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 (scroll down to see the haiku section). See also the 2019 Haiku Winners, 2020 Haiku Winners, 2021 Haiku Winners, and 2022 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 Haiku

to a fantasy

called hometown

my homecoming HASEGAWA Kai

Japan Traffic Culture Association Chairman Award

Kyoto 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 Place

from 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 Place

resting 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 Winners

going 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