中嶋嶺雄先生追悼歌 ： 幸野稔
2013/03/16
In Memoriam
It is a great pity that Dr. Mineo NAKAJIMA (中嶋嶺雄), a distinguished international sociologist and president of Akita International University, passed away in Akita City, Japan, on Thursday, 14th of February, 2013. Having a profound interest in haiku, he supported the activities of Akita International Haiku Network as adviser. With deep gratitude for his contribution to the Network, let me dedicate five in memoriam short poems (短歌) to his soul, as below.
Minoru KONO (幸野 稔), Chief Director,
Akita International Haiku Network
Here is a photo of Dr. Mineo Nakajima taken at Akita International University.
Here are five in memoriam short poems (短歌) to his soul.
外大生のデモを率いて旗振りし先輩の背(せな)眩しかりけり
How dazzling was the back
Of my senior schoolmate,
Who carried a flag and led
The demonstration of students
Of our alma mater in Tokyo!
国際人育成の道求め来て秋田に果てぬ大先学は
Pursuing the way
Of global education
At university,
The great senior academic
Has met his end here in Akita.
道半ばに逝ける国際教養大学長送りて吹雪くわがまち
Alas, the president
Of Akita International
University
Has abruptly passed away
From our town with the snowstorm!
小学英語導入を熱く語らいし学長室にもはや主なき
Our passionate talks
On the teaching of English
At elementary school
Will no longer be exchanged
In your vacant office.
先学の遺志継ぎて英語能力を伸ばすべし
わが秋田の子らの
Inheriting the will
Of the late senior academic,
Why shouldn’t we develop
The English abilities
Of students here in Akita?
Here is a message on Dr. Mineo Nakajima’s demise, written by Mr. Mark Williams, Vice President and Trustee at Akita International University.
From: <facultyandstaffsupport@aiu.ac.jp>
Date: 2013/2/19
Subject: 中嶋学長御逝去のお知らせ/President Nakajima Passed Away
To:
卒業生各位
在学生各位
教職員各位
敬はれ
凛と飛翔や
雪の槍
uyamaware
rin to hisho ya
yuki no yari
中嶋嶺雄理事長・学長が、病気療養中のところ、2月14日（水）午後10時26分に、肺炎のため秋田市内の病院にて御逝去されましたので謹んでお知らせいたします。
御葬儀は昨日２月18日（月）都内の御自宅にて家族葬が行われました。
「教育効果、卒業生の活躍がわかる10年後に答えを出します。」
国際教養大学が開学する１年前の2003年５月10日付けの朝日新聞で中嶋学長は上記のように新設大学設立の意気込みを語っておられました。
「国際舞台で通用する人材を地方で育てる、現代の松下村塾にしたい」という学長の強い想いは10年を待たずに現実のものとなり、日本の高等教育に大きな影響力をもつ大学が秋田の地に根付きました。
最近まで精力的に活動をし、次の新たな構想をたくさん抱えた学長にとっては10年目を迎える前の早すぎる旅立ちであり、創設者という大きな存在を亡くし、残念でなりません。
しかしながら、残された私たち学生・卒業生・教職員に託された課題は、学長の理念、熱意、意思、先見性を引き継ぎ、将来に向かって国際教養大学を益々発展させることであり、それこそが、学長に対する最大で最高の弔いになるものと思います。
なお、大学葬を３月17日（日）13時より本学多目的ホールにて執り行ないますので、お知らせいたします。
また、学長の奥様より次のようなメッセージをいただいております。
「中嶋の心は、常に、深く、学生の皆様と共にありました。在校生の卒業式ならびに全国から受験して入学してくる新入生の入学式を、毎年どれだけ楽しみにしていたことか！キャンパス近くにて闘病しておりましたのも皆様の側にいたい、という想いだったからです。
次世代のリーダーを育成したい、学生たちの力で世界一の大学にしたい、と家族がびっくりするようなことを申しておりました。
国際教養大学は中嶋が命がけで育てた大学です。これまでの皆様の御協力に心より感謝いたします。」
理事兼副学長
マーク・ウィリアムズ
Dear Graduates, Students, Faculty and Staff members:
敬はれ
凛と飛翔や
雪の槍
uyamaware
rin to hisho ya
yuki no yari
It is my sad duty to report to you that President Nakajima passed away in an Akita hospital on Thursday, February 14, 10:26 pm following a short battle with pneumonia.
A family funeral was held on Monday, February 18, at his home in Tokyo.
As the President said in an article in the Asahi Shimbun on May 10, 2003, one year before the founding of AIU: “We will only be able to judge this new university in 10 years time when we can see the success of our educational philosophy and the achievement of our graduates.”
The President’s strong passion for education can be seen in his remark, “I want to make AIU into a modern-day Shokasonjuku (a famous school of Yamaguchi prefecture in the late Edo period) where we can nurture in this local environment people who can operate on the global stage.” It is no exaggeration to say that this dream has been achieved in less than 10 years and that a university which has already became influential on the national stage has taken root here in Akita.
Until recently, the President was active in all areas of University life, full of new ideas, and passionate about the future direction of the University. The founder of this University is no longer with us to continue his work and we can only express our sadness that his activity has been cut short by his sudden passing.
However, it is our duty, as students, graduates, faculty and staff members of AIU, to seek to continue the President’s vitality and insight, and to continue to develop AIU into the future. That is the best way for us to ensure his legacy.
A University Memorial Ceremony will be held on Sunday, March 17 from 1 pm in the AIU Multi-Purpose Hall. This will be an open ceremony to which all are invited.
We have received the following message from Mrs. Nakajima.
“My husband’s thoughts were always close to his students. How he used to look forward to graduation and matriculation ceremonies where he could welcome his students from all over Japan! That is why he chose to be hospitalized near the campus.
