A statue of Basho in Ogaki, Gifu Prefecture.

Matsuo Munefusa, known as Matsuo Bashō (Japanese: 松尾芭蕉, 1644 - November 28, 1694) was a Japanese poet. He is known as the greatest maker of haiku, a kind of poetry with 17 syllables. The Japanese written language was difficult to master, but haiku was easy for him to write. Matsuo's haikus included characteristics of nature and the four seasons. The reader has to use their imagination to understand his poems.