Consulate-General of Japan Invites Submissions to the Moonlight Haiku Challenge
2020/8/26
Moonlight Haiku Challenge
A sample entry for the Moonlight Haiku Challenge
To all poets and poets at heart: the Consulate-General of Japan is inviting you to submit a haiku poem as part of our Moonlight Haiku Challenge.
From Sept. 1 to 30, we will be accepting submissions of original haiku honouring the Harvest Moon, this year on Oct. 1. At a time when life presents countless distractions, this is an opportunity to collectively breathe, admire the beauty of the moon, and enjoy the old Japanese custom of Tsukimi (autumn moon viewing).
Tsukimi is an old custom and an elegant practice which entails placing ornaments and offerings such as food next to windows, on verandas, and other places where one can sit, admire the moon, and reflect. Since a big part of Tsukimi is to be moved by the moon’s beauty to compose haiku, the campaign invites everyone to be similarly creative and make a submission!
Entries to the Moonlight Haiku Challenge can take one of two formats: just a haiku poem; or a haiku combined with an image (artwork or a photo) inspired by the moon and/or Tsukimi. The haiku and images we receive will be posted on the Consulate-General of Japan’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/JapanConsToronto) and Twitter (@CGjapanTO). As well, after the end of the Moonlight Haiku Challenge, the entries will be gathered into one PDF anthology which will be shared with all of the participants. The haiku may be in English or Japanese.
To make a submission, please send it as an attachment to:
E-mail address: access@to.mofa.go.jp
Be sure to use the subject Line: Moonlight Haiku Challenge Entry
Submission term: Sept. 1 to 30, 2020
Inclusion in anthology: Please confirm whether you would like your work to be included in the PDF anthology
Credit: Please confirm the name with which you would like used to be credited (e.g. a nickname if preferred)
Poem format and theme:
PLEASE NOTE: We will review every submission and retain the right to not post any materials we deem inappropriate on our Facebook page/Twitter or include them in the PDF anthology.
From Sept. 1 to 30, we will be accepting submissions of original haiku honouring the Harvest Moon, this year on Oct. 1. At a time when life presents countless distractions, this is an opportunity to collectively breathe, admire the beauty of the moon, and enjoy the old Japanese custom of Tsukimi (autumn moon viewing).
Tsukimi is an old custom and an elegant practice which entails placing ornaments and offerings such as food next to windows, on verandas, and other places where one can sit, admire the moon, and reflect. Since a big part of Tsukimi is to be moved by the moon’s beauty to compose haiku, the campaign invites everyone to be similarly creative and make a submission!
Entries to the Moonlight Haiku Challenge can take one of two formats: just a haiku poem; or a haiku combined with an image (artwork or a photo) inspired by the moon and/or Tsukimi. The haiku and images we receive will be posted on the Consulate-General of Japan’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/JapanConsToronto) and Twitter (@CGjapanTO). As well, after the end of the Moonlight Haiku Challenge, the entries will be gathered into one PDF anthology which will be shared with all of the participants. The haiku may be in English or Japanese.
To make a submission, please send it as an attachment to:
E-mail address: access@to.mofa.go.jp
Be sure to use the subject Line: Moonlight Haiku Challenge Entry
Submission term: Sept. 1 to 30, 2020
Inclusion in anthology: Please confirm whether you would like your work to be included in the PDF anthology
Credit: Please confirm the name with which you would like used to be credited (e.g. a nickname if preferred)
Poem format and theme:
- UPDATE: We are no longer requiring the tradtional 5-7-5 syllable form. However, since haiku is conventionally considered to be the shortest poem in the world, three-line haiku are desirable.
- The haiku should touch on the theme of the full Harvest Moon and/or Tsukimi traditions
- The haiku can also be submitted in a visual format (JPEG/less than 10MB and attached to your e-mail submission).
PLEASE NOTE: We will review every submission and retain the right to not post any materials we deem inappropriate on our Facebook page/Twitter or include them in the PDF anthology.