Haiku about Winter (1)

On December 25, I visited the foot of Mt. Taihei（太平山）, Akita.

The winter sun

breaks ―

Mt. Taihei

冬日差し山気緩むや太平山

fuyubi sashi sanki yurumu ya Taiheizan

The rice fields

hibernate ―

snow cover

雪覆ひ眠りに就きし稲田かな

yuki ooi nemuri ni tsukishi inada kana

―　Hidenori Hiruta

Haiku about Swans

On the afternoon of December 17, I was taking a walk along the bank of the Omono River　(雄物川） in Akita.　Then I heard swans shouting by the river bank and found them taking a break during their flight, departing from the snowy fields for the south.

Swan grooming

by the reed bank ―

on the way

白鳥の途の繕ひ葦の岸

hakucho no michi no tsukuroi ashi no kishi

Migratory swans

stay anywhere free

expecting guests

白鳥の到来望む身は自由

hakucho no tourai nozomu mi wa jiyu

―　Hidenori Hiruta

Haiku about Mt. Chokai

It was in autumn that I climbed Mt. Chokai.

Now it is early in winter.

Mt. Chokai ―

white at the summit

gold below

鳥海山頂白く麓秋

Chokaisan itadaki shiroku fumoto aki

Mt. Chokai

goes to sleep ―

the past year

鳥海山眠りつきしや年暮れる

Chokaisan nemuri tsuki shi ya toshi kureru

―　Hidenori Hiruta

Haiku about Rodin's "The Thinker"

In spring,2007, I visited the National Museum of Western Art in Ueno Park, Tokyo. We can see Rodin's "The Thinker" near the entrance of the museum. Then I wrote haiku, which appeared on the Asahi Haikuist Network by David McMurray.

In sunshine

Rodin's thinking man

greeting spring

春光に考えるひと会釈する

shunkou ni kangaeru hito eshakusuru

This autumn I visited the museum again. I also wrote haiku, which had quite a different image from the previous haiku. This might be because the seasons are different.

Yellow leaves ―

Rodin's thinking man

dreams of eternity

黄葉に考えるひと永遠の夢

kouyouni kangaeru hito towa no yume

― Hidenori Hiruta

Haiku about Princess Tatsuko

Princess Tatsuko

watches leaves falling ―

Lake Tazawa

田沢湖で葉の散るを観る辰子姫

Tazawako de ha no chiru wo miru Tatsuko hime

Princess Tatsuko

dreams of eternity ―

winter lake

冬の湖永遠を夢見る辰子姫

fuyu no umi towa wo yumemiru Tatsuko hime

Akita is a place of wonderful nature highlighted by folklore, enchanting tales and legends.

One of the many great mysterious folkloric tales is encapsulated in the golden statue you see in the picture. The statue is of Tatsuko Hime(辰子姫). We'll call her Princess Tatsuko.

Erected in 1968, this golden statue stands on the shore of Lake Tazawa(田沢湖）, the deepest lake in the entire Japanese archipelago. Legend has it that the crystalline waters that feed the lake were a main source of Princess Tatsuko's enchanting beauty. She drank from these waters in the belief that it would give her eternal beauty. Unfortunately, she drank so much of the water that Goddess Kannon （観音）cursed her, and turned her into a water dragon.

Well, the story gets more interesting. Prince Hachirotaro（八郎太郎）, a young prince from a nearby village, went fishing one day and ate a fish from a stream near Lake Tazawa and from that developed a powerful unquenchable thirst. He drank the water there for 33 days, and as a result also turned into a huge water dragon! Since he could never go home in such a condition, he decided to inhabit Lake Tazawa, which as you know was home to Princess Tatsuko. Of course they got together. 2 water dragons in the same place, what are the chances!?!

Tales passed down throughout the different eras tell us that during the winter months, the heat from their passionate lovemaking prevents the lake from ever freezing over. Scientists might give you another version but it won't be as romantic, hehehe!

(http://blog.gaijinpot.com/travel-sighseeing /a-princess-a-prince-dragons)

―　Hidenori Hiruta