Haiku Travelogue (1)

 Haiku Travelogue 

“80 years after World War II”

 (1) 

by Hidenori Hiruta

 

Preface

 

I was born on January 23, 1942. I was three years old when World War II ended. Since then, I have personally been concerned that traditional Japanese culture might be lost. In order to preserve Japanese culture, I believe it is important to introduce various cultures to people overseas and make them familiar with them. To achieve this, I believe it is necessary to disseminate information about various cultures in English.

　In 1969, I realized that English skills were essential, so I began studying English conversation at Akita English Conversation School after working at senior high school as an English teacher.

In 1972, fortunately I had an opportunity to join the 6^th Japanese Youth Goodwill Cruise as a language assistant. I visited the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand, helping to facilitate exchanges between young people in Japan and those overseas. Through various training sessions and activities, I was delighted to see young people overseas show an interest in Japanese culture, including calligraphy, tea ceremony, origami, Japanese dance, Noh, and Kabuki.

In this travelogue, I would like to talk about the things that surprised and pleased me at the ports of call as well as the post-voyage activities, with my Japanese and English haiku accompanied.

 

The 6th Japanese Youth Goodwill Cruise

 

 

On October 16, 1972, under clear autumn skies, the 6th Japanese Youth Goodwill Cruise departed Tokyo Port for its first port of call, Cebu City, Philippines, with many people seeing it off and carrying the joy of a journey.

313 young people selected from across Japan and 39 invited guests from the four countries they visited - the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand - were on board.

Through various learning and club activities on board, disciplined group life, and friendly activities and various inspections at ports of call, they broadened their international perspectives and had the opportunity to reflect on themselves and their homelands.

On December 14, the Japanese youth Goodwill Cruise completed its meaningful 60-day voyage under the unifying theme of "Seeking mutual understanding and development among the peoples of the Pacific" and with the motto of "Building a bridge of friendship with these hands," and returned to Tokyo Port, where the morning sun was shining beautifully.

 

The Route Map

 

 

Cebu (The Philippines)

 

10月21日～10月23日

 

Sad News

On October 22, I stayed home at a person working for an agency affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The next morning, there was a newspaper on the table in my room. It carried shocking news. The headline read, "Gunfight with a Japanese Soldier on Lubang Island." It was sad news. The news reported that on October 19, a Japanese soldier on Lubang Island had been shot in the shoulder during a gunfight with the Philippine Constabulary, causing him to drop his Type 38 rifle, and then shot again in the chest, killing him.

 

まだ戦ルバング島の日本兵

mada ikusa  rubangutō no  nihonhei

 

Still fighting

in Lubang Island

a Japanese soldier

 

    It was later discovered that 27 years after the end of the war, he was the last Japanese soldier killed in action, shot by a bullet on Lubang Island. He had been hiding in the jungles of Lubang Island with Second Lieutenant Hiroo Onoda. His tragic death occurred one and a half years before Onoda returned to Japan in 1974. The Japanese soldier in question was Private First Class Kinshichi Kozuka.

 

Jakarta (Indonesia)

 

10月28日～10月31日

 

A Comment by an Indonesian Youth

 

After leaving Cebu City, an Indonesian member of our group gave the following comment:

“At the port of call in Cebu, young Japanese people were giving souvenirs to people who asked for them, but they should stop giving in this way. As an equal relationship between people, they should not just give unilaterally, but should at least exchange for something. Furthermore, I would like them to be taught that they can earn things by working.”

 

Interacting with Indonesian Youth in 1982

 

In August 1982, two young men visited Akita City from Jakarta. They stayed at my house and we held a welcome party for them.

 

 

The next day, my father's friend, Mr. Haruo Sekiya, invited us to Sekiya Lodge and Kainosawa Hot Spring, where we deepened our friendship through interactions.

                                         

山荘の青葉の部屋に客迎ふ

sansō no  aoba no heya ni  kyaku mukau

Indonesian youth!

Hearty welcome to

the green lodge!

 

  

 

浴衣がけ絆の杭を打ちにけり

yukata gake  kizuna no kui o uchi ni keri

 

Bonds

born in yukata

on the summit

  

ジャカルタの友を迎える青葉風

jakaruta no  tomo o mukaerui  aoba-kaze

 

Old and young

planting a seedling of

friendship

 

 

Melbourne to Sydney (Australia)

 

11月10日～11月18日

 

 

 

Arthur’s Stone

 

On November 12, my host family showed us around the Melbourne countryside. Along the road, there was a statue of a great man, and in front of it was a large stone. "It's Arthur's Seat, so you can't sit on the stone," my host family said. I still remember these words clearly.

Now, in 2025, I searched for Arthur's Seat in Melbourne on a website and found a tourist spot called "Arthurs Seat" 55 miles (about 85 km) from Melbourne. I also found a panoramic photo of it.