As his family, we were often surprised to hear him taking about ‘nurturing the next generation of leaders’ and ‘making AIU into the number one University in the world with students’ help’.”
AIU is a university into which my husband devoted all his energies. I should like to express my sincere gratitude to you all for your help up to this point.”
Vice President and Trustee
Mark Williams
Here is an English interpretation of haiku in the above message, which was given by Hidenori Hiruta（蛭田秀法）.
The Reverend Mineo Nakajima
ascending the heavens in valiance
beyond Mount Yari in snow
Here is a photo of Mount Yari in snow.
Dr. Mineo Nakajima led us haiku poets in Akita as honorary president of Akita International Haiku Association.
Here are two haiku composed to offer our condolences on Dr. Mineo Nakajima’s death.
The first haiku was composed by Jin Wada（和田仁）, president of Akita International Haiku Association.
羽の国も淋しからむや鳥雲に 仁
The land of ‘U’
feels lonely too –
the bird into the clouds
* ‘羽 (U)’ is the old name of Akita （秋田）.
The last one was written by Hidenori Hiruta（蛭田秀法）.
雪の嶺尊師の教へ遺りけり 秀法
The snowy peak –
The Reverend Mineo Nakajima leaving behind
His teachings
May Dr. Mineo Nakajima’s soul rest in peace!
The next posting ‘Haiku in “My loved Japan” by Clelia Ifrim (1)’ appears on March 23.
― Hidenori Hiruta
『詩の国秋田』 にちなんで （１） － 中嶋嶺雄先生の巻頭言 －
2012/08/22
Three years have passed since we founded the Akita International Haiku Network on May 1, 2009.
At the same time we published the yearly pamphlet 『詩の国秋田 : Akita – the Land of Poetry』 on August 31, 2009.
Here is its front cover page, in which the article by President Mineo Nakajima （中嶋嶺雄）at Akita International University（国際教養大学）is shown.
In this article Dr. Nakajima presented haiku he wrote during his stay in Nara, when he went on a school trip in his junior high school days.
猿沢の灯の涼しさを宿にいて
嶺雄
Donald Keene, the ex- member of the President’s Advisory Board at AIU, kindly contributed his Japanese translation for Matsuo Basho’s haiku from ‘The Narrow Road to Oku ‘ by Matsuo Basho （『おくのほそ道』松尾芭蕉）.
象潟や雨に西施がねぶの花
Kisakata ―
Seishi sleeping in the rain,
Wet mimosa blossoms.
Donald Keene
Here is a photo of Donald Keene taken at the final lecture at Columbia University on April 26, 2011 by Atsuko Teramoto (寺本敦子撮影).
His Japanese name is 鬼怒鳴門．
AIU President Mineo Nakajima （中嶋嶺雄）, who is one of the most important founders of the Akita International Haiku Network, is eminent as Ph.D., Sociology, The University of Tokyo, M.A., International Relations, The University of Tokyo, and B.A., China Studies, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.
You will see what Dr. Nakajima has been doing as AIU President on the Internet at http://www.aiu.ac.jp.
Dr. Nakajima has also a clear understanding of haiku and feels a great love for haiku.
This is partly because his late father, Seiyo Nakajima （中嶋晴陽）, was one of the haiku poets in Japan.
In 1990, Dr. Nakajima compiled a book of haiku by his father, titled Seiyo Kushu (晴陽句集).
Let me show you its front cover page and the last haiku by Seiyo Nakajima.
Dr. Nakajima has written articles or essays on haiku for haiku journals or the newspapers, and has appeared in NHK TV program on haiku these days.
He also contributed the article of congratulations on the first issue of the yearly pamphlet by the Akita International Haiku Network.
Last of all, we sincerely hope that haiku will spread out to the world more because of its brevity and its coexistence with nature.
The next posting ‘『詩の国秋田』にちなんで（２）－有馬朗人先生との出会い－’ appears on August 24.
― Hidenori Hiruta
Japan-Russia Haiku Contest
(Guidelines for Submission)
April 17, 2012
Akita International Haiku Network
INTRODUCTION
This is a photo of a haiku workshop for the group of Professor Tatiana Breslavets, Japanese literature and Philology Group at Far Eastern Federal University.
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From September 25 till October 2, 2011, Hidenori Hiruta, a member of the Haiku International Association (HIA), whose president is Dr. Akito Arima, had an opportunity to introduce and share haiku in Vladivostok, Russia.
During his stay in Vladivostok, Hiruta visited Eastern School, Far Eastern Federal University, and Japan Center there.
His visit there was supported by Akita Prefecture and Akita International University as well as by the Haiku International Association and the JAL Foundation.
On September 26, Hiruta paid a courtesy visit to Japan Center and Far Eastern Federal University, School of Regional and International Studies, Chair of Japanese Philology, Chair of Asia Pacific Region Countries’ Languages.
Hiruta told Director, Sohei Oishi and Head of the Chair, Alexander Shnyrko about the aims of his visit, and asked them for their cooperation, hoping for a further spread of haiku in Vladivostok.
In his visits to Eastern School, Hiruta told about haiku to kindergarten children and elementary pupils who study Japanese. The children enjoyed reading haiku in chorus in Japanese as well as in Russian. They also enjoyed drawing pictures about haiku.
In Japan Center in Vladivostok, Hiruta gave a talk on “Haiku and Tea Ceremony” to the members of the tea club “Ichigo Ichie no Kai” formed for the cultural course.
The articles on Hiruta’s activities for cultural exchanges through haiku in Vladivostok have appeared in the following homepages of the Japan club at Japan Center in Vladivostok and the Haiku International Association in Tokyo.
* The Russian version : http://www.jp-club.ru/?p=2341
* The Japanese version : http://www.haiku-hia.com/report_jp.html
* The English version : http://www.haiku-hia.com/hyoron_en_ru.html
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Hiruta gave four-day workshops of 90 minutes on writing haiku, short poems, at the FEFU School of Regional and International Studies. Students learned to write haiku through these workshops.
