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The Haiku Apprentice: Memoirs of Writing Poetry in Japan
The problem came to a head one day as I was driving through Tokyo. While waiting for the light to change, I saw the following public service announcement on the side of a bus: Omoiyari hitonikurumani konomachini (Sympathy / toward people, toward cars / toward this town). Seventeen syllables. Five-seven-five format. It must be a haiku, I thought. But when I reached the office and repeated the announcement to my Japanese coworkers, none of them thought it was a haiku. I knew they were thinking to themselves, What kind of a lunatic is she? One tried to break the news to me gently, It’s not a haiku, it’s an advertising jingle. Well, I knew it was an advertising jingle, but still, wasn’t it an advertising jingle haiku?—From The Haiku Apprentice
Abigail Friedman was an American diplomat in Tokyo, not a writer. A chance encounter leads her to a haiku group, where she discovers poetry that anyone can enjoy writing. Her teacher and fellow haiku group members instruct her in seasonal flora and fauna, and gradually she learns to describe the world in plain words, becoming one of the millions in Japan who lead a haiku life. This is the author’s story of her literary and cultural voyage, and more: it is an invitation to readers to form their own neighborhood haiku groups and, like her, learn to see the world anew.
"...A deft and seamless merging of genres: at once memoir, travel literature, and an unpretentious guide onto the terrain of Japanese poetry. It will appeal not just to poetry lovers, but to all readers who are curious about the world beyond their own borders." -- Foreword Magazine
"Friedman is an appealing guide through an alternate Japan where modern people make poems about teacups and temples but also about skyscrapers and kidney surgery." -- East Bay Express
"The book is not designed to make the reader a poet, but it does, perhaps, help us to pay more attention to our poetical eye." -- BiblioBuffet
"The Haiku Apprentice gives the reader an original, thoughtful and personal glimpse of one expat’s productive encounter with Japan." -- Metropolis
"...Notable for its frankness and enthusiasm...Friedman has made a lively narrative out of the things she learned..." -- The Japan Times
Abigail Friedman was an American diplomat in Tokyo, not a writer. A chance encounter leads her to a haiku group, where she discovers poetry that anyone can enjoy writing. Her teacher and fellow haiku group members instruct her in seasonal flora and fauna, and gradually she learns to describe the world in plain words, becoming one of the millions in Japan who lead a haiku life. This is the author’s story of her literary and cultural voyage, and more: it is an invitation to readers to form their own neighborhood haiku groups and, like her, learn to see the world anew.
"...A deft and seamless merging of genres: at once memoir, travel literature, and an unpretentious guide onto the terrain of Japanese poetry. It will appeal not just to poetry lovers, but to all readers who are curious about the world beyond their own borders." -- Foreword Magazine
"Friedman is an appealing guide through an alternate Japan where modern people make poems about teacups and temples but also about skyscrapers and kidney surgery." -- East Bay Express
"The book is not designed to make the reader a poet, but it does, perhaps, help us to pay more attention to our poetical eye." -- BiblioBuffet
"The Haiku Apprentice gives the reader an original, thoughtful and personal glimpse of one expat’s productive encounter with Japan." -- Metropolis
"...Notable for its frankness and enthusiasm...Friedman has made a lively narrative out of the things she learned..." -- The Japan Times
224 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2006
9 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
Abigail Friedman
4 books5 followersAbigail Friedman is Senior Advisor to The Asia Foundation. In that capacity, she directs the Foundation's cooperation with Japan in Asia, brings her negotiating and conflict resolution expertise to programming on the root causes of conflict in Asia, and advises on conflict-affected and fragile regions, including Afghanistan.
Ms. Friedman brings to the Foundation over twenty years of experience as a U.S. diplomat. Prior to coming to The Asia Foundation, she served at the White House as National Security Council Director for Afghanistan, where she helped craft the President's Afghanistan policy and led interagency efforts on the Afghan transition. Before that, she was the senior-most civilian embedded in a U.S. brigade in eastern Afghanistan, where she directed the civilian activities of four Provincial Reconstruction Teams and several District Support Teams. Earlier diplomatic assignments include several tours in Tokyo where her responsibilities included aligning U.S. and Japanese policy towards North Korea, and subsequent participation in the Six Party Talks on North Korea. Her involvement in peace negotiations also extends to the Balkans. At the 1995 Dayton Peace negotiations for Bosnia and Herzegovina, she negotiated with the international Contact Group to stand up an international police task force and to create an international governance structure for Bosnia. As U.S. Consul General in Quebec (2004-7), she addressed environmental challenges in particular the impact of climate change on the Arctic territory of Nunavut.
