Kyōshi

Kyōshi (狂詩) or "wild poetry," is a hybrid form of Japanese poetry that uses the tradition of kanshi (Japanese poetry written in Chinese characters). It was popular around 1770-1790 and avoids typical poetic forms, often including humorous expressions and puns on alternate readings or meanings of the same characters.

Mostly written by low-ranking samurai and chōnin (townspeople), the form is closely related to kyōka (comic waka), kyōbun ("wild prose") and, senryū, a form of Japanese comic poetry. The subject matter typically contains components of social satire, banter, and vulgar topics such as farting and/or itching which challenges the more conventional styles of Japanese poetry like classical waka.

The form of poetry was very popular for a short time, having gained majority of its popularity during the age of Tanuma Okitsugu (c. 1780–1786) but declined quickly and disappeared after the turn of the 19th century.

Although Kyōshi was a rather frivolous poetry style, its intended audience remained relatively small and restricted to the samurai class due to its challenging rules and "Chinese-style versifications."