The article on the workshops at Far Eastern Federal University has appeared in the homepage of Far Eastern Federal Universisty.
http://dvfu.ru/publications/news/2011-10-14-fefu-students-learn-to.htm
It says as follows.
The workshops were conducted by “Haydzin” Hiruta Hidenori — a poet who writes haiku specially arrived to Vladivostok. Students, studying the Japanese language, listened with interest to the explanations of how to write haiku in various languages — Japanese, English and Russian, and then created their own poems.
Mr. Hiruta arrived from Akita Prefecture, which has friendly relations with Primorsky Region. Next year there will be the 20-th Anniversary of sister-relationships between Akita and Vladivostok. Universities in these cities have students and teachers exchange agreements, so Far Eastern Federal University students may participate in the Haiku contest in Russian, as well as in Japanese and English. Winners of the competition have a real opportunity to go to Japan.
Such cultural exchanges as this caused a great sensation there in Vladivostok, making them more interested in haiku and inspiring them to write haiku.
This is why the Akita International Haiku Network is pleased to launch the Japan-Russia Haiku Contest, as an opportunity to share haiku related to the theme of “the sea”.
The organizer hopes that this contest will serve as an opportunity to deepen mutual understanding among people, to promote the interaction of people’s views on Japan and Russia, as well as to convey the enjoyment of writing and reading haiku.
The organizer also hopes that it will serve as an opportunity to strengthen and develop the sister city relationship between Akita and Vladiovostok, as well as to promote and increase comprehensive exchanges such as cultural, economical, medical, agricultural ones between Akita Prefecture and Primorsky Region.
As mentioned in the homepage of Far Eastern Federal University, Akita Prefecture has friendly relations with Primorsky Region. In March, 2010, Akita Prefecture and Primorsky Region concluded the treaty that there should be more exchanges promoted and increased between them. This treaty reminds Hiruta of those fruitful exchanges the ancient people had by way of the northern sea route from the 8th century till the 10th century. Japan is said to have started trading with Balhae（渤海） by ship in those days.
**********************************************************************
Organizer: Akita International Haiku Network
Sponsor: JAL Foundation
Supporters:
Akita Prefecture, Akita International University, Akita Prefectural Board of Education, Akita Prefectural Artistic and Cultural Association, Akita International Association, Akita City, Akita City Board of Education, The Akita Sakigake Shimpo, Akita Branch of Ten’i (Providence) Haiku Group, Akita Khorosho Club, Akita Vladivo Club, Haiku International Association, Japan Center in Vladivostok, Far Eastern Federal University, Yosano Akiko Memorial Literary Association, KYODO NEWS Vladivostoku Bureau
Theme: Umi ( the sea ： 海 )
One of the most popular haiku related to the sea was written by Matsuo Basho in 1689 . Basho’s haiku is found in his travel diary Oku no Hosomichi ( The Narrow Road to Oku).
荒海や佐渡によこたふ天河 芭蕉
Araumi ya sado ni yokotau amanogawa
Turbulent the sea –
Across to Sado stretches
The Milky Way Basho
Translated by Donald Keene（ドナルド・キーン：鬼怒鳴門）
Regulations:
Original, previously unpublished haiku referring to some aspect of the sea should be submitted according to the entry form.
Japanese haiku poets should write haiku following traditonal styles in the Japanese language, having season words. And they have to add its Russian and English traslations. Otherwise, they could leave a message in each translation blank : I would like the organizer to translate haiku into Russian or English.
Russian haiku poets should keep in mind that haiku is considered to be the shortest poem in the world, and submit haiku with a length of three lines in the Russian language. Season words are not essential. And they have to add its Japanese and English translations. Otherwise, they could leave a message in each translation blank : I would like the organizer to translate haiku into Japanese or English.
Limited number of entries: Only one haiku may be submitted per haikuist.
Eligibility:
The contest is open to the public of nationals of Japan or Russia who are currently residing in Japan or Russia.
Submission:
Please download the entry form below and submit it by email to: shhiruta@nifty.com
Entry form: Japanese entry form Russian entry form
Submission period: Saturday May 5, 2012 – Friday May 25, 2012
Deadline: Friday May 25, 2012
Judges:
Hidenori Hiruta, Secretary-General of Akita International Haiku Network, and also a member of Haiku International Association
Alexander Dolin, Professor at Akita International University
Kunio Teshima, Professor at Akita National College of Technology
Kazuhiro Kudo, Teacher at Akita National College of Technology
Okiaki Ishida, Chief Editor of Haisei (Haiku Stars)
Yoshitomo Igarashi, a dojin of a haiku group : Ten’I (Providence) led by Dr. Akito Arima
Kyoko Uchimura, a dojin of a haiku group : Ten’I (Providence) by Dr. Akito Arima, and also a member of Haiku International Association
Reina Yano, a dojin of two haiku groups : Tamamo led by Ms. Tsubaki Hoshino and Ten’I (Providence) by Dr. Akito Arima
Awards:
A winner will be notified by email and announced on the website of Akita International Haiku Network, on Friday, June 29, 2012. The winner will be offered a round-trip to Akita City, Akita, which is called “The Land of Poetry” in Akita Prefectural song, in Northern Honshu, Japan from Vladivostok Airport and a stay in a hot spring hotel there if he or she lives in Russia. The winner is supposed to attend Japan-Russia haiku meeting held in Akita City, on Saturday, Sepetember 22, 2012. And if the winner resides in Japan, a round -trip ticket to Vladivostok City of Russia from Narita Airport and a stay in a hotel there will be offered. The winner is supposed to attend Japan-Russia haiku meeting held in Vladivostok City, the site of APEC Summit 2012 in Russia, on Saturday, September 29, 2012. Further information will be notified directly from the organizer to the winner.
