Roka (浪化)
Roka (January 16, 1672 - November 17, 1703) was a Buddhist monk of Jodo Shin Sect cum haiku poet in the mid-Edo period. His father was Takunyo, the 14th Hossu (a head priest of Buddhist sect) of Higashi Hongan-ji Temple. His childhood name was Shomaru. His name was Haruhiro. His homyo (a Buddhist name given to a person who has died or entered into the priesthood) was Oshinin Josho. His haiku pen name was Jigendo, Oosanjin and Kyukyusanjin etc. He hailed from Kyoto.
He entered into the priesthood in 1677 when he was 7 years old and became the chief priest of Inami Zuisen-ji Temple in Ecchu no kuni (Ecchu Province), but he often shuttled between Ecchu and Kyoto. Though he initially studied haiku poet under Kigin KITAMURA as his father and elder brother were also Kitamura's disciples, he later studied under Kyorai MUKAI. His haiku poem was first selected in "Utatsushu" which was published in 1691. In intercalary June of 1694, he met, on the introduction of Kyorai, Basho MATSUO at Kyoto Rakushisha and became Basho's disciple. As he deeply admired Basho even after his death, he built a grave mound and constructed Kurokami-an with the hair of the deceased Basho and enshrined it. Further, he kept company with Basho's disciples and was particularly friendly with Shiko KAGAMI.
He bequeathed "Arisoumi" and "Tonami san," his personal collections of haiku poems.