Comparing Oku no Hosomichi and Tosa Nikki within reason is very difficult due to the numerous factors that must be taken into consideration. The authors were from different time periods, the writing style is different, the topic is different, and many other things contribute to its difficulty. Although there are many differences, there are perhaps an equal number of similarities between the two works, which offers an opposite view of the relationship between them. As for the authors of Oku no Hosochi and Tosa Nikki, Matsuo Bashō and Ki no Tsurayuki respectively, there are several points of interest when comparing them. One of the main points is that the authors lived in completely different times, which is reflected in their writing style. Another important point is that the authors describe different travel routes in their compositions. Ki no Tsurayuki lived during the Heian period, which becomes evident when reading his work. As a result there are many typical Heian trends such as the use of seasonal words and beauty themes, as well as the depiction of the Heian aristocracy. On the other hand, Matsuo Bashō lived during the Edo period hundreds of years after Ki no Tsurayuki. Likewise there are more Edo and modern type trends such as a more vulgar context and fewer traditional images. However this is not to say that Oku no Hosochi is devoid of remnants of literary tradition as it borrows from other famous works including Tosa Nikki. In addition to the time period there is the question of the physical direction of the works. Ki no Tsurayuki had the main character travel from bottom to top in a linear fashion across Japan. In contrast, Matsuo Bashō made his character travel in a certain sense... to the center of the paper... ear where Oku no Hosochi is much more detailed, perhaps not in terms of time but in terms of every other aspect that concerns him. meet the main character. These are of course just a few of the many ways in which one can begin to compare the two great literary works. From the arguments set out above it is clear how difficult it is to compare the two works due to their diversity, especially in terms of the lack of elements in each. And while they are indeed different, they maintain a baseline of similarity in the influence of past Japanese and Chinese culture and idealisms. Perhaps it is therefore unfair and unfair to compare these two works as they are significant in their own way. Works Cited Keene, Donald. Anthology of Japanese literature. New York, NY: Grove Press, 1955. Lecture Notes and Discussion Reading Oku no Hesimochi