Sokotsu Samukawa

Sokotsu Samukawa (寒川 鼠骨, Samukawa Sokotsu, November 3, 1875―August 18, 1954) was a Haiku poet in Japan during the Meiji period. His real name was Akimitsu (陽光); Sokotsu was a pen name.

Life

Samukawa was born in Matsuyama (now in Ehime Prefecture). In 1894, he entered Daisan kōtō gakkō (now Kyoto University). Sokotsu met Kawahigashi Hekigotō and Takahama Kyoshi in this school. He fell under their influence and took part in Keihan-Mangetsukai (京阪満月会, Haiku club). Sokotsu was so absorbed in writing haiku that in the end, he dropped out of the school. He worked at the Kyōto Newspaper and the Ōsaka Asahi Newspaper. He continued to contribute haiku to the magazine "Hototogisu" even while he worked. Sokotsu went to Tokyō and joined the staff of the newspaper "Nippon" in 1898. He met Kuga Katsunan (陸羯南, Journalist) and Masaoka Shiki there. Sokotsu became Shiki's pupil and studied the narrative prose, or the sketch in prose, that Shiki propounded. After Shiki's death, Sokotsu suspended Hokku activity, and concentrated on writing prose, travel sketches, and essays. He devoted the rest of his life to keeping Shiki's house and estate, from 1911.

Works

• "Samukawa-Sokotsu-Syū " , Japanese name(寒川鼠骨集) : a selection
• "Masaoka Shiki no Sekai" , Japanese name(正岡子規の世界) : The introduction of Masaoka Shiki

References

• "Shiki Monka no Hitobito ", Japanese name(子規門下の人々) written by Risetsu Abe(阿部里雪)
• "Seikimatsu no Ichinen ", Japanese name(世紀末の一年) written by Iwao Matsuyama(松山巌)