{Inter} Cultural Japan

When you say “haiku,” you say “Matsuyama.” Matsuyama on Shikoku is the hometown of Matsuoka Shiki (1867-1902), who in his short life transformed the Edo-period hokku into the modern haiku. He is greatly honored in his hometown, with a Shiki Museum and numerous haiku stones. What is more, Shiki was not Matsuyama’s only famous haiku poet - his disciples Kawahigashi Hekigoto (1873-1936) and Takahama Kyoshi (1874-1959) were also from Matsuyama and the famous haiku magazine Hotogogisu was born in this city. On top of that, the itinerant haiku poet Santoka (1882-1940) spent his last years in a hermitage in Matsuyama and Meiji-literature giant Natsume Soseki (1867-1916) taught for a year English at Matsuyama Junior Highschool. In Matsuyama, Soseki is not only remembered for the novel Botchan which is set in the city, but Soseki was also a not inconsiderable haiku poet - for a while, he shared a house in Matsuyama, Gudabutsuan, with Shiki.

[Haiku postbox. Photo Ad Blankestijn]

So there is every reason for Matsuyama to consider itself as the world capital of haiku. There are more than 480 haiku stones in the city and in many places you will find a kind of postboxes where you can contribute your own products. The city has published a book (in Japanese) that describes all haiku monuments, but there is also a website, bilingual this time, called Tour of Haiku Monuments in Matsuyama, run by the Ehime University Library.

[Screenprint of the website]

This is a great resource, especially for a haiku stone wanderer like myself (see my Matsuyama articles Shiki and Matsuyama, Haiku in Dogo Spa, Haiku in Ishiteji Temple, and Santoka and Matsuyama). The Ehime University Library site contains 213 haiku stones, about half the total number. Short articles give a picture, a translation and discussion. You can turn to the Japanese version to see the original haiku. The site has been made accessible by an index of haiku, and author index and a clickable map. There are also articles on major poets and a few other subjects. In other words, a great place to visit before starting your own haiku tour in Matsuyama, and a great home resource for haiku readers in general.