According to Wikipedia, Arthurs Seat is a mountainous and small locality

on the Mornington Peninsula in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, about 85 km south east of Melbourne's Central Business District. 

 Arthurs Seat is noted for its exclusivity and the general affluence of the

demographics which make up the enclave. The Aboriginal Boonwurrung name for the hill is Wonga. It is a major tourist destination, with stately homes, and due to its natural bushland, sweeping views and man-made attractions. The hill rises to 314 m (1,030 ft) above sea level.

 

 　　　　　　　　　

初夏の空アーサーの石遥かなり

shoka no sora  āsā no ishi  haruka nari

 

Early summer sky

Arthur’s large stone

far away

 

Revisiting Australia in 2002

 

７月31日～8月９日

 

The Gold Coast

 

I stayed in the Gold Coast, a city in the southeast of Queensland, and focused on the natural environment, education, and social welfare, visiting nature parks, a zoo, a school, welfare facilities, etc. I also gained a deeper understanding of resort facilities and condominiums.

 

CURRUMBIN Wildlife SANCTUARY

  

 

コアラ抱く初体験の緊張裡

koara daku  hatsu-taiken no  kinchō -ri

 

First experience –

holding a koala

with tension

 

Home Party

 Wellington to Auckland (New Zealand)

 

 

11月22日～11月29日

 

 

Overland Travel

 

11月25日～11月27日

Wellington → Napier → Rotorua → Auckland

 

Southern Cross

 

 

ロトルアの夏の夜空に十字星

rotorua no  natsu no yozora ni  jūjisei

 

Southern Cross

in summer night sky

of Rotorua

 

Pōkarekare Ana

 

"Pōkarekare Ana" is a traditional New Zealand love song, probably communally composed about the time World War I began in 1914. The song is written in Māori and has been translated into English. It enjoys widespread popularity in New Zealand as well as some popularity in other countries. The song is said to have been composed by soldiers from Northland at the beginning of World War I.

 

Pōkarekare ana
ngā wai o Waiapu,
Whiti atu koe hine
marino ana e.

 

E hine e
hoki mai ra.
Ka mate ahau
I te aroha e.

 

Tuhituhi taku reta
tuku atu taku rīngi,
Kia kite tō iwi
raru raru ana e.

 

Whatiwhati taku pene
ka pau aku pepa,
Ko taku aroha
mau tonu ana e.

 

E kore te aroha
e maroke i te rā,
Mākūkū tonu i
aku roimata e.

 

 

They are agitated
the waters of Waiapu,
If you cross over girl
they will be calm.

 

Oh girl
return to me,
I could die
of love for you.

 

I've written my letter
I've sent my ring,
so that your people can see I'm troubled.

 

My pen is shattered,
I have no more paper
But my love
is still steadfast.

 

Never will my love
be dried by the sun,
It will be moistened
by my tears.

 

 

ワイアプの海は荒れている

もしあなたが渡れば

静まるでしょう。

 

ああ、お嬢さん

私のところに戻ってきて

私は死んでもいい

あなたへの愛で

 

手紙を書きました

指輪を送りました

私が困っていることをあなたの民に知ってもらうためです

 

ペンは粉々に砕け散り、

紙ももうない。

でも、私の愛は

今も揺るぎない。

 

私の愛は

太陽に乾くことはなく

私の涙によって

潤されるでしょう。

 

 

折折にマオリの歌を口ずさむ

oroori ni  maori no uta o  kuchizusamu

 

Humming
Māori　song

from time to time

 

Hidenori Hiruta

Akita International Haiku Network

蛭田　秀法

秋田国際俳句ネットワーク

Haibun (2)

 

Haibun 

“Autumn Equinox Week, or お彼岸” 

by Hidenori Hiruta in Japan

 

September 26, 2025, is the last day of the seven-day period surrounding the autumnal equinox, including the three days before and after, which is known as the Autumn Equinox Week, or お彼岸 ohigan. This is a unique Buddhist observance in Japan, a time to express gratitude and pay respects to one's ancestors.

In Buddhism, the world we live in is called "this world" (此岸 shigan ), while the state of enlightenment is called "the other shore" (彼岸 higan). In Japan, the concept of associating the afterlife (the Pure Land) with the state of enlightenment (彼岸 higan) became widely accepted, leading to the understanding of お彼岸 ohigan as a period for honoring and remembering our deceased ancestors.

 

       September 23 is a national holiday in Japan, which is called the autumnal equinox day. This is the day when the sun rises directly in the east and sets directly in the west, resulting in approximately equal day and night lengths. Because Buddhism believes that the Pure Land is located in the west, this day is considered the time of year when communication between this world and the other world (where our ancestors reside) is most easily possible. By performing ancestral rites during this period, people believe they can feel a stronger connection with their ancestors.