Grand prize a winner gets is called “Rogetsu Sanjin International Award”. Rogetsu Sanjin is another pen name of Ishii Rogetsu（石井露月）, one of the great haiku poets in Japan Akita ever produced. Rogetsu is a pen name, whose real name is Ishii Yuji (1873 – 1928). This haiku contest is held partly because of celebrating the 140th anniverasay of Ishii Rogetsu’s birth.
JAL Foundation Award is presented to two winners by the JAL Foundation. Honorable mentions are also presented to six winners by Akita Prefecture governor, Akita City mayor, superintendent of Akita City board of education.
Each winner is presented with Haiku By World Children edited by the JAL Foundation as an award.
*The contest winner will be notified by email from the organizer and be given further details of the round-trip prize. Please note that the winner may have to cover some of the travelling costs.
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Here is a photo of Rogetsu’s haiku related to the sea.
海の如く野ハ緑也五月晴 露月山人
Umi no gotoku no wa midori nari satsukibare
Like the sea
the field is green –
fine May weather Rogetsu Sanjin
Translated by Hidenori Hiruta
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Lastly, here are two photos of the sunset, which will surely inspire you to write haiku related to the sea.
The first one was taken from a hotel facing Amur Bay, Vladivostok City.
The second one was taken from Katsuhira Hill facing the mouth of the Omono River, Akita City.
The next posting ‘Haiku by World Children : Impressions of Water’ appears on April 28.
― Hidenori Hiruta ( Member of HIA)
For New Year 2012 (10)
2012/03/10
On February 29, I happened to see ten swans in the sun at the bank of the Omono River （雄物川） in Akita prefecture （秋田県）. It was such a peaceful view. The swans enjoyed themselves on a fine early spring day.
Here are photos and haiku about swans.
春の岸白鳥の群れ舞ひ降りる 秀法
a flight of swans
have a break there –
the spring bank Hidenori
白鳥の帰る日近し雄物川 秀法
the day nearing
for swans to leave –
the Omono River Hidenori
Manisha Kundu-Nagata in Akita prefecture tells us about Swans’ Stay in Japan in her blog.
Please check it out, and you will know about it better..
http://lipikazuo.blogspot.com/2010/12/swans-in-sakata.html
On March 6, Patricia Lidia in Romania, kindly presented photo haiku about winter to us.
She also introduced to us Mrs. Hrisi Udrescu, a great photographer, who presented her photos to us.
Here are their photo haiku.
初雪 ―
微風が揺り動かす
枝の陰を
二人で歩く―
凍て付いたバラが一本
暖かい手の中に
孤独なモミの木 ―
先端のとがった葉の間で
雪片に指で触れている
まばらな稲妻 ―
珍しい
滴のつぶやきのように
小さな足跡
日没に ―
凍った雪
降り続く雪 ―
星の光の下で
山間をさまっている
On March 7, KONO Minoru（幸野稔） in Akita prefecture contributed his haibun to us in his e-mail as follows.
Composed on the first of March KONO Minoru
早春詠 幸野 稔
At the main campus of Akita University, you can find a stone tablet on which is inscribed a haiku by Dr. YAMAGUCHI Kichiro, or Seison (山口吉郎) (俳号：青邨) (1892 – 1988), a renowned mining scientist and haiku poet. I dropped in at it on the first of March and found it coming out of a heap of snow.
句碑の文字浮かし流るる雪解水
Haiku tablet –
The inscription watered
By melting snow.
Then I happened to meet Dr. NIINO Naoyoshi (新野直吉) (1925 – ), a distinguished scholar in ancient Japanese history and former President of Akita University. I enjoyed a chat with him for a while and saw him off. I felt happy to find him as fine as ever.
春光を浴びて去り行く老大師
Great old scholar
Walking steadily away
In the spring sun.
Later, I made a lunch suggestion to my wife and went out with her.
弥生立ち妻と昼餉に出で行かん
March opening –
Let’s dine out together,
My dear wife!
Everything was a happy start for spring.
Lastly, let me post haiku and photos by Saori Taniuchi and Takuya Matsuzawa, who studied about haiku and learned to write haiku at the class by Alexander Dolin, PhD, Professor of Japanese Literature and Civilization Studies at Akita International University（国際教養大学）.
Saori Taniuchi contributed the works of haiku and photos to us in November, 2011.
Takuya Matsuzawa also contributed his haiku to us in November, 2011.
ほろほろと 桜紅葉が 秋を呼ぶ
One after another…
The bloom of early cherry leaves
the silent call of autumn
秋蜻蛉 幼心を 思いだす
The autumn dragonfly
Memories of childhood days
echoing through its wings…
鳥兜 ほのかに放つ 毒の蒼
The blue of Aconite
Shining brightly, poisonously…
waiting for its prey
彷徨し 紅葉かつ散る 何思う
Wandering about…
The leaves that stay, the leaves that fall
What are in their minds?
萩が散り 夜風が不意に 胸を刺す
The falling Lespedeza leaves
A sudden blow of nightfall wind
piercing through the heart
The next posting ‘Haiku by Ramesh Anand, Malaysia’ appears on March 17.
― Hidenori Hiruta
For New Year 2012 (8)
2012/02/25
Kamakura Snow Festival（かまくら） is held in Yokete city, Akita prefecture（秋田県）, Northern Honshu, Japan on February 15th-16th every year.
It is a fantastic world appearing on a snow country evening, where children enjoy chatting in rooms made of snow.
Here are photos and haiku about Kamakura Snow Festival
羽後の国かまくらの灯の点りけり 秀法
Ugo no kuni Kamakura no hi no tomori keri
Kamakura, snow hut
has candles lighted on –
Akita – the land of poetry Hidenori
かまくらの星座の如き光かな 秀法
Kamkura no seiza no gokotki hikari kana
Kamakura, snow huts
shining –
a constellation Hidenori
甘酒にかまくらの神酔い痴れる 秀法
amazake ni Kamakura no kami yoishireru
god of Kamakura
gets drunk –
amazake, sweet rice drink Hidenori
Manisha Kundu-Nagata in Akita prefecture tells us about Kamakura snow festival in her blog.
