Kobayashi Issa was born in 1763 in Kashiwabara, Japan.
* He was a poet and lay Buddhist priest of the Jōdo Shinshū.
* He is known for his haiku poems and journals.
* He is better known as simply Issa, a pen name meaning Cup-of-tea (lit. "one [cup of] tea").
* He is regarded as one of the four haiku masters in Japan, along with Bashō, Buson and Shiki — "the Great Four."
* He died in 1828 at the age of 64.
* His haiku are known for their simplicity, humor, and poignancy.
* They often focus on the natural world and the everyday lives of ordinary people.
* Issa's haiku have been translated into many languages and are enjoyed by readers all over the world.