Matsuo Bashō

Matsuo Bashō was born Matsuo Kinsaku and then was known as Matsuo Chūemon Munafusa. He was the most famous poet during the Edo period in Japan.
He was recognized for his work in haikai no renga, but today is known as the master of the haiku. In Japan, many of his poems are now seen on monuments and other traditional sites.
Basho is known to have ten disciples: Enomoto Kikaku, Hattori Ransetsu, Mukai Kyorai, Morikawa Kyoroku, Kagami Shikoo, Naito Joso (Naitoo Joosoo), Shida Yaba, Sugiyama Sanpuu, Tachibana Hokushi, and Ochi Etsujin. And he is considered one of the great four haiku masters along with Yosa Buson, Kobayashi Issa, and Masaoka Shiki.

Kobayashi Issa

Kobayashi Issa (June 15, 1763 – January 5, 1828) was a Japanese poet and Buddhist priest. He is best known for his haiku poetry and his journals. He is regarded worldwide as one of the four haiku masters alongside Bashō, Buson, and Shiki. He is best known as simply Issa, which means “Cup of tea.”

Issa was born as Kobayashi Nobuyuki and raised as Kobayashi Yatarō in Kashiwabara (now Nagano Prefecture). He lost his mother at the age of three. He had a lonely and moody childhood.
After the death of his father, he fought legal battles with his step-mother and received half of his father’s land. He returned to his village at the age of 49 and married a woman named Kiku.
Much of his life was filled with loss: his mother at age 3, his grandmother and step-brother at 14, his father at 38, three of his children at young ages, and then his wife, and finally his house by fire.
Issa died in his native village.