The results are out! Congratulations to the winners, and a heartfelt thank you to all of our 209 authors from 42 countries for submitting 417 wonderful, individual, inspiring haiku! | looking for our 2024 Contest & winners? |
NEW: 2025 "HaikuFlow" |
| 2025 "EJCA Haiku Anthology" |
(*presenting all the work from participants that had not opted out from getting 'published')
蹴球の新しき靴に芝青む
Playing soccer
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Spring has arrived and the cherry trees -and in the case of EJCA- the plum tree blossoming again, following the great successes of the 2022, 2023 and 2024 editions of this contest, EJCA once again had called upon everyone's poetic talents. EJCA had invited to get creative and submit a Haiku, suitably themed to celebrate the season. We were once privileged to see so many of you re-joining every year, and enjoyed seeing quite a few more new participants, and we hope everyone had fun while contemplating! Kids & Youth: We loved to see substantially more submissions this year from aspiring young poets! Winners and a selection of poems are available on this page and in the September/October moshi moshi and/or our social media channels. | 春がやっと訪れ、桜の木々が、そしてEJCAの場合は梅の木が再び花開く中、２０２２年、２０２３年、２０２４年の各回で大成功を収めたこのコンテストに続き、EJCAは再び皆様の詩的才能を呼び覚ましていました。EJCAは皆様にクリエイティブな才能を発揮していただき、季節をお祝いするのにふさわしいテーマの俳句をご投句いただくよう、ご招待いたしました。 毎年多くの皆様が再参加してくださる光景を目にする特権に恵まれ、また新しい参加者の方々もかなり増えたことを嬉しく思っており、皆様が思索を楽しまれたことを願っております！ お子様・青少年の皆様： 今年は将来有望な若い詩人の皆様からの投句が大幅に増えたことを大変嬉しく思っております！ 入賞者と選抜作品は、このページおよび９月・１０月号のもしもし、ならびに当団体のソーシャルメディアチャンネルでご覧いただけます。 |
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Jury: Shajin Watanabe, this year supported by Kiki & Brooklin from STARK Poets, St. Albert. Shajin Watanabe sensei: Watanabe sensei is a protege to Kusatao Nakamura and was awarded the Saitama Literature Award. After his retirement from teaching Japanese literature (kokugo) at Urawa Akenohoshi Girls' Senior High School, he taught haiku poetry at Saitama Police Academy for a number of years. Currently, he is the chair of Haiku Society, "Sumeraki, " while teaching haiku at numerous workshops. | -参加資格 －EJCA会員である必要はなく、どなたでも応募できます。 兼題（事前に課題として出された「季語」の意の語）を「日本語による俳句または英語による3行詩」に詠みこんだ未発表の作品を募集します。 ・投句数：1季語に1作品、計2作品まで応募可。 兼題 －ご自分で選んだ春の季語 ご投稿いただいた全ての作品は選者により審査され、それぞれの部門の入賞作品が決められます。 応募部門・賞 俳句部門（日本語部門）優秀賞賞金３０ドル 準優秀賞 賞金２０ドル 三行詩部門（英語部門）優秀賞賞金３０ドル 準優秀賞 賞金２０ドル １６歳以下の部門（英語もしくは日本語）優秀賞賞金３０ドル
選者：渡辺舎人 渡辺舎人先生： 渡辺先生は中村草田男の弟子であり、埼玉文芸賞の受賞者です。浦和明の星女子高等学校の現代国語の教諭から引退された後、埼玉警察学校にて俳句を長年教えておられました。現在は俳句結社すめらきの代表であり、また数々の講座・句会にて俳句指導をされています。 |
These are the 2025 prize categories. |
Best overall - Japanese language Haiku
Prize: 30$
なかや せつお (カナダ) 蹴球の新しき靴に芝青む | Setsuo Nakaya (Canada) Playing soccer |
Second best overall - Japanese language Haiku
Prize: 20$
エリック・チエン (カナダ) 雪解川議事堂の風頬をなでる | Eric Chen (Canada) By a snow melt river |
Best Overall - English language Haiku
Prize: 30$ (each)
Dan C. Iulian (Romania)
weeding the garden -
kneeling grandfather holds
the sky on his shoulders
Prize: 20$
Ealia Sadeghi (Canada)
In winter's shadow,
softening snow still lingers
halfway between change
Richard Matta (USA)
dandelion fluff
she asks the wind
for one more day
Best overall - Young Poet (16 years of age and under)
Prize: 30$
Anwita D Pillai (India)
plum rain—
a spider rewinds silk
across torn branches
Second best overall - Young Poet (16 years of age and under)
Prize: 20$
Chloe Careaga (USA)
Soft light pools on desks
pens scratch, a quiet melody
outside, trees riot in bloom.