 

Here are what Buddhists do during this Autumn Equinox Week.

 

Visiting a grave site:

 

They clean the tombstone and the area around the grave, place fresh flowers or offerings, and then bow in respect.

 

Cleaning the Buddhist altar and offering food and drinks:

 

They clean the Buddhist altar and its surroundings, and place offerings such as fruits, sweets, or rice cakes.

 

To conduct a memorial service:

 

In some cases, a Buddhist priest may be invited to perform a Buddhist ritual at a temple or at the family's home.

 

Cultivating the principles of Buddhist teachings (the Six Perfections):

 

The Six Perfections are one of the practices in Buddhist teachings, referring to six principles that one should follow in order to attain enlightenment while living in this world.

 

お彼岸 ohigan is a good opportunity to express gratitude to our ancestors for preserving our lineage, and also to reflect on our own way of life. Perhaps this is a good time to pause and take a moment to reflect on your own life.

 

Here is a photo haiku during this Autumn Equinox Week.

  

鬼やんま草原越えて彼の岸へ

oni-yamma  sōgen koe te  kano-kishi e

 

Jumbo dragonfly

flying across the grasses

to the Pure Land

 

 

 

Haibun (1)

 

Haibun

 “Rice Cultivation & Akita Culture” 

by Hidenori Hiruta in Japan

 

Rice Cultivation

 

During the Yayoi period (c. 300 BC – 300 AD), people settled in lowlands and began cultivating rice. River floodplains and wetlands were the most suitable areas for rice cultivation and came to symbolize fertility.

According to the Kojiki『古事記』(712), which is an early Japanese chronicle of myths, legends, hymns, genealogies, oral traditions, and semi-historical accounts down to 641 concerning the origin of the Japanese archipelago, the kami（神）, and the Japanese imperial line, Japan is described as "the land of abundant reed fields and the rice fields of Toyoashihara no Mizuho no Kuni."

Literally, Japan was a country where beautiful, fresh ears of rice grew, like rich and spacious reed fields. The flooded riverbeds and low-lying reed marshes of those days are now mostly alluvial plains, but they formed the beautiful land of Mizuho.

Currently, rice is grown mainly in alluvial plains throughout Japan. Since the Yayoi period, rice farming has not only been a key industry in Japan, but has also given rise to a variety of cultures in each region. In particular, rites and festivals are held to pray for good harvests and to give thanks for the harvest, and these traditional events play an important role in people's lives.

In terms of literature, the Man'yōshū『万葉集』compiled during the Nara period (710 – 794), contains waka poems about rice, and there are also many seasonal words related to rice in haiku, which have led to the creation of many haiku poems about rice.

 

Akita Culture

 

Here are three photographs and haiku poems based on Akita Prefecture's alluvial plain and the Kanto Festival.

 

 秋田平野刈田流るる大河かな

akitaheiya  karita nagaruru  taiga kana

 

Akita Plain

the river flowing through

harvested rice fields

 

Note  "Akita Plain"

    "Akita" is a place name and literally means "autumn rice fields", that is, 秋(aki: autumn) 田 (ta: rice fields).

     Akita Plain faces the Sea of Japan and spreads out around the lower reaches of the Omono River. Lake Hachirogata spreads across the northern part of the plain, and the Oga Peninsula is located to the west of it. Agriculture has been thriving in the area since ancient times, with rice cultivation being the main focus.

     Akita is also used as the prefecture name, which is well known as the land of Mizuho. In Akita Prefecture, rice cultivation is carried out in Akita Plain, Noshiro Plain, Honjō Plain, Yokote Basin (Semboku Plain and Hiraka Plain), and other areas.

竿燈や光の稲穂宵闇に

kantō ya  hikari no inaho  yoiyami ni

 

Kanto –

lanterns like rice ears glow

the evening darkness

 

Note  "Akita Kanto Festival (1)"

 

The Kanto Festival, the celebrated summer event in Akita, is held to ward off evil and pray for a bountiful harvest, using bamboo poles fitted with bale-shaped lanterns made to look like large ears of rice.

The origins of the Kanto date back to the mid-Edo period during the Horeki era (1751-1764). It began as a festival designed to ward off summer ailments and drowsiness and to drive away evil spirits.　

    In 1789, during the first year of the Kansei era, a document described a procession with numerous lanterns on long poles arranged in a cross shape, resembling the prototype of the current Kanto Festival, which has been passed down by the townspeople of Kubota Castle of the Akita Domain.

In the evening, the kanto poles come in different sizes with the largest measuring 12 meters, weighing 50 kilograms and carrying as many as 46 paper lanterns, lit by real candles. To the sound of drums, flutes and onlookers chanting "dokkoisho, dokkoisho", each kanto is hoisted up by a single performer who balance them on end using various techniques.

