🍃 Haiku: Japan’s Poetry

Ever read a super short poem and felt like it perfectly captured a moment? That’s haiku (俳句)—Japan’s famous three-line poetry that say a lot with just a few words. It’s simple, deep, and all about capturing the beauty of everyday life. Let’s take a fun dive into what haiku is, where it comes from, and check out some of the most famous haiku ever written!

📜 A Quick History of Haiku

Haiku didn’t start out as its own thing. Back in the day, Japanese poets used to play a collaborative poetry game called renga (連歌). One person would write a short starting verse, called a hokku (発句), and others would take turns adding more lines. Eventually, the hokku became its own independent form, and by the 17th century, haiku was born.

The guy who really made haiku famous was Matsuo Bashō (松尾芭蕉, 1644–1694). He turned it from a simple word game into a deep, thoughtful form of art. Later on, other poets like Yosa Buson (与謝蕪村) and Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶) brought their own unique styles, making haiku even more expressive.

✍️ How Haiku Works

Haiku follows a super simple 5-7-5 syllable structure:

• First line: 5 syllables
• Second line: 7 syllables
• Third line: 5 syllables

It also usually includes a kigo (季語), or a seasonal word, that connects the poem to nature. Haiku is all about keeping things short, simple, and meaningful.

🌿 Two Famous Haiku & What They Mean

1️⃣ Bashō’s Frog Haiku

古池や 蛙飛びこむ 水の音
Furu ike ya / kawazu tobikomu / mizu no oto

"An old pond—
A frog jumps in,
The sound of water."

At first glance, this just seems like a random frog doing its thing. But this haiku is actually about silence and change. Imagine a quiet, still pond… then suddenly—splash! That single moment breaks the stillness, making us feel the contrast between silence and sound. Bashō was a master at turning simple moments into something deeper.

2️⃣ Issa’s Fleeting Life Haiku

露の世は 露の世ながら さりながら
Tsuyu no yo wa / tsuyu no yo nagara / sari nagara

"This world of dew—
A world of dew it is,
And yet, and yet…"

Issa often wrote about life’s struggles, and this haiku is filled with bittersweet emotions. The word "dew" (露, tsuyu)represents how short and fragile life is, just like dew that disappears in the morning sun. And the repeated "and yet, and yet" feels like someone sighing, accepting life’s ups and downs but still feeling the sadness of it all.

💡 Why Haiku is Still Loved Today

Even now, haiku is hugely popular in Japan and beyond. People write haiku to express their feelings, appreciate nature, or just play around with words. Japan even holds haiku competitions, and poets from all over the world experiment with it in different languages.

Haiku reminds us to slow down and notice the little things—the way leaves move in the wind, the sound of rain, the feeling of warm sunshine. In just 17 syllables, haiku captures tiny, beautiful moments we might otherwise miss.

Your Sensei,
Hikari 👩🏻‍🏫