Ms. Friedman brings to the Foundation over twenty years of experience as a U.S. diplomat. Prior to coming to The Asia Foundation, she served at the White House as National Security Council Director for Afghanistan, where she helped craft the President's Afghanistan policy and led interagency efforts on the Afghan transition. Before that, she was the senior-most civilian embedded in a U.S. brigade in eastern Afghanistan, where she directed the civilian activities of four Provincial Reconstruction Teams and several District Support Teams. Earlier diplomatic assignments include several tours in Tokyo where her responsibilities included aligning U.S. and Japanese policy towards North Korea, and subsequent participation in the Six Party Talks on North Korea. Her involvement in peace negotiations also extends to the Balkans. At the 1995 Dayton Peace negotiations for Bosnia and Herzegovina, she negotiated with the international Contact Group to stand up an international police task force and to create an international governance structure for Bosnia. As U.S. Consul General in Quebec (2004-7), she addressed environmental challenges in particular the impact of climate change on the Arctic territory of Nunavut.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 20, 2008
An interesting book on haiku framed with bits of memoir. I always assumed there was more to haiku than just counting syllables, but since my exposure was limited to 3rd grade creative writing, I haven't had a whole lot to base this assumption on. The book does a good job of talking about form, structure, history and intent but what is most fascinating about it is her picture of haiku in contemporary life. The author stumbled into a haiku writing group while living in Japan, and the book is as much about the millions of japanese amateur poets who write their own haiku and gather with others share them, as it is about Basho and "cut words". In keeping with the idea that haiku is a people's art and the book ends with tips on how to start your own group.
September 25, 2021
I am so moved by this book. It is not a "how to" as much as it is a "how I came to." Abigail Friedman's haiku journey is beautifully portrayed in this memoir and, though I spent years studying Japanese short-form poetry in the West, I learned so much more about the origins of haiku and the cultural significance of the genre. For anyone wanting to delve further into this poetic form, The Haiku Apprentice should be a must-read!
June 25, 2019
Ha! Abigail Friedman! You have me walking around, dreaming up Haiku (probably bad ones) in my head and, what's worse I am wasting my work time typing a few up too! I even submitted some to a publication - only to feel the pain and humiliation of rejection. I told you they are bad!
I loved reading about your deep dive into Japanese culture. So many Westerners would not bother with calligraphy and Haiku etc. You are blessed to have had this opportunity and to be congratulated on taking it up too!
Readers, this is a great book if you want something to slow down with, something culturally wonderful and delightfully simple. It is well written and researched and even has tips for your own Haiku journey at the back. Embrace the simple pleasure of this surprisingly contemporary poetry!
I loved reading about your deep dive into Japanese culture. So many Westerners would not bother with calligraphy and Haiku etc. You are blessed to have had this opportunity and to be congratulated on taking it up too!
Readers, this is a great book if you want something to slow down with, something culturally wonderful and delightfully simple. It is well written and researched and even has tips for your own Haiku journey at the back. Embrace the simple pleasure of this surprisingly contemporary poetry!
March 17, 2009
i stumbled upon this book in a little shop in nyc. read it. fell in love with the author and haiku all over again!
an incredible story of self-discovery using a traditional art form.
an incredible story of self-discovery using a traditional art form.
March 8, 2023
I loved this book and feel inspired to write haiku myself now. Maybe even start a kukai haiku writing group!
January 17, 2008
The January Fountain Bookstore bookgroup book.
Non-fiction. Gentle poetic account of an American diplomat learning to write haiku while living in Japan. Nice counterpoint to my other explorations of Japanese culture and media (samurai films, manga, etc).
Nice moments so far of the Japanese poetic sensibility, and learning the hiaku art of being completely "in the moment" in order to absorb and capture an impression or experience.
Non-fiction. Gentle poetic account of an American diplomat learning to write haiku while living in Japan. Nice counterpoint to my other explorations of Japanese culture and media (samurai films, manga, etc).
Nice moments so far of the Japanese poetic sensibility, and learning the hiaku art of being completely "in the moment" in order to absorb and capture an impression or experience.
October 10, 2022
My most enjoyable read of 2022 so far. A quiet, reflective journey through the author’s introduction to haiku while living in Japan. Lots of knowledge I haven’t found elsewhere was offered in a gentle and inspiring way. I enjoyed the story of the author’s time in Japan and appreciated the many insights into haiku. One that I’ll re-read, I found myself putting aside other things in order to make time to dive back in to this wonderful book as often as possible.
November 30, 2024
I really love books about people who embed themselves in other cultures to learn a skill or to follow a path (pilgrimage or art). Hannah Kirshner's recent book on Japan is a top favorite from this category. The Haiku apprentice is called a memoir, but like Kirshner's book it is really more like embedded journalism or travel writing. It is frustrating to read so many books about haiku that are written from poets who do not speak the language or have an authentic understanding of the art form.
