About Our Name

～Our restaurant takes its name from the poet Kikkawa Gomei, who lived over two centuries ago.～

Kikkawa Gomei was born in 1731, the fifth son of Naba Saburoemon, who lived in the town surrounding Akita Castle. He went on to make a name for himself as a haiku poet, amassing over 600 students.

Kikkawa Gomei, Akita’s Preeminent Poet

Painting of Kikkawa Gomei

A Return to the Style of Matsuo Basho

Painting of Kikkawa Gomei

As a young man, Gomei focused on a relatively lowbrow, entertaining style with his poetry. However, at the age of 32, he began to have doubts about his lowbrow style, and began to research the works of the famous haiku poet Matsuo Basho on his own. Once he grasped the true essence of Basho’s style, he made a goal of carrying on the spirit of Basho’s poetry. Gomei stuck fast to his motto of “a return to the style of Matsuo Basho,” amassing some 600 followers and bringing about a golden age of haiku poetry in Akita.

This chapter of Gomei’s life and his work began when he, at the age of 38, published a collection of poetry in the spirit of Basho alongside four others. At the very same time in Kyoto as well, many lamented the shift toward more lowbrow haiku poetry, and there were likewise efforts there to bring about a return to Basho’s style.

Gomei’s efforts were widely supported by both the merchants and the samurai of the town that grew around Akita Castle, and before long, Gomei’s style of haiku poetry had spread all throughout the Akita Domain.

Fan with a haiku poem by Gomei written on it

The style of the gomei

Fan with a haiku poem by Gomei written on it

Gomei left a significant body of work: today, over 6,000 of his poems still remain. He served as a successor to the spirit of Basho, focusing on capturing nature as it is, distinctively invoking fresh lyricism and gentle sentiments.

  • Monuments to Gomei (left) and Basho (right)

Hotoji Temple

Gomei and Kyoto

  • Monuments to Gomei (left) and Basho (right)

  • Hotoji Temple

Gomei’s father, Yusho, ran a long-established kimono shop in the Muromachi neighborhood of Kyoto. His shop was destroyed by a fire, though, after which he turned to the Satake clan, who ruled over the Akita Domain, and moved to Akita himself.

Upon arriving in Akita, Yusho was given a home by the lord of the Akita Domain, and began to make his fortune as a merchant. By the time his son Gomei was growing up, Yusho had found tremendous success in the commercial district near Akita Castle.

Yusho was a man of culture. After moving the great distance from Kyoto to Akita in northeastern Japan, he always found himself missing his hometown of Kyoto, so he decided to name the house he was given by the lord of the Akita Domain “Muromachi,” after the part of Kyoto that he had lived in.

Gomei would offer up haiku poems before his father’s memorial tablet on the anniversaries of Yusho’s death. On these occasions, he would always state, “My father was from Muromachi, Kyoto, and in Muromachi, the floats of the Gion Festival are out.” Everything in Gomei’s home was in the style of Kyoto: growing up in this environment, Gomei began to fancy himself a person of Kyoto, and developed an admiration for the distant city.

Gomei and the Satake Clan, Lords of the Akita Domain

Gomei was beloved by the Satake Clan, who ruled the Akita Domain. When Gomei was 44, Satake Yoshiatsu, the lord of the Akita Domain, visited Gomei’s home while heading out for falconry. Later, when Gomei was 61, the new lord of the Akita Domain, Yoshimasa, visited him; Gomei composed a haiku to express his happiness on the occasion and recited it for Yoshimasa.

When he was 70, Gomei was given a scroll with the poetry of Matsuo Basho written on it, as well as a large sum of money, by the lord of the Akita Domain. The now-elderly Gomei was so moved that he compiled a collection of haiku poems entitled Kimi no Tamamono, or “A Gift from the Feudal Lord.”
Having seen his entire family prosper, having amassed some 600 followers, and having even received such a significant gift from the feudal lord, Gomei lived out his final years in happiness.

Gomei’s Personality

Gomei was a sociable and positive person who combined broad-mindedness with leadership, and who interacted with haiku poets all throughout Japan. Gomei was beloved by many, and was in correspondence with over 600 other haiku poets. When these poets would publish writings on haiku poetry, they would inevitably request a poem from Gomei for the occasion.

Gomei in Modern Times

Gomei’s many works have been declared a cultural property by the city of Akita.

Kikkawa Gomei Timeline

1731
Born the fifth son of a wealthy merchant (kimono shop owner) in the town near Akita Castle
1747
Began composing haiku poetry at the age of 16 alongside Kikkawa Kaun
1748
Adopted by the wealthy merchant family, the Kikkawa family
1762
Changed his poetry pseudonym to Gomei
1774
In commemoration of the 80th anniversary of Matsuo Basho’s death, a monument to Basho was erected at Hotoji Temple
1774
Visited by the lord of the Akita Domain, Satake Yoshiatsu, while Yoshiatsu was heading out for falconry
1782
Began living at Sayoan hermitage
1791
Visited at Sayoan hermitage by the lord of the Akita Domain, Satake Yoshimasa
1793
In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Matsuo Basho’s death, a monument to Basho was erected at Sugawara Shrine
1800
Given a scroll with Basho’s poetry and a large sum of money by the lord of the Akita Domain, Satake Yoshimasa
1803
Died at the age of 73 and buried at Kimeiji Temple
1804
A monument to Gomei was erected at Hotoji Temple
1979
Gomei’s works were declared a cultural property by the city of Akita