We are now into winter, by the traditional Japanese reckoning of the seasons. It may not feel like it yet, but the almanac says we are on the downward path towards it. That brings to mind winter haiku, and here is one of my favorite winter haiku.

弁慶に五条の月の寒さかな
benkei ni gojō no tsuki no samusa kana

even for Benkei
on Gojō Bridge under the moon
it is cold
—Sōseki

(trans. David LaSpina^[1])

^{Hiroshige - On Gojō Bridge, Yoshitsune Defeats Benkei}

This haiku won't make much sense to you without knowing who Benkei was. He is one of the most famous figures in Japanese history, a symbol of loyalty and companionship.

Benkei was a giant man, said to be 2 meters (6'6"). He enters history with his personal quest to prove his martial arts prowess by defeating 1000 samurai and collecting their swords. It is said he had already collected 999 and was just one away from his goal when he met a small youth with a gilded sword who was playing a flute while crossing Gojō Bridge in Kyoto. The youth was Minamoto no Yoshitsune, whom you may have heard me mention before on this blog in regards to his involvement with the Genpei War. The men dueled, and the more agile smaller man amazed Benkei by defeating him. The story is very similar to the Western tale of Robin Hood defeating Little John.

Benkei swore an oath of allegiance and from that day forward followed Yoshitsune as his companion and friend, staying with him until both of their deaths at the hands of the traitorous Yasuhira and Yoshitsune's brother, the shogun Yoshitomo. The adventures of Benkei and Yoshitsune are among the most famous and popular in Japan.

This haiku then is taking us into this story, as Benkei awaits Yoshitsune on Gojō bridge. Sōseki is telling us that even for that tough giant who had already defeated 999 warriors, this night would be cold.

Hell of an image, eh? Tonight is so cold that even Benkei would feel it! Sōseki would go on to become Japan's most famous novelist, comparable to Charles Dickens: he knew a thing or two about setting up good images and stories.

【Also published on my website】

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David LaSpina is an American photographer and translator lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time and searching for the perfect haiku. He blogs here and at laspina.org. Write him on Twitter or Mastodon.

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1. That is, me! If you like this translation, feel free to use it. Just credit me. Also link here if you can. ↩