Friedman was a diplomat in Japan during the North Korea kidnapping days. Poetry was something that happened to her.... a busy career woman with children living in Tokyo, we get to follow her to her haiku society meetings and in private lessons with her remarkable teacher...
Quotes:
We need to begin by going over the elements of haiku. A haiku is composed of three basic elements: seasonal words, seventeen sounds, and kireji, or “cut-words.”
My new name was a reminder to me that haiku is not just about writing about beauty, but is a path of self-discovery. I could not expect to write good haiku if I was not seeking to be true to myself. The name Momoko gave me would inspire me within, down that narrow road, to the interior.
The HSA definition, given on the society’s web site at www.hsa-haiku.org, now states: A haiku is a short poem that uses imagistic language to convey the essence of an experience of nature or the season intuitively linked to the human condition.
An interview with author
https://haikupresence.org/essays/inte...
Friedman was a diplomat in Japan during the North Korea kidnapping days. Poetry was something that happened to her.... a busy career woman with children living in Tokyo, we get to follow her to her haiku society meetings and in private lessons with her remarkable teacher...
Quotes:
We need to begin by going over the elements of haiku. A haiku is composed of three basic elements: seasonal words, seventeen sounds, and kireji, or “cut-words.”
My new name was a reminder to me that haiku is not just about writing about beauty, but is a path of self-discovery. I could not expect to write good haiku if I was not seeking to be true to myself. The name Momoko gave me would inspire me within, down that narrow road, to the interior.
The HSA definition, given on the society’s web site at www.hsa-haiku.org, now states: A haiku is a short poem that uses imagistic language to convey the essence of an experience of nature or the season intuitively linked to the human condition.
An interview with author
https://haikupresence.org/essays/inte...
January 23, 2014
If you're not Japanese or you don't understand Japanese language, then haiku could potentially come as a proxy to inconsequential and inscrutable short poems with meanings that could hardly be deciphered. One could not possibly be able to appreciate the poetic brilliance , exquisiteness and intricacies of haiku without first understanding the language. Japanese language, invariably is the prerequisite of haiku.
Haiku is the shortened/ revolutionised version of renga, a longer poetic form that consists of 5-7-5-7-7 syllables structure as oppose to 5-7-5 for haiku. As such, the depth of renga and its longer form are helpful in contextualising and bringing clarity to the poems. I found that for most haiku poems are without equitable worthiness of its beauty, unless if they are supplemented with annotations or stories that had evoked the creation of the said poems. One haiku by Bashō reflects exactly that:
saru o kiku hito suteko ni aki no kaze ikani
to those who lamented the cries of the monkeys
the abandoned child in the autumn wind
what of that?
The story behind this haiku is poignant and Bashō had explained it in praiseworthy details that are aesthetically saturated:
"As I was plodding along the River Fuji I saw a small child, hardly three years of age, crying pitifully on the bank, obviously abandoned by his parents. They must have thought this child was unable to ride through the stormy weathers of life which run as wild as the rapid river itself, and that he was destined to have a life even shorter than that of the morning dew. The child looked to me as fragile as the flowers of the bush-clover that scatter at the slightest stir of the autumn wind, and it was so pitiful that I gave him what little food I had with me."
From the story that had inspired Bashō to write the haiku, and the haiku itself, it is apparent that the haiku poets derive their aspirations primarily from the nature. Thus, ofttimes we hear the reason of ordinary people retrieving from the hectic of modern lives and dedicating their times to haiku as a form of re-engaging nature to their hollow, soulless lives. Re-engagement brings about a sense of connection not just with one's surroundings, correspondingly with one's sense of being. Ergo, oft haiku poets would profess that haiku helps to balance their lives, almost as if balancing them between the worldly and the after life, and that delivers peace in not just the poets' lives, as well as the poets' hearts.
The remarkable sense of appreciation towards nature shown by the haiku poets is translated in the form of kigo, or seasonal words, one of three fundamental elements of haiku. In haiku, poets use kigo to evoke the seasonal imageries and feelings associated with the particular season. For example, 'cherry blossoms' indicates spring season while 'ducks arriving' is a fall seasonal word. Haiku poets select these kigo from saijiki, or seasonal dictionary and use them to indirectly frame the seasonal context. However, readers who are not familiar with kigo would definitely fail to find the hidden richness in haiku poems, especially to the non-Japanese readers with little to no learning on Japanese language.
