Hōjōki: Visions of a Torn World

“Hōjōki” (1212), often translated as “An Account of My Hut” or “Ten Foot Square Hut,” is a short nonfiction work by famous Japanese poet and essayist Kamo no Chōmei (1155-1216). In the essay, Chōmei details the various natural disasters and political events that prompted his retreat from society. Chōmei contemplates the Buddhist teachings of enlightenment and impermanence as he describes his reclusive lifestyle living in a 10-foot square hut in the mountains. “Hōjōki” is considered a classic work of “recluse literature,” and Kamo no Chōmei's writings are widely studied in Japan.

This guide uses the 1972 hardback edition translated by A. L. Sadler and published by the Charles E. Tuttle Company, Inc.

Chōmei opens with a metaphor, comparing mankind and their dwellings to a ceaselessly flowing river. He describes how homes in the capital are rarely built to last for generations, but instead are repeatedly torn down and rebuilt. Similarly, the people on the street are often strangers rather than long-time friends. Chōmei contemplates why people grow attached to their dwellings when neither buildings nor people last: “Like the dew on the morning glory are man and his house, who knows which will survive the other?” (1).