Masaoka Shiki　

(1867-1902)

Real name: Masaoka Tsunenori
He was born in October 1867 to a samurai family in Matsuyama Domain, Iyo Province (Ehime), and died on September 19, 1902 at Negishi Shikian.
He lost his father at the age of four, and grew up in a family of three with his mother and younger sister.
He moved to Tokyo at the age of 16, coughed up blood at the age of 21, and dropped out of Imperial University at the age of 25. He joined the newspaper “Nippon” and wrote serial articles until two days before his death. His occupation was newspaper reporter.
He developed spinal caries from pulmonary tuberculosis, fought the pain and, with the help of those around him, risked his life to innovate haiku, tanka, and writing. Before his death, he was constantly drawing pictures of flowers, fruits, and other things.
Representative works: Collection of haiku “Kanzan Rakuboku”, collection of tanka “Take no Satouta”, essays “Bokuju Itteki”, “Gyouga Manroku”, “Byoushou Rokushaku”, etc