River Otter Offerings. [MB]

Oh, come to see the
River Otter Festival
in Shallow Rice Fields !!


Translation: 白狐

[Matsuo-Bashô-628] [Winter, 1690.]
kawáuso nò / matsúri mìte kó yo / Seta no óku


"of-river-otter / festival seeing come!! oh / shallows-rice-field (with-)in."

Wordplay: usually, they stack up caught fish on the riverbank,
seemingly offering them to their ancestors:
thus the name of the festival !!


(川)獺 kawáuso = river otter + 祭(り) matsúri = festival

来(る) ko (> imperative of kúru) = to come, to arrive
> mìte kó = seeing come !! > come to see/come and see/come see !!

瀬 se/iwata = rapids; shallows + 田 ta = rice field >
Place name Seta >> Shallow(-s) Rice Field(-s)