Jisei no Ku Ishibumi, Japanese Engraved Stone

Engraved In Japan, engraved stones called Ishibumi (碑) can be found in many places. The text on these stones can be about all kinds of subjects, such as the place where it stands. The main function of these Ishibumi stones is to pass on knowledge to future generations. Because of this, these Ishibumi stones are also known as memorial stones in English.

This special Ishibumi is adorned with a beautifully carved Jisei no Ku (辞世の句), a traditional Japanese farewell poem. This specific poem is attributed to the famous Edo-period writer Jippensha Ikku (十返舎一九, 1765–1831). The Japanese text reads: Kono yo o ba dorya oitoma ni senkō no kemuri to tomo ni hai sayōnara (This world is gone; I am leaving together with the smoke of the incense.).