About an Asahi Newspaper sponsored haiku in English contest!

I have just received an e-mail about an Asahi Newspaper sponsored haiku in English contest from Professor David McMurray at the International University of Kagoshima. Would you please send your haiku before April 18? His e-mail is as follows: Dear Hiruta sensei, Thank you so much for referring to the Asahi Culture Centre, I … Continue reading About an Asahi Newspaper sponsored haiku in English contest! →

Haiku by Hidenori Hiruta in Japan

Now in Japan we are in a cheerful mood, sharing the beauties and wonders of spring with each other. With the coming of spring, Amur adonis appeared in the fields and camellias opened their flowers, from white to pink and red ones. Plum and cherry blossoms are in full bloom here and there in Tokyo … Continue reading Haiku by Hidenori Hiruta in Japan →

Haiku about New Year (2010) (Part 2)

Haiku poets celebrated the New Year by writing haiku, painting haiga, or taking pictures, and so on. Masuda Aika（桝田愛佳）painted haiga to celebrate the Year of the Tiger in Akita, Japan. Masuda Junko（桝田純子）, Aika’s mother, wrote haiku for her sister, who is expecting a baby 13 years after her marriage. on … Continue reading Haiku about New Year (2010) (Part 2) →

Haiku about the New Year (2010)

Happy New Year 2010 ! the Year of the Tiger 謹賀新年 kinga shinnen 二千十年 nisen ju nen 平成二十二年　　heisei niju ninen 庚寅 Kanoe Tora Miss Masuda Aika（桝田愛佳）, a freshman at Seirei Senior High School in Akita, celebrated the New Year by contributing her haiga to the Akita Sakigake Newspaper （秋田魁新報） on January 1. We … Continue reading Haiku about the New Year (2010) →

Haiku at HIA Haiku Contest and Symposium (2009)

The Haiku International Association(HIA)（国際俳句交流協会）, a nonprofit organization aimed at promoting haiku globally, celebrated the 20th anniversary of its establishment with a symposium titled Haiku Worldwide ― Present and Future on November 28, Tokyo. First of all, HIA President Akito Arima (会長有馬朗人) gave a speech of celebration as a greeting. Secondly, they announced … Continue reading Haiku at HIA Haiku Contest and Symposium (2009) →

Haiku about Autumn Rice Fields

On September 30, the activities of our network were reported in the Akita Sakigake newspapers （秋田魁新報:Akita Sakigake Shinpou）. That afternoon one of the readers sent to us haiku about ‘autumn rice fields’ , or ‘秋の稲田(aki no inada)’ . The Kanji characters ‘ 秋田‘ are used as the name of Akita City and Akita Prefecture. … Continue reading Haiku about Autumn Rice Fields →

Basho’s stay in Kisakata, Akita (Part 3)

According to『おくのほそ道』(Oku no Hosomichi), ‘The Narrow Road to Oku’ ‘ translated by Donald Keene, 松尾芭蕉( Matsuo Basho )(1644-1694) arrived at Kisakata on the evening of August 1, 1689, when a misty rain started to fall, obscuring Chokai Mountain. The next morning the weather cleared beautifully. When the morning sun rose in all its splendor, … Continue reading Basho’s stay in Kisakata, Akita (Part 3) →

Basho’s stay in Kisakata, Akita (Part 2)

On September 4, we received a comment on “Basho’s stay in Kisakata, Akita ( Part 1) from Dr. Gabi Greve. She said in her comment, “lately I enjoy Basho and the Sake no Hosomichi in the following site : http://washokufood.blogspot.com/2009/08/sake-no-hosomichi.html. I wonder what Basho might have eaten at Kisakata.” Dr. Gabi Greve is German … Continue reading Basho’s stay in Kisakata, Akita (Part 2) →

Basho’s stay in Kisakata, Akita (Part 1)

On August 26, I visited 象潟(Kisakata), 秋田(Akita) and took some pictures of the spots referred to in『奥の細道』(Oku no Hosomichi), ‘The Narrow Road to Oku’ . I also wrote some haiku there. I’d like to post some pictures and haiku. 松尾芭蕉( Matsuo Basho )(1644-1694) arrived at Kisakata on the evening of August 1, 1689, when a … Continue reading Basho’s stay in Kisakata, Akita (Part 1) →

Basho’s lotus flowers

Here is a picture of a lotus flower bud. In 2003 I got a haiku book written by Sylvia Forges-Ryan and Edward Ryan. Its title is “Take a Deep Breath’” ‘The Haiku Way to Inner Peace’. Its jacket photo by Jana Leon has a flower of white and red or scarlet. Even … Continue reading Basho’s lotus flowers →