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

Arata Ozeki’s “Kyoto Station” Chairman Award poem