Please check it out, and you will know about Kamakura better..
http://lipikazuo.blogspot.com/2009/02/kamakura-snow-festival-in-yokote.html
Lastly, let me post haiku and photos by Janessa and Cecilie Guldbrandsen, who studied about haiku and learned to write haiku at the class by Alexander Dolin, PhD, Professor of Japanese Literature and Civilization Studies at Akita International University（国際教養大学）.
Janessa contributed the works of haiku and photos to us in November, 2011.
蒸気がグラスから立ちのぼる
だけど風が吹き始める
飲めるだろうか？
葉で一杯の川
滝に近づく
それからきれいになるわ
茶色の葉が散り
川の中に落ちるとき
忘れられてしまう
実を結ばない森
枯葉が地上で眠っている
冬が来るだろう
落葉のように
風の中でくるくる回り転がり落ちる
人生行路
Cecilie Guldbrandsen also contributed the works of haiku and photos to us in November, 2011.
Colorful ballet
Written in the air
Gracefully
色とりどりのバレエ
空に書かれるように舞う
優雅に
Dreaming earth
Breathing the hymn
Of lonely trees
夢見る地
賛美歌をささやいている
孤独な木々の
Strange chestnut
Roasted in yellow sun
On bare ground
風変わりな栗の実
黄色の太陽で焼かれている
むきだしの地面で
Leaves rustling
Surrounding patient trees
Wind dancing
葉がさらさらと音を立てている
我慢強い木々を取り巻いている
風が踊っている
Naked trees shivering
Getting ready for
A new winter coat
葉の散った木々が震えている
準備を調えている
新しい冬のコートに
The next posting ‘For New Year 2012 (9)’ appears on March 3.
― Hidenori Hiruta
For New Year 2012 (7)
2012/02/18
Namahage-Sedo Festival （なまはげ柴灯まつり）takes place in Shinzan shrine （真山神社）in Oga city , Akita prefecture（秋田県）, Northern Honshu, Japan, the second Friday through the second Sunday of February every year.
This festival is carried out as a tourist event that combines the Shinto shrine Sedo festival and the Namahage folk festival.
Here is a photo of the Namahage-Sedo Festival.
Photo courtesy: as per original copyright at:
http://www.michinokugodai.com/oga01.html
真山やなまはげ降りる柴灯祭り 秀法
Shinzan ya Namahage oriru sedo matsuri
Namahage ogres
descend from Mount Shinzan ―
the Namahage-Sedo festival Hidenori
なまはげの初恋の地や男鹿半島 秀法
Namahage no hatsukoi no chi ya Oga hanto
Namahage ogre
falls in first love ―
the Oga Peninsula Hidenori
Here is another photo of the Namahage-Sedo Festival.
Photo courtesy: as per original copyright at:
http://do-yo.at.webry.info/201002/article_3.html
なまはげの炎の如き思ひかな 秀法
Namahage no honoo no gotoki omoi kana
Namahage ogre
falls in love ―
like a flame Hidenori
Manisha Kundu-Nagata in Akita prefecture tells us about Namahage Festival in her blog.
http://lipikazuo.blogspot.com/2009/04/namahage-museum.html
Dr. Gabi Greve in Okayama prefecture also tells us about this festival in her blog.
http://fudosama.blogspot.com/2005/02/oni-japanese-demons.html
Please check them out, and you will know about Namahage Festival better.
On February 15, Patricia Lidia in Romania contributed Haibun: Love to us.
It’s blizzard, but that does not spoil the joy of the young lovers. Her dress matches the snow freshly sprawled and on her shoulders she is wearing his coat. It’s cold, but the joy of the moment warms his soul and he makes him forget that they are walking on a bridge of ice. They look at each other like in the first day they have met, long and meaningful. Back then it was cold and it was snowing just as now, but that did not count, the alleys parks were their only witnesses.
walk in two-
the frozen snowdrop
in her warm hand
二人で歩く ―
凍ったスノードロップ
彼女の暖かな手の中に
The snow does not change their plans. It is their special day, only they matter. Only them and the future.
stealthily glances -
in the priest’s crown
past and future
盗み見る ―
司祭の冠の中に
過去と未来
Today the entire nature celebrates with them. It snows with large flakes that become small ice crystals between her eyelids. With his fingers, he wipes the flakes from her face. “I am happy as I haven’t been in a long time”, he says, smiling, “and if it is a dream, well, I do not ever want to wake up to our common reality… “She put down in the snow the bouquet of camellias, and approached him, kissing him in silence.
frozen lake -
on the bridal bouquet
a sparrow
凍った湖―
花嫁の花束に
一羽の雀
Lastly, let me post haiku and photos by Kyra Roybal and Scott Ruddell, who studied about haiku and learned to write haiku at the class by Alexander Dolin, PhD, Professor of Japanese Literature and Civilization Studies at Akita International University（国際教養大学）.
Kyra Roybal contributed the works of haiku and photos to us in November, 2011.
降りしきる雪片が舞う
星のかけらのように
果てしない白景色
むきだしの骨の髄まで、冷たい
芽が骸骨のような枝に
いのちが新たに始まる
雲が暑さに身を切られる
よどんだ一日が中断する
雷が鳴りほっと安心
やさしく漂い舞い降りる
風に吹かれる全ての色
着地しながらサラサラ鳴る
絶え間なく時間は変わる
生、死、自然の一部
果てしない循環
Scott Ruddell also contributed the works of haiku and photos to us in November, 2011.
木の下が
清い紅葉で
染められる
Underneath the tree, the pure autumn colors paint the ground.
