"Hototogisu" - Kyokudo,Hekigotou,Kyoshi



"Hototogisu" was first published on 15th, Jan. of 1897 (Meiji 30). This Haiku magazine had about thirty pages and it was 0.06yen (6-sen) a copy. This magazine had 300 circulations and edited by Kyokudo Yanagihara.
The number twenty of "Hototogisu", published on 31st, Aug. of 1898 (Meiji 31), was the last number published by the publishing office of "Hototogisu" in Tachibana-cho, Matsuyama, which had been based on "Shofu-kai in Matsuyama".
Shiki composed the following Haiku celebrating the first issue of "Hototogisu". 


   " Greeting a Happy New Year 
            A bush warbler just starts to chirp 
                   The Hototogisu was first published "
                                               
                                            (Shiki)
In 1898.Oct.(Meiji 31), the editing of "Hototogisu" was succeeded to Kyoshi in Tokyo, and it made a fresh start as the central magazine.
Shiki gave the following account as for moving the publishing office of "Hototogisu" to Tokyo.

" Hototogisu should not die from the first, even if I would die. And yet, It just would be the day I should die, if "Hototogisu" would die. "Hototogisu" is nothing but my own life!".

Hekigotou and Kyoshi, called the two greatest authority of pupils under Shiki, had been in the same class of Matsuyama Junior High School and lived in the same lodging at that time when they entered the Third High School in Kyoto. They were so friendly to call each other "Kyotou-an Hermitage".
In 1894 (Meiji 24), both of them withdrew from school and went up to Tokyo to stay with Shiki-an Hermitage.
On 19th, Sept. (17th night of the lunar calendar) of 1902 (Meiji 35), Shiki died, aged 36. 
" Shiki passed away
           In the moonlight of 17th night 
                  of the lunar calendar" 
                                      (Kyoshi)
After Shiki's death, Hekigotou apart from the literary style of "shasei - sketch" and searched eagerly for the new trends of Haiku in pursuit of the new phase. He started to composed the free rhymed Haiku not to stick to the fixed form and the theme of the seasons. This style took the turn to Shrindou and Santouka.
The other hand, Kyoshi put Soseki's novel "I am a cat" on "Hototogisu" in 1905 (Meiji 38), and devoted himself entirely to novels, but he opposed himself to Hekigotou's new trends on the grounds that the free rhymed Haiku will destroy the concept of the theme of seasons and fixed form of 17 characters and made comeback to the world of Haiku. He composed Haiku, that would be carved on the haiku monument in Bancho Elementary School, to make up his mind of that time.
In 1933 (Showa 8), Hekigotou expressed his retirement from the world of Haiku at the celebration of his 60th birthday, and died in 1937 (Showa 12), aged 65.
At Hekigotou's death, Kyoshi composed the following Haiku prefacing "I used to be close and compete with Hekigotou".
"Figuratively speaking,the association of 
   He and I are just as if 
      Tops would repel each other" 
                                  (Kyoshi)
Kyokudo took up the post of chief editor in Iyo-Nichinichi newspaper company in 1906 (Meiji 39) and later he was raised to the president of the company until 1927 (Showa 2).
In 1932 (Showa 7), he first published the Haiku magazine "keitou - a cockscomb" that was discontinued at No.118 in 1942 (Showa 17).
The works of Haiku that were originated by Shiki when he came back to Matsuyama in 1895 (Meiji 28) and took a walk on the outskirts of Matsuyama, were edited as "Sansaku-shu of Shiki's posthumous works". It's too much famous that the posthumous was found out Gakan Kondo kept it and published in No.9, Vol..2 of "Keitou" in 1933 (Showa 8).
In 1943 (Showa 18),"Shiki Association in Matsuyama" was established by Kyokudo's advocating. This association have been succeeded up to the present by not only Haiku originators but also official and private sections in Matsuyama in a body to throw light on Shiki's brilliant achievements.
Mastuyama Municipal Shiki Memorial Museum opened becausu of one of the tide ranged to Shiki that has been entertained by lovers of Haiku and all citizens in Matsuyama.
In the autumn of 1946 (Showa 21), the Haiku meeting celebrating 600th issue of Haiku magazine "Hototogisu" was held in Senshuji Temple. Kyoshi returned home from his place of refuge, Komoro in Nagano Prefecture, and the construction of Kyoshi's Haiku monument was arranged by Kyokudo's proposal at that meeting.
In 1951 (Showa 26) of the 50th anniversary of Shiki, Kyokudo (aged 85) said a few words by way of greeting together with Kyoshi. He died on 7th, Oct. (14th,Aug.of lunar calendar) of 1957 (Showa 32) at the age of 90.
"The fourteenth day of August
         When the moon is so brilliant now 
                  You have left this world"
                                          (Kyoshi)
Mokuzen Sakai did a lot for the world of Haiku in Matsuyama, as the president of "Hototogisu", who settled in Matsuyama to study Haiku under Shiki.
Kusatao Nakamura was from Matsuyama by origin too, who joined the Haiku association of Tokyo University and contributed haiku to "Hototogisu".
"Hototogisu" was succeeded by Kyoshi's first son, Toshio and his daughter Teiko Inahata, after Kyoshi.
In 1980 (Showa 55), "Hototogisu" finally got to the No.1,000 for the April number of it.