a wisteria trellis
joins the fray…
Buddha’s birthday flowers

This haiku has the prescript, “Kayaba’s Buddha of Healing.” Kayaba was a town in the Nihonbashi section of Edo, today’s Tokyo; Issa zenshû (Nagano: Shinano Mainichi Shimbunsha, 1976-79) 2.436, note 1.

Gabi Greve explains that hanamidô (“blossom temple hall”) is a miniature hall set up at Buddhist temples and decorated with colorful flowers on Gautauma Buddha’s birthday, celebrated on the Eighth Day of Fourth Month. Small statues of the child Buddha are also decorated with flowers, and hydrangea tea is poured over the statue by visitors.