JUNPA Workshop on Haiku

Date: October 24, 2017

Place: Hiyori (Nakagyo,Kyoto, Japan)

Guest: Katrina Naomi (UK)

Coordinator: Hiroshi Taniuchi

Special Participant

Tatsuo Murata, Vice-president of Japan Translators Association

Participants

Mariko Sumikura, Kikumi Shimoda, Yuka Akizuki, Kazuhiko, Noriko

Nagaoka, Chiyo Kitahara, Chiaki Hamada

REPORT

Writing a haiku

Participants improvided haiku poems. The Motif is “Autumn”

Tatsuo Murata

もみじ葉や 外国人と 京の宿

Maple leaves / We enjoy with a foreigner / In Kyoto inn

Mariko Sumikura

秋雨や 過去に心を 遊ばせて

Autumn rain / I let amuse my heart / in the deep past

Yuka Akizuki

Kikumi Shimoda

Kazuhiko

Chiyo Kitahara

Chiaki Hamada

Catrina Naomi

Sharing poems

Mariko Sumikura (To Sakura)To Sakura

The moon certainly becomes roundThe sakura certainly bloomsNature does not scrap a promise

The Sakura tree!Only I did not fretto you

The alley leads to trees with full blossomTo the dream world, tooEverybody have a party under the trees

This eveningI also enjoy a walk along the riverbankto meet you flowering lonely

Yuka Akizuki (Bride of Another Planet)

Bride in another planet

"Death"... I don't want to consider such thingI don't have to think.

I think thatIf I were marrying,I will go to a far star

Deep blue skyLike a seaLonging a stylish and strict lightTo the skyTo the universe

I'm training myself now.Yes, I am tested nowI learn foreign languagesEven if it's not usefulThat's fine

Inevitable effort and spiritWhich bring my life to nothing

That’s only a trousseau

I will go to a far starFor the bride.

Kikumi Shimoda (Snow’s thought)

Snow’s Thought

Kikumi Shimoda

Never ending storyStreaming from the source to the heavenThe snow spreads her wings in my heart

Fantastic whitenessCover all dirty things on the groundPure white brighten on severe worldWhere life and death coexistHow touching snowfall it is!

In starry universe alcoholic particles also might be floating

Each one is too small than a poppy seedNot too wide than playing in the spaceIt whispers to everything in chilly airI feel my living even if it is seen or not seen

Memorizing is the best way for me

That expresses “amplification and resonance” as a crystal

Who knows its intention dwelling in it?It lives presentFrom the mountain to the sea, in creatures, in animalsTo all things

It draws a map of the heart swaying

Everything lives visible time and invisible time

Noriko Nagaoka

Washing their face with moon dews

Over kids lost the way in the eveningOver people waiting their return by the windowOver broken sliding paper screen of abandoned housesWhite moon shines

Over lovers nestling each other in gondolasOver waves canzone drifting on the windOver lips people drank the wineRed moon shines

Over people ran about this way and thatOver animals lying still in death on the desertOver endless lines of refugee campsBlue moon shines

In stillness

Silence dwells

They wash their face with moon dews

Chiaki Hamada (The Will of Cherry Blossom)

Will of Cherry Blossom

Shaving off petals second by second

Completing the life at here is

The mission of the universe

Experiences drips on the ground

They impart

Don't be afraid of

Heavy rain nor the thunder

Pink petals flowering in illusionary ground

They dyed slightly real objects

And have gone in memories

In relativity

Nonsense can not be found

In deficiency

Absurdity can not be found

Chiyo Kitahara

The Collarbone

Stroking it with a forefinger,

the bone curves like the edgeof the bay of a lake.

You said you can tell any form,No matter what it may be,with just your hands.

I hear my name,and I call yours,as they move move further north,

And placed on a point.Water, blood,and all other warm things,all lightly tremble.

Let it be the sacred shine it is,brimming with water,not a single drop spilling over.

Please touch it,

round the lake ‘s edges and to its center.

I hear my name,and I call yours,as the double doorsto my shrineopen tenderly.

Interviews

1 Is poetry importanto to the average person in Japan?2 Are haiku considered old fashioned?3 How important or unimportant is free verse poetry?4 Which poet do you recommend for me to read?5 Is poery considered elitist in Japan? Anything else?6 Tell me about JUNPA?

Chiyo Kitahara1 I think it is not so important in daily life, but after the dreadful earthquakes Irealized poetry is very important people to share feelings, to encourage sufferers.2 Poetry is rather contemporary, I think. Haiku never fall out of use, bacause ithas simple rule.3 Free verse is not paid full attention. Because of it seems to be subtle. Recentlythe importance is welcomed.4 Kazue Shinkawa

5 No. Hobbyists... Poets are regarded as not influential people .

6 Poets having original style of poetry gather freely, and receive poets comingfrom abroad.

Kazuhiko1 It is necessary to sketch inner sight.2 It is not old fashioned, but the association remain unchanged.3 It is not possible to express poetry except free verse.4 NHK Heart Exibitional poets5 It is not so high.6 I wish to contribute JUNPA for international exchange.

Chiaki Hamada1 The ocasions which poetry is regarded literature are less than overseascountries.2 No. T.V. performers try to compose haiku. The haiku is lively style to people.3 It is one of important of genre.4 Takashi Arima5 It is not prominent.6 It is the agora to share and learn poetry. I am learning very well.

Mariko Sumikura

1 Generally, people think that poetry is difficult. On the other hand, they enjoy tocompose haiku, senryu, easily.2 NHK provides Haiku, Tanka lectures for beginers.3 People thinking poetry is important gather naturally and issue journalsOr join with associations, SNS circles. Many poets compose Haiku, Tanka, too.

4 Kenji Miyazawa5 It is not regarded ELITE. People do not respect very much.6 Introdusing Japanese contemporary poets and their work, introducing worldcontemporary poets and their work will contribute to real understanding the both.

Hiroshi Taniuchi

1 It is not important. It is not necessary to live on.2 Haiku becomes an entertainment as a classical style.3 I have only way to express in free verse. I have not another choice.4 Hosak Ozaki5 One part of poetry shows pop culture, one part of poetry has a color ofunderground culture.6 The mission is a bridge between Japan and World poets, it is gentlecommunity.