Runner-Up - Young Poet (16 years of age and under)
Heidi Smith (New Zealand)
Flowers in storm drains
Forests of moss and petals
Hidden from the eye
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俳句部門 選評 渡辺舎人 特選 なかや せつお 蹴球の新しき靴に芝青む 句 評 冬にサッカーを楽しんでいたが、芝が青む春に新しいサッカーシューズを購入した。土のコートではない芝のコートでのドリブルやパス回しに心浮き立つのである。 「おニュー」のユニホームやシューズで練習すると、下手なプレイには「ユニホムが泣いてるぞ」などとからかわれたものである。皆がそう簡単には購入できなかった昭和30年代はそうであった。身に着けるもので世界が変わる喜びは特に子ども時代は強かったが､女性は老若関わらずそうなのであるかも知れない。サッカーは常に足元を見るので、「おニュー」のシューズが意識されるが、なかやさんの句もまた心浮き立つ世界なのである。 特選 エリック・チエン(Eric Chen) 雪解川議事堂の風頬をなでる 句 評 議事堂は議員が集まって会議する建物。国・郡市町村の施設がありますが、みな地域住民の生活のレベルを上げ、一人ひとりの人権を保護し､よりよい社会の実現のための衆知により議事・審議する機関です。 一句は春の雪解けの水が河に注がれ､暖かい春の風が人々を慈しむように吹いていると云うのです。自然の神の恩愛を感じ取って謝恩の句です。 | Haiku -Japanese Division Selection & evaluation by Shajin Watanabe Excellent Setsuo Nakaya Playing soccer In brand-new shoes Grass is glistening in green In the haiku, a person purchased a new pair of soccer shoes in the spring when the grass turned green after having played soccer throughout the winter. He is excited about dribbling and passing a ball on a grass field that is no longer wintery brown. I remember the time when somebody in a "brand new" uniform and shoes was not playing well at a practice, a teammate would tease him by saying, "Your brand-new uniform is crying." This was the case in the Showa 30s (the mid-1950s to mid-1960s). In those days, not everyone was able to afford a new uniform or a new pair of shoes very easily. The joy of changing the world with what I wear was especially strong in childhood, but for a woman, it may be always true regardless of her age. When you’re playing Soccer, you keep looking at the feet, which makes you conscious of the "Brand-new" shoes, and just like “brand-new” shoes, Mr. Nakaya's haiku gives us a world that floats our hearts. Excellent Eric Chen By a snow melt river A wind from the legislature building Softly touches my cheeks A legislature/parliament building is a building where elected members gather and hold meetings. There are facilities to house such meetings for nations, counties or municipalities, and all of them are institutions that conduct deliberations based on the wisdom of the public to build a better society, to raise the residents’ standard of living, and to protect each individual’s human rights. The haiku describes that the water from snowmelt in the spring pours into the river, and the warm spring breeze blows as though the wind is cherishing people who are there. It is a haiku of gratitude that feels the benevolence of the gods of nature. |
ENGLISH 1st place
Dan C. Iulian weeding the garden - kneeling grandfather holds the sky on his shoulders This poem is a unique nod to spring honouring an elderly man who holds the world on his back while completing the simple spring task of weeding. Imagery pays homage to the process and respects the importance of growth cycles. The older man nurtures the rebirth of the young garden by ridding it of its obstacles. The idea of him kneeling and taking care of the garden encaptures the form and function of the earth in spring time. ENGLISH 2nd place Ealia Sadeghi In winter's shadow, softening snow still lingers halfway between change Shows a nice contrast between winter and spring. The transitional period through the use of sibilance softens the image and provides a gentle segue between the seasons. ENGLISH 3rd place Richard Matta dandelion fluff she asks the wind for one more day Although it doesn't follow the standard 5-7-5 syllable format, its shorter but unique structure becomes a modern interpretation of the haiku. The personfication of the dandelion shows her audacity as she asks for more time as part of the flower echoing the perseverance of the weed itself. There is a sense of humour that we enjoyed as she speaks to the wind, asking for one more day. |
YOUTH 1st place
Anwita D Pillai plum rain— a spider rewinds silk across torn branches A plum rain is an interesting nod to spring. Rewinding is about change and creating something beautiful with careful attention to detail. The silk repair completes the torn branches so they can regain their former beauty. Fluidity in the language is clear as the spider patiently rebuilds its creation after the destruction of the rain. YOUTH 2nd place Chloe Careaga Soft light pools on desks pens scratch, a quiet melody outside, trees riot in bloom. The contrast between quiet melody and riot is seamless. We liked the use of scratching which implies two senses: sound and touch and provides a gentle contrast to the first sense of sight. Interesting and poetic piece that reaches our senses in unique ways. The use of personification with the trees creates a visual moment captured with the loud word of "riot" and thus blending multiple senses together. YOUTH 3rd place Heidi Smith Flowers in storm drains Forests of moss and petals Hidden from the eye The imagery of a storm drain suggest that the flowers have a brief apperance and will be hidden from sight. The moss, the petals, and the flowers are still appreciated but are fleeting much like spring itself. |
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From wikipedia: Haiku (俳句) is a type of short form poetry originally from Japan. Traditional Japanese haiku consist of three phrases that contain a kireji, or "cutting word", 17 on (phonetic units similar to syllables) in a 5, 7, 5 pattern, and a kigo, or seasonal reference. Similar poems that do not adhere to these rules are generally classified as senryū. Haiku originated as an opening part of a larger Japanese poem called renga. These haiku written as an opening stanza were known as hokku and over time writers began to write them as stand-alone poems. Haiku was given its current name by the Japanese writer Masaoka Shiki at the end of the 19th century. What you should keep in mind: For haiku inspiration, look closely at everything around you in nature, at home, at school, and at work. Write your draft of a haiku, letting yourself be free and creative. Then ask the following questions about your haiku to help you improve them.
| What you should keep in mind (continued):
(adapted from Michael Dylan Welch's excellent blog: https://www.graceguts.com/essays/haiku-checklist) |
Please contact: haiku@ejca.org
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