曇りの日
雨が木の葉と
ともに降る
On a cloudy day, the leaves fall with the rain.
Past the open lake
The mountains cannot be seen
Hidden by thick fog
広々とした湖
山々は見えない
濃い霧に隠れている
Last days of autumn
Waiting for the snow to come
To turn the trees white
晩秋の日々
雪が降るのを待っている
木々が白く変わるのを
As the days get cool
Cicadas no longer sing
Surely fall has come
日に日に涼しくなる
セミはもはや鳴かない
きっと秋になったのだ
The next posting ‘For New Year 2012 (8)’ appears on February 25.
― Hidenori Hiruta
For New Year 2012 (6)
2012/02/11
Here is a photo of the Omono River（雄物川） in Akita prefecture （秋田県）, Northern Honshu, Japan.
The photo was taken at the riverbank at the end of January.
氷結に鯉のまどろむ北の川 秀法
hyouketsu ni koi no madoromu kita no kawa
a sheet of ice
keeps carp in repose
northern rivers Hidenori
This haiku appears in the following blog on February 7.
http://akitahaiku.blogspot.com/
Lastly, let me post haiku and photos by Michael Todd, Ruth Ashworth, and Gaby Meindl, who studied about haiku and learned to write haiku at the class by Alexander Dolin, PhD, Professor of Japanese Literature and Civilization Studies at Akita International University（国際教養大学）.
Michael Todd contributed the works of haiku and photos to us in November, 2011.
一羽の重々しいカラスが鳴く
赤は今や白で覆われた、
雪が音もなく降る
世界は花盛り、
美しい桜が舞い踊る、
冬に別れを告げながら
疲れた波が浜辺にひたひたと打ち寄せる、
太陽が悼みながら照りつける、
近くで犬が一匹吠える
紅い葉があせて散る、
冷たい風が荒れ狂いながら吹いてくる、
雨の匂い
夜の暗いベール、
町はプリント基盤のようになる、
雲が月の上に漂う
Ruth Ashworth also contributed the works of haiku to us in November, 2011.
足下で踏みつぶされて
金色の葉が塵になる
風が吹き飛ばす
滝のそばで
葉が蝶のように舞い降りる
夏が続いているけれども
窓の外側では
緑がこはく色に変わっている
秋はいつ来たのかしら？
まるで地球が血を流しているみたい
復活の前に
何もかも赤い
この落葉は
他のものの中で人目につくかしら
この森のフロアで？
Gaby Meindl also contributed the works of haiku to us in November, 2011.
An onomatopoeia
Whoosh, crickle, crack, crunch
一つのオノマトペア
ヒュー、カチッ、パン、バリッ
For this haiku, I wanted to incorporate a really challenging word, such an onomatopoeia, and then built the rest of the haiku around it. It’s about the sounds of crunching leaves during fall.
Basked in the sunlight
A lone daisy among weeds
Growing and growing
日光を浴び暖まり
雑草のなかの一本のヒナギク
どんどん伸びていく
This haiku is about the spring when flowers begin to bloom. There are often big patches of grass with very few flowers, or very small flowers, but sometimes there is one strong, big flower among the weeds that always astounds me as to the speed it grew.
Wrenitt birds perch high
Their cheeps pierce the empty skies
All others flown south
ミソサザイが高いところにとまる
鳴く声が虚空をつんざく
他の鳥は皆南へ飛んで行った
Wrenitts are sedentary birds from the American pacific coast. They do not migrate south, but many birds do, so this is a haiku about their loneliness during winter.
Drunk off the sunlight
Trees blush in vivid pink hues
Sakura bloom free
日光に酔いしれて
木々は鮮やかなピンク色に赤らむ
桜の花が惜しみなく咲く
The pink colors of sakura have been compared to a lot of things, so I wanted to try something I have never heard them compared to before, drunkenness. Many people have a tendency to get a reddish or pink hue to their skin while drinking, much like the pink of a sakura tree.
The next posting ‘For New Year 2012 (7)’ appears on February 18.
― Hidenori Hiruta
For New Year 2012 (4)
2012/01/28
On January 15, 2012, Shinzan shrine naked pilgrimage festival （新山神社裸まいり : shinzan jinja hadaka mairi ） was held in Yurihonjo city （由利本荘市）of Akita prefecture（秋田県）, Northern Honshu, Japan.
新山や雪の参道裸者登る 秀法
Shinzan ya yukino sando rasha noboru
naked men
climb the snowy approach –
Shinzan shrine Hidenori
Manisha Kundu-Nagata says in her blog Life with hubby as follows.
The Hadaka Mairi (pilgrimage) Matsuri is a winter festival where naked men brave the cold and snow and proceed to a rather distant Shinzan shrine. The naked men carry offerings to the shrine by walking through the snow. There are different opinions and sayings regarding the origin of the Hadaka Mairi Matsuri. One of the stories is that shugensha monks protected the Shinzan shrine by walking naked as a form of ascetic training and practice. Shugendo is an ancient Japanese religion in which enlightenment or oneness with god is obtained through the study of the relationship between man and nature. It is centered on an ascetic, mountain-dwelling lifestyle and incorporates teachings from koshinto, buddhism, and other eastern philosophies including folk animism. Monks following shugendo religion are known as shugensha. The monks prayed for the toughness of body, the safety of homes, the happiness of the families, and bumper crops in the fields. Every year the monks went to the shrine to display in front of the god the results of their training, practice, and the growth of their mind and body.
You will get familiar with the festival through the following blog.
http://lipikazuo.blogspot.com/2009/02/shinzan-shrine-naked-pilgrimage.html
Lastly, let me post haiku and photos by Corinne Kinvig, Sabrina Ketcherside, and Charlotte Regnier, who studied about haiku and learned to write haiku at the class by Alexander Dolin, PhD, Professor of Japanese Literature and Civilization Studies at Akita International University（国際教養大学）.
