The Oak Tree

The Oak Tree - context Summary

Spring Journey to Yoshino

Written during Basho's 1688 spring journey to Yoshino, this haiku records a traveler’s encounter with an oak tree that ignores the season's celebrated cherry blossoms. The brief lines embody Basho’s sabi preference for the sober and enduring over transient spectacle. It was later published in 1709 in Oi no Kobushi. The poem links a particular travel moment with a wider aesthetic stance valuing plainness and stoic presence.