Akita International Haiku Network
Gray clouds trail across the sky. In the pale winter sun a flock of geese (Ben Grafström–Akita, Japan)
On March 13, 2011, Gillena Cox, a haikuist friend of mine, in Trinidad and Tobago, kindly contributed a photo with haiku to me, giving us her thoughts and prayers after the March 11 earthquake and its tsunami : Japanese and other affected areas my thoughts and prayers are with you. Morning blue sky … Continue reading Haiku about the Great East Japan Earthquake (10)
On April 8, Buddha's Birthday, there was a ceremony held for a newly-built image of Buddha in the graveyard of a Buddhist temple, Shouhei-ji (勝平寺), in Akita-city (秋田市), Northern Honshu, Japan. The chief priest Shunsai Takayanagi (高柳俊哉住職）at the temple of the Sodo sect of Buddhism（曹洞宗）, held the ceremony for the purpose of putting Buddha' … Continue reading Haiku about the Great East Japan Earthquake (8)
Paul Terence Conneally (born 1959 in Sheffield, United Kingdom) is a poet, artist and musician based in Loughborough,UK. On June 4, 2011, Paul Conneally posted his message on my Facebook page, telling about Japan Earthquake Fundraising Event - Derby Roundhouse 5th June Celebrate Japanese Culture at The Roundhouse Derby Only £3 … Continue reading Haiku about the Great East Japan Earthquake (7)
On March 25, 2011, Sarah Jane Robertson, Creative Director at Creative State in UK, told of JAPAN ART AUCTION in her blog as follows: In April I’ll be taking part in an art exhibition and auction to raise funds for the victims of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. Working with Haiku … Continue reading Haiku about the Great East Japan Earthquake (6)
On May 17, one of my haiku mentors, Professor David McMurray at the International University of Kagoshima, sent me an e-mail about Japan-EU English Haiku Contest, suggesting to me that we should send haiku to the contest. I hope that haikuists as well as my haikuist friends will never fail to submit haiku according … Continue reading About Japan-EU English Haiku Contest
On August 1, 1689, Basho visited Kisakata （象潟）, Akita Prefecture （秋田県）, Northern Honshu, on his journey. Basho wrote about Kisakata in his travel diary The Narrow Road to Oku, 『おくのほそ道 (Oku no Hosomichi 』 as follows: 江山水陸の風光数を尽くして、今象潟に方寸を責。酒田の湊より東北の方、山を越、磯を伝ひ、いさごをふみて其際十里、日影やゝかたぶく比、汐風真砂を吹上、雨朦朧として鳥海の山かくる。闇中に莫作して「雨も又奇也」 とせば、雨後の晴色又頼母敷と、あまの苫屋に膝をいれて、雨の晴を待。其朝天能霽れて、朝日花やかにさし出る程に、象潟に舟をうかぶ。 先能因島に舟をよせて、三年幽居の跡をとぶらひ、むかふの岸に舟をあがれば、「花の上こぐ」とよまれし桜の老木、西行法師の記念をのこす。 Here is a painting of Kisakata in those days. Photo courtesy; as … Continue reading Haiku about the Great East Japan Earthquake (3)
In the first posting, I took up Basho’s haiku from his travel diary The Narrow Road to Oku, 『おくのほそ道 (Oku no Hosomichi 』. In his diary, Basho seems to have left Hope for us Japanese. Here is another translation by Donald Keene （ドナルド・キーン）. 夏草や兵どもが夢の跡 natsukusa ya The summer grasses – tsuwamono domo … Continue reading Haiku about the Great East Japan Earthquake (2)
On March 11, 2011, we had the most powerful earthquake since records began, which struck the Pacific coast of Northeastern Honshu, Japan, triggering a massive tsunami. Since then I have received e-mails and messages from haiku friends worldwide, in which they have sent their condolences and prayers through haiku, haiga, tanka, short poems, or pictures. … Continue reading Haiku about the Great East Japan Earthquake (1)
Saša Važić （ササ・ヴァジック）in Serbia is a freelance journalist, astrologer, translator, writer of prose and poetry, essays, book reviews. Važić kindly contributed her haiku to International Haiku New Year’s Festival 2011 by Akita International Haiku Network. on the greeting card 賀状が in the postman's hand 郵便配達人の手に a snowflake melts 雪片が溶ける … Continue reading Haiku World of Sasa Vazic in Serbia
Seisaku Chiba（千葉星作）, a member of Akita Association of English Studies (AAES)（秋田英語英文学会）, kindly contributed haiku by students at Odate Homei Senior High School (大館鳳鳴高校）in Akita, Northern Japan to our network. Mr. Chiba taught the students about haiku in English for two years from 1990 till 1991. Here is a photo of the school. … Continue reading Haiku by Students at High School (大館鳳鳴高校 ) in Akita, Northern Japan
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