Here's this month's poetry column from our friend Keiji Minato... Kobo-san (弘法さん) is the popular name of Toji Kobo-ichi (東寺弘法市; Toji Kobo Market), the monthly fair that takes place at Toji Temple. On the 21st every month, hundreds of stalls occupy its huge precincts and alleys all around and sell a wide variety of goods from food and drink through accessories and clothes … [Read more...]
Ogurayama Citizens’ Event 2010
Mountain stillness broken by... tree dressers 木を飾る人に破られ 山の静けさ (John Einarsen from the collection One Hundred Poets on Mount Ogura, One Poem Each) This Sunday People Together for Mt. Ogura (P.T.O.) will be holding their annual autumn citizens' event - and I'll be joining them. This event is held every year partly to show the local community the conservation work that … [Read more...]
“A Lively Evening” by Murayama Kaita
Here's another post on Kyoto poets and poetry by our guest contributor, Keiji Minato. Keiji writes... Last time I took up Yosa Buson, a great poet-cum-painter in the 18th century. The topic this time is a man who also both wrote poetry and left great paintings, but in a totally different era. MURAYAMA Kaita (村山槐太; 1896-1919) was born in Yokohama but grew up in … [Read more...]
raw elements ~ “Down by the Salley Gardens”
Today's offering from raw elements is a lovely old Irish air, with lyrics specially written by your man Yeats. I've included a note on the poem and the lyrics below... W.B. Yeats wrote of his poem that it was "an attempt to reconstruct an old song from three lines imperfectly remembered by an old peasant woman in the village of Ballisodare, Sligo, who often sings them to … [Read more...]
Poetry and Discussion with Trane DeVore
Trane DeVore has a resolute, puckish wisdom to him, unnatural in one so young, but gratifying and heartfelt nonetheless. In an age in which everything has to be "new" all over again, DeVore is thrillingly chivalrous and frank... -- Kevin Killian Japan International Poetry Society (JIPS) have invited the American poet Trane … [Read more...]
One Hundred Poets on Mount Ogura, One Poem Each
朝に夕 眺めし小倉の 山にきて 幼き頃の 山路楽しむ To Ogura I have come, the hill I have looked at every morning and eve: enjoying again it's mountain paths I once walked as a child (Yoshihiro Tsuchida from the collection One Hundred Poets on Mount Ogura, One Poem Each) In a previous post I wrote about the environmental action group P.T.O. (People Together for Mt. Ogura) and the … [Read more...]
A Hokku of Yosa Buson
This is Keiji Minato's second article on the poets and poetry of Kyoto. Keiji writes... Yosa Buson (1716-83), one of the most popular haikai masters from the Edo period, lived most of his adult life in Kyoto City. ほととぎす平安城を筋違に 与謝蕪村 (Hototogisu heianjo wo sujikai ni) YOSA Buson lesser cuckoo crossing diagonally above Heianjo “Heianjo (平安城)” is the same … [Read more...]
Introducing Keiji Minato
I am very happy to welcome a new regular guest contributor to Deep Kyoto: Mr. Keiji Minato. JIPS member Keiji is going to introduce us to the wonderful world of Kyoto poets and poetry! In his own words... Kyoto was the center of Japanese poetry for a long time, as of most other cultures in Japan (Am I writing the obvious?). Since the old capital was founded in … [Read more...]
People Together for Mt. Ogura – The Poets’ Mountain
...to feel the presence of this graceful Poet's Mount, we should go there. If possible, climb up a bit and take in the view. Listen, as the sounds of the city dwindle and those of nature take over. The trail at your feet will soon turn to earth and rock... - Stephen Gill For the last two weekends I've been taking part in conservation work with the environmental action group … [Read more...]
Poetry & Discussion with Takako Arai & Jeffrey Angles
In this month's DK article for Kyoto Visitor's Guide I included some information about the next meeting of the Japan International Poetry Society. However, as all articles are submitted two months in advance, sometimes details change - in this case for the better! At the next meeting on June 12th visiting Japanese poetry translator, Jeffrey Angles was originally scheduled to … [Read more...]
Ikkyū
Ian Ropke writes... Ikkyū was a Zen monk who was famous for burning the candle of life at both ends. By day, he was devout and extremely accomplished monk and scholar. By night, he reveled in the so-called “floating world” of drink and women. He lived in tumultuous 15th century Japan at a time when most of the country was ruined by civil war. Ikkyū was born the … [Read more...]
Japan International Poetry Society
Simply said, we just want to increase the chances of listening to good poets and poetry, mainly in English, here in Japan. - Keiji Minato It's an old tip but a good one: to really enjoy a poem, it should be read aloud. And nothing brings poetry to life more than hearing it read by the original poet. On Monday night I attended an event with acclaimed American poet, translator … [Read more...]
Jerome Rothenberg @ Heartpia Kyoto
Stick this one in your diaries. American poet Jerome Rothenberg will be performing his poetry at Heartpia Kyoto on Monday March 22nd. Here's the info from Japan International Poetry Society: Internationally renowned American poet and translator Jerome Rothenberg will perform a representative selection of poems from his earlier and later work, including poems set in Japan … [Read more...]