Corinne Kinvig contributed the works of haiku and photos to us in November, 2011.
秋にしがみつく
雨の滴が赤い葉から落ちる
自然の涙のように
冬の太陽が昇る
むきだしの殺風景な陸地に
再び春になるのはいつかしら
羊が野原で前脚をあげて跳びはねる
スイセンの花の中に生まれたばかり
春の芳香
再び夏がやって来た
赤い顔をした子供たちが浜辺で遊ぶ
太陽の光線が彼らを喜ばせている
英国の夏季
８月になり雨傘を用意する
雨が踊り始める時
Sabrina Ketcherside also contributed the works of haiku to us in November, 2011.
秋たけなわ
リスたちは皆どこへ行ったのかしら
ドングリには住む家がない
葉が風に吹かれている
秋の音が聞こえる
秋のダンスが始まる
葉が色を変える
黄色、赤、そしてオレンジの色合い
暖かい感じのカンバス
葉が落ちる、りんごが落ちる
収穫の時が始まる
各家々ではごちそう
枝が裸になる
ほんの少しだけまだ残っている
冷気が皮膚からしみ込む
Charlotte Regnier also contributed the works of haiku to us in November, 2011.
心地よい風が木々に
共に揺り動かそう
メロディーのように
オレンジ、赤、黄色、
深紅色の葉が火のように
森を輝かした
葉が地上に散っている
色彩の豊かな棺のように
きのこの匂い
色彩のに富んだ花々
徐々に雪の覆い
冬の翌朝
唯一の理由
寒い冬の復活
白い雪と新しい層
The next posting ‘For New Year 2012 (5)’ appears on February 4.
― Hidenori Hiruta
First of all, let me post a Christmas present from Mr. Francis Tugaye, a haiku friend in France, who is an artist and loves Japanese cultures so much.
Here is a photo of Francis’ art.
Secondly, let me post the last article of AIU festival 2011 , missing the autumn in 2011.
On October 9 and 10, 2011, AIU Festival was held at Akita International University（国際教養大学）in Akita prefecture（秋田県）, Northern Honshu, Japan.
The festival, whose theme is HOOP ～世界とハチあわせ！～, had 3Philosophies : Academic（学問）, Culture（文化）, and Entertainment（楽しさ）.
The AIU students enjoyed the festival in their own ways.
They gave their cultural activities to enjoy a variety of meetings, HOOP ～世界とハチあわせ！in the festival.
Here are some photos of those activities.
Some of the students from overseas started preparing for the AIU festival in July for the purpose of making the Haiga postcard charity sale.
They enjoyed the haiga workshops, sometimes visiting the haiku tablets.
They donated money to those who experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Some Romanian haiku poets also donated their haiga or haiku to the AIU festival in order to show their condolences, prayers, or hopes through the exhibition to the Japanese people.
Ms. Patricia Lidia in Romania kindly sent her haiku on September 6.
She also kindly sent the haiku for 2012 by Mrs. Ioana Dinescu and the art work by Mrs. Constanta Erca to me on December 20.
Here is a photo of their art work.
a rainbow between
Christmas and New Year’s Eve ―
red, green, white, cinnamon…
虹
クリスマスと大晦日の間に ―
赤、緑、白、シナモン．．．
Last of all, let me post Patricia Lidia’s haiku about winter in her haiku book.
Alei bătătorite
Old path
Alten Gassen
古いパス
Traducere:
Limba engleză: Patricia Lidia
Limba germană: Beatrix-Edith Sontag
Limba japoneză: Hidenori Hiruta
Translation:
English: Patricia Lidia
German: Beatrix-Edith Sontag
Japanese: Hidenori Hiruta
Übersetzung:
Englisch: Patricia Lidia
Deutsch: Beatrix-Edith Sontag
Japanisch: Hidenori Hiruta
翻訳:
英語: Patricia Lidia
ドイツ語: Beatrix-Edith Sontag
日本語: Hidenori Hiruta（蛭田秀法）
Consiliere artistică/Artistic advice/künstlerische Rat/
芸術評議会:
Ioan GĂBUDEAN
An’ya
IARNA
WINTER
WINTER
冬
de mână prin parc,
pe-aleile bătrâne -
urme în omăt
holding hands
in park on old paths –
traces in the snow
Hand zu Hand im Park,
auf den alten Gassen –
Spuren im Schnee
公園で手をつなぐ
古い散歩道―
雪に足跡
bate clopotul -
iarna se aşterne iar
peste suflete
the bell rings –
winter is falling once again
over the living souls
die Glocke läutet –
der Winter verweit wieder
über den Seelen.
鐘が鳴る―
冬がまた訪れる
生きている魂に
troiene albe
pe marginea drumului –
un nou început
snowdrifts
on the road side –
a new beginning
Schneeverwehungen
am Rande des Weges –
ein neuer Anfang.
雪の吹きだまり
道路脇に―
新しい始まり
o căprioară
peste câmpul înălbit –
odihnă în zori
a deer
over the white field –
rests at dawn
ein Hirsch
am weissen Feld –
ruht im Morgen
一頭の鹿
白い野に―
夜明けに休む
noapte de iarnăce
frumos sună basmul
la gura sobei!
winter-night –
how beautiful a story sounds
at the fireside!
Winternacht –
wie schön hört man das Märchen
beim Ofen!
