"To write a haiku, become a three-foot-tall child." So says Basho, the master of this poetic form. The goal of haiku poetry, to express the fleeting mood of a moment in the concise form of a three-line poem, can only be achieved through simplicity of language and a spirit that fully surrenders to immediate sensory perception. The anthology follows the seasons and encompasses the themes of spring, summer, autumn, winter, and New Year. It brings together the most significant poets of Japan, including Basho, his predecessors, students, and successors, and is the most extensive edition on the German book market with nearly 1000 haiku. Jan Ulenbrook's translations preserve the strict form to adequately convey these linguistic artworks.