祖母の雛滿洲國の番地あり （2029.4.6 読売新聞佳作入選）
Grandma’s dolls are here,
From the land of Manchuria –
A cherished memory.
This box holds my grandmother’s Hina dolls, accompanied by an address in Mansyuukoku (Manchuria) where they once lived. Despite the dangers of repatriation, my grandmother carried the dolls back to Japan, never letting them out of her sight. The dolls serve as a reminder of my grandmother’s strength and resilience.
箸墓に眠る人あり桃の花 （2021.4.18 神奈川新聞入選）
Beside the grave marked
With chopsticks, lies a person –
Peach blossoms in bloom.
Excavations at the Makimuku ruins near Hashihaka (also known as the Chopstick Grave) have unearthed a significant number of carbonized peach seeds. The peach was a plant with strong ties to ancient Chinese mythology. The grave is believed to be the resting place of Himiko, a legendary queen who was revered as a powerful shamaness. The abundance of peach seeds found in the excavation provides compelling evidence that Himiko was indeed buried in the Chopstick Grave.
航跡の白き対馬の卯浪かな (2019.6.22 読売新聞佳作入選)
The white wake of ships,
In Tsushima’s April waves –
A never-ending flow.
As the Unami (April surf wave) approaches the coast of Tsushima, the wakes of ships sailing offshore appear unusually white. For centuries, Tsushima has served as a crucial transportation hub between Japan and the continent. Seeing the ships’ bright wakes, one can’t help but imagine the vessels that once came and went along these same waters. With offshore wakes and Unami waves on the horizon, it’s impossible not to be moved by the grandeur of this scene.
雷鳥のつがう縄張り青き踏む (2021.5.2 神奈川新聞入選)
Grouse pairs mark their ground
Stepping on the blue expanse
Of their territory
Three years ago, during Golden Week, I traveled from Nagano to Toyama with two families – a total of eight children – crossing Kurobe. The highlight of the trip was the breathtaking 500-meter-long Shomyo-no-Taki waterfall, formed by melted snow. Recently, as my grandchildren have grown older, I had planned another trip with them. However, due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the project was unfortunately cancelled.
七歳と喜寿のラインや春の暮(2021.5.15 日経新聞３席入選)
Spring darkness falls
A seven-year-old boy, a grandpa of seventy-seven connected by Line
(Selector’s comment) The heart of the author and his grandson connected by a line. Hour of bliss. (Kyoko Kuroda)
五月雨を集める滝や酒仙境 （2013春 茅野市俳句大会入選）
A waterfall collects
The May rain – in this realm of
Sake-loving saints
In the southern part of Chino City lies Taruhime Bungaku Shizen no Sato, an area boasting a walking path and numerous stone monuments dedicated to the works of famous poets and haiku poets such as Basho. Among these monuments, there is one for Taruhime-no-taki, a waterfall that collects rain and produces a thunderous roar. Overlooking the waterfall is an old pavilion where a box for submitting haiku can be found. Among the many submissions, the haiku above was chosen for the honor.
春の水美味し甲武の分水嶺 （2021.5.22 読売入選）
Spring water is sweet,
Dividing Koubu ridge’s peak,
In Koubu’s watershed.
During my recent visit to the Shibusawa Memorial Museum in Fukaya, I learned about the geography of Chichibu. The town is located at the boundary of two rivers, the Arakawa which flows into the Kanto region, and the Fuefuki River which flows into the Koshu Basin. This boundary is marked by the watershed, and it has been known since ancient times that the water from the watershed is delicious. This is why many sake breweries have been established in the area, taking advantage of the high-quality water. As a result, not only is the water delicious, but so is the sake produced in this region.
満ち潮に運ばる春の大夕焼 （2021.6.6 神奈川新聞入選）
Carried by the high tide,
A grand spring sunset glows bright,
In the evening sky.
(2021.6.6 Selected for the Kanagawa Shimbun)
The embankment of Sagami River is a popular spot for cycling enthusiasts. This brackish water area is characterized by the ebb and flow of the tides, which cause the seawater to flow upstream and create waves. As the sun descends towards the horizon, its rays reflect off the water, making it appear as if the waves are carrying light. The resulting effect is a stunning red sunset, which seemingly connects the sky, sea, and river into one magnificent view.
薄氷を跳ぶ子廻る子かち割る子 （2022.3.27 神奈川新聞入選）
Children jumping on
Thin ice, spinning around, or
Splitting the ice with glee.
(2022.3.27 Selected for the Kanagawa Shimbun)
Even in Chigasaki, February can bring frigid temperatures and icy conditions. As I rode my bicycle along the horse road in the rice fields, I noticed that the ruts had become coated in a thin layer of ice. The sound of my tires crunching on the ice was refreshing and invigorating. It made me think about how children might play on the ice and inspired me to write this phrase.
