Still Lives On

Bokusui-ki is a day to remember the life of a poet who loved travel, sake, and nature. On September 17th, consider stepping away from your busy routine for a moment to feel the restless, wandering spirit woven into Bokusui's poetry.