2018 Traffic Culture Exhibition Winning Haiku translations by Emiko Miyashita and
Michael Dylan Welch
First published in the Traffic Culture Exhibition, held 18–23 October 2018 at Ueno Station in Tokyo, Japan, and in the
associated results book and on the website. See also the 2019 Haiku Winners. +
交通総合文化展 2018 選評 Traffic Culture Exhibition 2018 Haiku Winners
Haiku Section | The Japanese Railways, the Fascination of Japan
Judge’s Haikuto a fantasy
called hometown
my homecoming HASEGAWA
Kai
Japan Traffic Culture Association Chairman AwardKyoto Station
a person with a backpack
summer clouds OZEKI
Arata
“Summer clouds are emerging against the blue sky
over Kyoto Station. A person carrying a backpack is now passing through the
grand concourse that penetrates the station. This haiku hints at a new
encounter in Kyoto.” —Hasegawa Kai
First Placefrom the overhead rack
I take down my memories
summer’s end NISHIDE
Kazuyo
“The task of taking one’s luggage down from the overhead rack is like taking
down one’s memories. The luggage must be fully packed with the memories of
summer.” —Hasegawa
Kai
Second Placeresting its wings
on a human being
a red dragonfly SHIBUYA
Fumie
Third Place (tie)jumping onto a streetcar
to its heartbeat
Hiroshima Day ISHIKAWA
Kiyoshi (ISHIKAWA Touma)
after a lapse of fifteen years
viewing from the sky
Mt. Fuji in summer NARITA
Noriko (Hanako)
here and there
swallows’ nests
a station of love HASHIMOTO
Yuko
Selected Winnersgoing back to
my second hometown
Bon Festival YABUKI
Hiromi
at New Year
the railroads sing, too
traveling by myself IIDA
Masahisa
first day of summer
taking the Tsubasa train
my friend has come SHIMAZAKI
Hatsu
summer train
viewing the familiar sea
and going back KOSAKA
Takuo
the full moon
so near
at a village station SUGASAWA
Masami
burning sky
I change trains over and over
to reach the sea FUJIMOTO
Haruka (FUJIMOTO Syunpu)
a day to leave for Tokyo
our parting
under the blazing sky SAKAI
Toshihiko (SAKAI Sorachi)
mother and daughter’s
last cherry blossoms
the Kintaikyō Bridge SHIMOE
Etsuko
to see the chrysanthemums
in Shuzenji Temple
I stop over ARAI
Chiyoko
for gifts
three ekiben boxes
Bon Festival homecoming KAWASUE
Kyoma
Arata Ozeki’s “Kyoto Station” Chairman Award poem
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