また春のリセット仏語講座かな (2022.4.3 神奈川新聞入選）
French class begins anew
Springtime air fills the classroom
A fresh start awaits
(2022.4.3 Selected for the Kanagawa Shimbun)
During my time at university, I studied French as a second foreign language. However, after graduation, I never had an opportunity to use it and soon forgot everything I had learned. Recently, I discovered NHK’s Rajiru * Rajiru’s missed-listening service and started listening to it in March. At first, the service introduced complex verb conjugations such as the past conditional, which proved to be quite difficult. However, with practice, it gradually became easier and by April, I felt confident enough to move on to the middle course. I am determined to keep up with my studies this time and regain my fluency in French.
ふらここや光を揺らすおさげ髪 （2022.4.24 神奈川新聞入選）
A waver here
Pigtails that sway with light, dear
Flutter here and there.
(2022.4.24 Kanagawa Shimbun selected)
As spring arrives, the atmosphere fills with a sense of lightness and it feels as though light itself has taken on a tangible quality. The hair of the girl on the swing glistens and appears to sway in unison with the dancing light. In reality, her hair merely reflects the radiance of the surrounding light, but the way it seems to ripple and move with the light is mesmerizing.
ピカピカの英語で届く花便り (2022.5.1 神奈川新聞入選）
Fresh blooms in bright news
Delivered in polished English
Nature’s beauty shines
(2022.5.1 Selected for Kanagawa Shimbun)
My elder grandson started junior high school last year, and I expressed my desire to receive emails from him in English. Although I have yet to receive one, I am eagerly anticipating the day when I will be able to read his messages and witness his growth in the language.
種蒔くや十色の夢を蒔くごとく （2022.5.29 神奈川新聞入選）
sowing seeds-
planting ten-colored dreams
in fertile soil
(2022.5.29 Selected for Kanagawa Shimbun)
I find my greatest sense of fulfillment when working in the field, creating ridges, planting seedlings, and sowing seeds. As I tend to the carefully crafted ridges, each free of weeds and resembling a pristine white canvas, I am overcome with a sense of wonder and possibility. It is in these moments that my dreams for the future take flight.
神木に沁み入る諏訪の雪解水 （2022.6.4 読売新聞入選）
Thawed Suwa water
Pours into the sacred tree
A holy offering
(2022.6.4 Selected for Yomiuri Shimbun)
Once every seven years in the Suwa region of Shinshu, Nagano Prefecture, the Onbashira Festival is held. At Chino no Kamisha, pillars are meticulously cut from the Yatsugatake forest and transported across the Miyagawa River, in front of Maemiya shrine. The river’s frigid waters, originating from the melted snow of Mt. Yatsugatake, remain as icy-cold as ever in April, when the ceremony takes place, lending to the solemnity of the event. Despite the chilling temperature, this year’s festival was unique due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The transporting of the pillars from the mountain’s base was done via truck, and the water used to bless the sacred tree was pumped and sprinkled onto it instead.
卒業す階段に疵つけたまま （2022.6.18 読売新聞入選）
Leaving the school steps,
carrying scars that remain
from my graduation.
(2022.6.18 Selected for Yomiuri Shimbun)
Throughout my life, I’ve experienced numerous graduations, each leaving its mark on the stairs I climbed. As I reflect on my journey, I am reminded that one day, I too will graduate from this life, leaving behind my own unique legacy of scratches on the steps I once climbed. It is with this awareness that I strive to make every step count, to make every moment meaningful, and to leave a lasting impression on the world around me.
湧水の美味し甲武の山笑ふ (2023.5.11 読売新聞入選）
At Kobu Mountain,
spring water tastes so delicious,
the mountains smile with joy.
(2023.5.11 Selected for Yomiuri Shimbun)
The mountains of Kobu rest on the eastern periphery of Fossa Magna. At multiple locations, spring water gushes out from the fault cliffs, reminiscent of the ancient tectonic movements, offering a refreshing drink to the climbers.
歩荷ゆく春の木道は二尺巾 (2023.5.13 読売入選）
The spring path winds on,
Two feet wide, burdened with steps,
Nature’s journey flows.
It is a scene I saw on NHK TV’s “Small Journey.” In this scene, the reporter Tetsuya Yamamoto encounters a porter carrying a load heavier than his own body weight and learns that a mountain hut is about to open. I composed a poem entrusting the arrival of spring in the mountains to the porter.
水底に影が影追ふ流し雛（2023.5.20 読売新聞佳作入選）
In the depths of water,
Shadows follow shadows’ path,
Floating paper dolls.
(Commentary) During the evening of Hinamatsuri, a tradition exists where handmade paper dolls are set afloat in the river. The clear river reflects the shadows of these floating paper dolls, and the vivid sight of one shadow chasing another as they drift downstream could be seen. (Kenzo Nomura)
春惜しむ夜のまだ浅き大埠頭 （20213.6.10 読売新聞入選）
The night lingers on,
Spring’s beauty cherished deeply,
At the bustling dock.
About ten years ago, the year before my wife fell ill, we, as a couple, embarked on a delightful cruise aboard a large cruise ship called the “Sun Princess” from the bustling dock of Yokohama. The cruise lasted for ten days and took us to various hot spring resorts in western Japan. As the ship departed from the dock in the early evening, a ceremony celebrating the departure was held, and the passengers watched it from the deck. It was truly a joyous journey.