冬の夜―
物語は何て美しいのでしょう
炉端で！
poveşti cu zâne,
la gura sobei, iarna -
copilărie
winter night —
childhood fairy tales
at the fireside
Märchen mit Feen,
beim Ofen, im Winter –
Kindheit
冬は夜―
子供の頃のおとぎ話
炉端で
suspin de dragon
se aude din sobă –
vreascuri arzânde
a dragon-like sound
comes from the stove —
burning firewood
Seufzen eines Drachen
kommt aus dem Ofen
brennendes Holz
竜のような音
ストーブから出てくる―
燃えるまき
pălărie grea
pe casa bunicilor –
nea îngheţată
hats heaviness
on my grandparents’ house —
frozen snow
seine Schwere
auf dem Haus der Großeltern –
gefrorener Schnee
その重さ
祖父母の家の上―
凍結した雪
peste câmpul alb
trece un stol de ciori –
pete în amurg
over the white field
passing a flock of crows –
spots in the twilight
über dem weißen Feld
fliegt eine herde von Krähen –
Flecken in der Dämmerung
白い野を越えて
烏の群れが通過する―
薄明かりの中の斑点
stea căzătoare –
cautând prin troiene,
doar artificii
shooting star –
but searching through the snowdrifts,
only fireworks
Sternschnuppe –
aber suchend durch dem Schnee
nur Feuerwerk
流れ星―
しかし風に吹かれる雪を通り抜け、
単なる花火
prima zăpadă -
călătorul şi umbra
singuri pe munte
first snow –
a traveler and his dow
alone on the mountain
erster Schnee –
Reisender und Schatten sind
allein am Berg
初雪―
旅人と影
山の寂しさ
viscol năpraznic –
stelele căzătoare
luminând drumul
sudden snowstorm –
shooting stars
light up the road
plötzlicher Schneesturm –
Sternschnuppen
beleuchtend die Straße
突然の吹雪―
流れ星
道を照らす
prima nea în munţi -
călătorul ostenit
şi câinele său
first snow –
in the mountains a weary
traveler and his dog
erster Schnee
in den Bergen ein müde
Reisende und sein Hund
初雪―
山中の一人の疲れた
旅人と犬
în zori, numai alb –
sub lumina soarelui,
crizantemele
at dawn only white—
under the sunlight
chrysanthemums
weiß Sonnenaufgangim
Sonnenschein
Chrysanthemen
夜明けの白さ―
日光の下に
菊
satul părăsit –
crucile strâmbe din deal,
cuib pentru păsări
deserted village –
crooked crosses on the hill,
a bird nest
verlassenes Dorf -
schiefe Kreuze auf dem Hügel,
ein Vogel Nest
人の住まない村―
丘の上に曲がった十字架
鳥の巣
noapte cu stele –
căzuţi la datorie
cocoşii dorm duşi
night of stars –
fallen at their duty
the cocks deep asleep
Nacht mit Sternen –
bei Pflicht gefallen,
die Hühner schlafen tief
星の夜―
任務が肩にかかる
おんどりは深く眠ってい
Wish you all a Happy New Year!
The next posting ‘Haiku for New Year 2012’ appears on January 7.
― Hidenori Hiruta
On October 9 and 10, 2011, AIU Festival was held at Akita International University（国際教養大学）in Akita prefecture（秋田県）, Northern Honshu, Japan.
The festival, whose theme is HOOP ～世界とハチあわせ！～, had 3Philosophies : Academic（学問）, Culture（文化）, and Entertainment（楽しさ）.
The AIU students enjoyed the festival in their own ways.
They gave their cultural activities to enjoy a variety of meetings, HOOP ～世界とハチあわせ！in the festival.
Here are some photos of those activities.
Some of the students from overseas started preparing for the AIU festival in July for the purpose of making the Haiga postcard charity sale.
They enjoyed the haiga workshops, sometimes visiting the haiku museum.
They donated money to those who experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Some Romanian haiku poets also donated their haiga or haiku to the AIU festival in order to show their condolences, prayers, or hopes through the exhibition to the Japanese people.
Mrs. Maria Tirenescu inRomania kindly sent her haiku through Ms. Patricia Lidia’s e-mail on August 30.
She also kindly sent me two Christmas pictures this morning.
Here are her photos.
Let me post the latter part of her hiaku.
A jump –
and the cat catches
the cricket
ひとっ飛び ―
そして猫が
コオロギをとらえる
Acacia in flower
in pitiless rain –
no bee
花の中のアカシア
無慈悲な雨に打たれて ―
蜂は見えず
Song of crickets –
everybody listening
under the new moon
コオロギの鳴き声 ―
誰もが耳を傾けている
新月の下で
Autumn evening –
two children wrangle about
a firefly
秋の夕べ ―
子供が二人口論する
ホタルのことで
At daybreak –
the bird’s footmarks
on the snowing table
(First Prize Contest HAIKU magazine)
夜明け ―
小鳥の足跡
雪が降っているテーブルに
Leaves everywhere –
in the pitiless rain
the abandoned nest
(HAIKU magazine)
至る所に葉 ―
無慈悲な雨の中に
捨てられた巣
Winter vespers –
the hermitage of the valley
surrounded by ravens
冬の夕暮れ ―
谷の修道院
オオガラスに囲まれている
New Year concert –
a boot without shoelace
at the broken paling
(“International Haiku New Year’s Festival 2011″)
ニュウ－イヤー・コンサート ―
靴ひものないブーツ
壊れたくいで
The brink of New Year –
the woodpecker pecking
an old cherry tree
(“International Haiku New Year’s Festival 2011″)
新年間際 ―
キツツキがつついている
桜の古木を
Deserted village -
cherries are still falling
on the wooden bench
(premiul Serban Codrin)
廃村 ―
サクランボがまだ落ちている
木製のベンチに
Poor sparrow!
No crust
in the rain…
(Haiku Reality)
かわいそうな雀！
パンの皮がない
雨の中で．．．
No cricket
in the moonless night –
only an old woman
(Haiku Reality)
コオロギがいない
月のでない夜 ―
たったひとりの老女
Translated into Japanese by Hidenori Hiruta
The next posting ‘Haiku from Romanian poets for AIU Festival 2011 (7)’ appears on December 31.
― Hidenori Hiruta
