Matsuo Kinsaku, better known as Basho (1644 – 1694), was born in Kyoto, Japan. While the rest of his siblings became farmers, Basho worked as a servant for a young lord, which offered him the chance to become familiar with literature. He became a master of haiku and, eventually, of haibun and was widely published during his lifetime. Basho was well-known for his wanderings on foot across Japan as he explored nature and enjoyed experiences that inspired his writing.

Hart Larrabee is an American translator. Born in New York, he majored in Japanese in college and now lives in the little town of Obuse in northern Nagano, Japan. In addition to poetry, Hart also translates non-fiction, particularly in the fields of art, design, and architecture.