Akita International Haiku Network
Gray clouds trail across the sky. In the pale winter sun a flock of geese (Ben Grafström–Akita, Japan)
Happy New Year 2026 The Year of the Horse 午年や天馬も祝ふお正月 umadosi ya tenma mo iwau o-shōgatsu The Year of the Horse Heavenly horse celebrates too New Year's Day It's been seven years since I started writing haiku about the zodiac animals. This year's zodiac animal is … Continue reading Haiku beyond Earth「天上俳句会」: Happy New Year 2026
令和八年 元旦 Reiwa 8 New Year’s Day "謹賀新年" is pronounced "kinga shinnen" and is a greeting that is written at the beginning of a New Year's card as a greeting to celebrate the New Year. "Kin" expresses respect, and "ga" means to celebrate, so together they form a polite expression meaning … Continue reading Haiku beyond Earth「天上俳句会」: 謹賀新年 令和八年
A Narrow Road to Peace Keynote Lecture: "Registering Haiku as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage" 2014 Let Haiku be on UNESCO's List! The 370th Anniversary of Matsuo Basho's Birth: Campaign to Register "Haiku, Haikai, and the World of Basho"as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage On February 24, 2014, Mayor … Continue reading Haiku Travelogue “80 years after World War II” (5) by Hidenori Hiruta
A Narrow Road to Peace Second Japan-Russia Haiku Contest Haiku Lectures, Talk, and Report in Vladivostok 2013 The Second Japan-Russia Haiku Contest Akita International Haiku Association held the 2nd Japan-Russia Haiku Contest and accepted haiku submissions from May 1st to June 30th. Each haiku writer was only allowed to submit one … Continue reading Haiku Travelogue “80 years after World War II” (4) by Hidenori Hiruta
A Narrow Road to Peace Non-governmental UNESCO Associations 焼野原平和を祈る民の声 yake-nohara heiwa o sakebu tami no koe The burnt fields crying for peace all over Sendai The Birthplace of the non-governmental UNESCO Movement UNESCO Constitution “Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds … Continue reading Haiku Travelogue “80 years after World War II” (2) by Hidenori Hiruta
Preface I was born on January 23, 1942. I was three years old when World War II ended. Since then, I have personally been concerned that traditional Japanese culture might be lost. In order to preserve Japanese culture, I believe it is important to introduce various cultures to people overseas and make them … Continue reading Haiku Travelogue “80 years after World War II” (1) by Hidenori Hiruta
Rice Cultivation & Akita Culture Rice Cultivation During the Yayoi period (c. 300 BC – 300 AD), people settled in lowlands and began cultivating rice. River floodplains and wetlands were the most suitable areas for rice cultivation and came to symbolize fertility. According to the Kojiki『古事記』(712), which is an early Japanese chronicle … Continue reading Haibun “Rice Cultivation & Akita Culture” by Hidenori Hiruta in Japan
Bashō’s Dream 335 years ago, in 1689, 松尾芭蕉 (Matsuo Bashō) (1644-1694) visited 象潟 (Kisakata) in 秋田県 (Akita Prefecture) as part of his journey on『おくのほそ道』(The Narrow Road to the Deep North) and wrote the following haiku. 象潟や雨に西施がねぶの花 kisakata ya ame ni seishi ga nebu no hana Donald Keene （鬼怒鳴門） translated this haiku … Continue reading Haiku beyond Earth「天上俳句会」Bashō’s Dream by Hidenori Hiruta
Haiku about New Year (16) 再生を夢見る蛇や冬籠り saisei wo yumemiru hebi ya fuyu-gomori The snakes dreaming of rebirth hibernating 蛭 田 秀 法 HIRUTA Hidenori Haiku Blog “AKITA HAIKU” https://akitahaiku.blogspot.com/ Note: About a rebirth story Please check out the website below, and you will find a rebirth story to … Continue reading Haiku beyond Earth「天上俳句会」Haiku about New Year (16) by Hidenori Hiruta
Haiku about New Year (15) 新時代祈る巳年や年来たる shinjidai inoru midoshi ya toshi kitaru A new era coming in prayer the Year of the Snake 蛭 田 秀 法 HIRUTA Hidenori Haiku Blog “AKITA HAIKU” https://akitahaiku.blogspot.com/ Note: About the Year of the Snake Please check out the website below, and you will find more … Continue reading Haiku beyond Earth「天上俳句会」Haiku about New Year (15) by Hidenori Hiruta
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