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PATRON OF BASHO - SANPU SUGIYAMA -

  It is well known that Basho Mastuo, one of the most 
representing literary man of Genroku period, enhanced the 
Haikai from [game of words] to art. 
  He had many pupils all over the country. Sanpu Sugiyama 
was, among them, the most reliable person throughout his 
life, started from days before Basho had become famous.
Sanpu was a powerful merchant namedKoiya(house of camps), 
was patron for Basho during his stay in Edo. 
  Bashoan(hermitage of Basho) in Fukagawa was source of his 
pseudonym as there was bigBasho(Japanese banana) in the 
garden, which was believed to be a watch house of fish 
reserve of Koiya to keep fish alive twmporarily.
  Sanpu's life seems without any trouble, but in truth, he 
had heavy hearring impairment. Reportedly Basho never 
composed Haiku poem about hearing troubles shwing 
consideration for Sanpuu.

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