The time spent holding the kanto with both hands is short, with most movements being done with one hand. The performer receives the kanto from the person in front of them, carries it on their body to perform the act, and then passes it on to the next person - all of this action is done with one hand, demonstrating the skilled technique of the performer.

 

竿燈のバランスを取るおでこかな

kantō no  baransu o toru  odeko kana

 

The kanto pole

on his forehead

in balance

 

Note  "Akita Kanto Festival (2)"

 

During the day, neighborhood and company teams get together to display their special feats.

The level of skill can be seen by which part of the body the pole is balanced.

"Flat hand" 

A basic technique where the pole is balanced on the palm of the hand.

"Shoulder"

 A technique where the pole is balanced on one shoulder and the neck and arm are used to balance it.

"Forehead"

A technique where the pole is balanced by looking up at the sky and resting it on the forehead.

"Waist"

A difficult technique where the pole is balanced on the waist, requiring skill. If the pole can be held still successfully, the performer can pose holding a fan or umbrella. This elicits loud applause and cheers from the audience.

 Summing up

 

At the signal to start the Kanto Festival, about 280 poles are raised up at once, drawing cheers from the spectators.

Kanto Festival has been designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.

Last of all, let me add one more thing. What can be said to be common between rice farming and Kanto Festival is that both required male power as a driving force behind them.

In the early rice farming, the men plowed the fields, while the women planted the rice and harvested it.

In the Kanto Festival, the men are the performers, while the women play flutes or drums.

 

Note  'Kanji「男」for "man" (male)'

In Japanese,「おとこ (otoko: male)」is written in kanji as「男」. The compound character「男」is explained as below.

The kanji for「男」"man" (male) is a compound character made up of the characters for「田」"field" and「力」"power." It is said that "field" represents a rice field, and "power" represents the plow, a farming tool. It is said that it came to be used to mean "man" because it was men who managed the farmland.

In Japanese,「力」"power" is also read as "chikara," but chikara comes from "blood," and is said to represent the shape of tensed muscles.

    From this, it can also be interpreted that the origin of "man" represents the image of someone doing heavy labor in a rice field, and that it is men who are doing heavy labor.

 

Brief bio

 

1942   Hidenori Hiruta was born in Taihei, Akita City, Akita Prefecture, Japan.

1952   Entered the Sōtō Zen monkhood at the age of 10.

1961   Entered Akita University and majored in English language and English literature.　

1964   Wrote a graduation thesis as below.

The title: The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot – Despair and Salvation –

The Waste Land: T.S. Eliot's famous long poem

“About salvation after the First World War (1914-1918)”

1965   Began to teach at a high school as an English teacher.

1981   Attended a high school English education instructor course organized by the Ministry of Education, where one of the lectures was English Haiku. He first wrote English haiku as below.

 

At Mount Tsukuba

burnishing study and thoughts

chestnuts ripen

 

筑波山毬栗の如学びけり

tsukubayama  igaguri no goto  manabi keri

 

1998   Studied about English haiku from Professor David McMurray. He began to write English haiku again. His haiku have appeared in various publications including Asahi Haikuist Network edited by David McMurray, Simply Haiku, Haiku Pix Review, Haijinx, HI (Tokyo), and so on. He was active, based in Akita Prefecture, Northern Honshu, Japan.

2009   Member of the Haiku International Association, whose president was Dr. Akita Arima.

       Also member of Japanese haiku group: Ten’I (Providence) led by Dr. Akito Arima.

2009   Set up the website “Akita International Haiku Network”.

　　　  https://akitahaiku.com/　

       Also founded the association “Akita International Haiku, Senryū, Tanka Network.”  

2019  Hidenori and Ben Grafström formed the new association “Akita International Haiku Network”.

2024   Formed the new haiku group “Haiku beyond Earth「天上」俳句会”, whose posting is now going on through the website of the Akita International Haiku Network.

2025　 Living in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.

 

Photo  "a photo in Sendai Tanabata Festival 2017"

 

 Haiku Blog, Talk, and Books

 

2009   Hidenori Hiruta set up his own haiku blog “AKITA HAIKU”.

       https://akitahaiku.blogspot.com/

　　　 Facebook 蛭田秀法

       https://www.facebook.com/shhiruta

 

2023   Gave a talk: “9.23 Haiku Talk by Hidenori Hiruta at Kobe University 2023”, whose title is「五・七・五の世界―日本語の魅力―」.

https://akitahaiku.com/2023/12/05/

 

2019-2021

Published 5 e-books (English Edition) Kindle 版:

‘俳句「山上」HAIKU Surmounting’

‘俳句「山上」HAIKU Surmounting Ⅱ’

‘3.11 Memorial Haiku「追悼」’

‘HAIKU Lake Tazawa「国鱒」’  

‘Resurrection of Tatsuko「辰子の復活」’