Dear Friends of the Akita International Haiku Network,
Thank you for your enthusiasm and support these past 10 years. During these 10 years, we feel as though we have helped spread the joy and satisfaction of composing haiku to people all over the word—whether that may be in Japanese, English, Russian, or any other of the beautiful languages that people speak.
Every year, we looked forward to reading your haiku, which made us feel close to you as poets and as people.
It is bittersweet, but AIHN will not be hosting an 11th Akita International Haiku Contest. “Sweet” because of the satisfaction we have from being able to keep the contest going for 10 years, but “bitter” because it will be sad to lose the connection we felt with the contest participants.
We are still dedicated to composing haiku and sharing our love of Japanese poetry, but due to various private matters on behalf of the contest organizers and judges, we will not to be able to continue the contest. It is cancelled.
Please be assured we are all happy and healthy; it’s just various life circumstances that are causing the cancellation!
Keep writing haiku!
Sincerely,
Hidenori Hiruta
Ben Grafström
Akita International Haiku Network 
So sad 😞
Thank you for all that you have accomplished! 10 years is a significant amount of time to commit to the contest. Best of luck in your new adventures.
Thank you so much for all your good work and dedication to the haiku contest over the last ten years and we wish you and all the team well. Warm regards, in haiku friendship, Xenia.
Such sad news!! Great to read that you all are healthy and well.
From the bottom of my heart thousand thanks to you all for your hard work during the past 10 years and giving us the possibilities to share our love for haiku around the world!!
Cordially yours
Isabella Kramer
So sorry to hear the contest will not continue next year. Thank you very much for keeping it going for 10 years. Because of your sharing so many exquisite haiku from around the world, my reading and writing world has been enriched. Bowing to both of you, Lisa
Dear Haiku Friends,
We are planning to hold the World Haiku Series 2022 in October.
The theme is “Earth”, and haiku in any language is wanted this year.
We are looking forward to reading and sharing haiku written in Japanese, English, Chinese, or any other beautiful languages that people speak.
However, English translations will have to be added when your haiku is not composed in English.
The guidelines will be announced at the beginning of October on the website.
Please send you haiku. Thank you again.
Dear Hidenori Hiruta san,
Such sad news although I can fully relate that everyone has busy schedules to attend to. I would like to thank you so much for allowing us to participate in your international treasure trove of haiku exchange in the past years, dear Hidenori san and Ben Grafström san. Honoured and humbled. Wishing you all the best of luck and blessings in all your future undertakings, barbara olmtak
Dear friends, is it only the haiku contest that will not continue? Will Akita International Haiku Network continue on this websight as usual?? Thank you for all the joy until now! Kindly Lilian Rittri
Hello, Lilian Rittri-san,
Thank you very much for your nice questions. Everything is going on all right with our haiku network activities except the cancellation of the contest. Please send your haiku to us, and we will enjoy reading and sharing your fine works of haiku on the website. And please participate in World Haiku Series in October. Let’s share the joy and satisfaction of composing haiku in our own languages as well as in English. Best wishes, Hidenori Hiruta