In the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the Meiji government implemented a wealth and military strength policy. This policy invited employed foreigners from western countries to Japan in order to modernize the nation by importing western laws, technologies and systems. Through these employed foreigners, Japanese literacy and literature were abruptly introduced into western countries. The translation of haiku in French influenced Symbolist poets and the translation in English also greatly influenced Imagist poets in England and the United States. The term haiku, it has been used since Shiki Masaoka. Before him, the words of haikai and hokku were brought into use in western countries. The term haikai comes from a form of collaborative poetry called haikai renga or in shortened form, simply renga. A renga that is thirty-six verses long is called a kasen. Matsuo Basho developed haikai renga and made the first verse, hokku independent and highly established. Later, haiku was established as the Japanese fixed form of verse which contains 5- 7-5 syllables and a kigo season marker. Shirane Haruo begins his book titled Traces of Dreams, "Interest in Mastuo Basho (1644-94), perhaps the best known Japanese poet in both Japan and the West, is driven by a large population," and "the translation of Basho's poems and travel literature, especially Narrow Road to the Interior (Okuno hosomichi) have been repeatedly translated into English."(Shirane 1) Shirane writes about Basho further. - article excerpt -