‘Matsuyama Haiku Post’ contest

The Mission of Japan to the European Union invites haiku poets, be they amateurs or experts, to submit their artistic piece for the ‘Matsuyama Haiku Post’ contest.

 

Those willing to take part in this contest can submit haiku poems on the topic of their choice, in either Japanese, English or German.

 

The poems received will be sent to Japan, more specifically to the city of Matsuyama, where they will be judged along with other poems submitted in other places in Europe and the world.

 

The authors of selected haiku poems will receive commemorative gifts from the city of Matsuyama, and their works will be posted on the website of Matsuyama city.

 

Background: The city of Matsuyama, the birthplace of the poet who gave haiku its name (Masaoka Shiki, 1867-1902) and were other well-known haiku poets lived, has set up haiku post boxes in a number of places. These post boxes are notably located in places of interest in the city of Matsuyama itself, as well as outside of Japan: Brussels; Freiburg, Germany (a sister city); and Tapei, Taiwan (a friendship exchange city). 

 

Haiku poets in the EU’s capital city have been able to participate in this contest since 10 years as the post box was installed in 2012.

 

Rules for writing haiku: 

 

The structure of a traditional haiku is always the same:

• There are only three lines, totalling 17 syllables

• The first line is 5 syllables

• The second line is 7 syllables

• The third line is 5 syllables, like the first

• Punctuation and capitalisation are up to the poet

• A haiku does not need to rhyme, in fact it usually does not rhyme at all

• It can include the repetition of words or sounds.