Masaoka Shiki

Masaoka Shiki

October 14, 1867 – September 19, 1902
Place of Birth: Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan
Place of Death: Tokyo, Japan

Masaoka Shiki 正岡 子規, pen-name of Masaoka Noboru (正岡 升), was a Japanese poet, author, and literary critic in Meiji period Japan. Shiki is regarded as a major figure in the development of modern haiku poetry. He also wrote on reform of tanka poetry.
Some consider Shiki to be one of the four great haiku masters, the others being Matsuo Bashō, Yosa Buson, and Kobayashi Issa.