Interestingly, at the same time, the using of kigo in haiku poems works as a sense of connection or relationship between the present time to the centuries behind. Haiku poets who use kigo that had been used by other haiku poets millennia before sees this an opportunity to bring the deceased poets' spirits alive in their haiku. As Kuroda Momoko claimed, "Seasonal words unify people, not only in the present but also in the past." Sometimes it is hard not to marvel at the uniqueness of the Japanese language: that the usage of one word (although it does not confer ownership of that particular word) could be traced to a singular person, a figure with a soul and stories, and that word alone can be the sole source to establish the sense of familiar connectedness. That particular word is reserved and sustained throughout changing centuries, bringing its own history and story that people in the distant future could easily relate to.
Haiku does not only assault people's intelligence into fathoming the very essence and technical aptness of constructing haiku, it also challenges one's knowledge reservoir. Again, readers unequipped with the Japanese history, culture and traditions knowledge would be at loss, rendering those haiku senseless, despite its richness that could be captured only by selected few. Thus it is of utmost important that haiku should be followed by comments and annotations to accommodate curious readers. Yet, regardless of how shallow my understanding and appreciation of and toward haiku, it intrigues me deeply still, of its ability to stimulate eagerness in, perhaps not only me but many others, to extend our understanding beyond haiku. In order to understand haiku well, one must also learn about Japanese language, history, cultures and traditions, dated eons back. The haiku masters, I deem, to be of excellent learned people: rich in their knowledge, and firm in their grasp of the aforesaid branches. It is the truth that Kuroda Momoko had said, "To learn haiku is to be patient with it." How can we not be?
One haiku can offer you vast learning opportunities beyond those 5-7-5 structure. It makes you appreciate the intellect of those incredible poets, as if they created real magics, not poems. Such mystery, such beauty, such intricacy. Suffice to say, they, like Bashō or Issa, deserved the recognition and fame for their poetic prodigy. I'm utterly impressed.
Haiku is the shortened/ revolutionised version of renga, a longer poetic form that consists of 5-7-5-7-7 syllables structure as oppose to 5-7-5 for haiku. As such, the depth of renga and its longer form are helpful in contextualising and bringing clarity to the poems. I found that for most haiku poems are without equitable worthiness of its beauty, unless if they are supplemented with annotations or stories that had evoked the creation of the said poems. One haiku by Bashō reflects exactly that:
saru o kiku hito suteko ni aki no kaze ikani
to those who lamented the cries of the monkeys
the abandoned child in the autumn wind
what of that?
The story behind this haiku is poignant and Bashō had explained it in praiseworthy details that are aesthetically saturated:
"As I was plodding along the River Fuji I saw a small child, hardly three years of age, crying pitifully on the bank, obviously abandoned by his parents. They must have thought this child was unable to ride through the stormy weathers of life which run as wild as the rapid river itself, and that he was destined to have a life even shorter than that of the morning dew. The child looked to me as fragile as the flowers of the bush-clover that scatter at the slightest stir of the autumn wind, and it was so pitiful that I gave him what little food I had with me."
From the story that had inspired Bashō to write the haiku, and the haiku itself, it is apparent that the haiku poets derive their aspirations primarily from the nature. Thus, ofttimes we hear the reason of ordinary people retrieving from the hectic of modern lives and dedicating their times to haiku as a form of re-engaging nature to their hollow, soulless lives. Re-engagement brings about a sense of connection not just with one's surroundings, correspondingly with one's sense of being. Ergo, oft haiku poets would profess that haiku helps to balance their lives, almost as if balancing them between the worldly and the after life, and that delivers peace in not just the poets' lives, as well as the poets' hearts.
The remarkable sense of appreciation towards nature shown by the haiku poets is translated in the form of kigo, or seasonal words, one of three fundamental elements of haiku. In haiku, poets use kigo to evoke the seasonal imageries and feelings associated with the particular season. For example, 'cherry blossoms' indicates spring season while 'ducks arriving' is a fall seasonal word. Haiku poets select these kigo from saijiki, or seasonal dictionary and use them to indirectly frame the seasonal context. However, readers who are not familiar with kigo would definitely fail to find the hidden richness in haiku poems, especially to the non-Japanese readers with little to no learning on Japanese language.
Interestingly, at the same time, the using of kigo in haiku poems works as a sense of connection or relationship between the present time to the centuries behind. Haiku poets who use kigo that had been used by other haiku poets millennia before sees this an opportunity to bring the deceased poets' spirits alive in their haiku. As Kuroda Momoko claimed, "Seasonal words unify people, not only in the present but also in the past." Sometimes it is hard not to marvel at the uniqueness of the Japanese language: that the usage of one word (although it does not confer ownership of that particular word) could be traced to a singular person, a figure with a soul and stories, and that word alone can be the sole source to establish the sense of familiar connectedness. That particular word is reserved and sustained throughout changing centuries, bringing its own history and story that people in the distant future could easily relate to.
Haiku does not only assault people's intelligence into fathoming the very essence and technical aptness of constructing haiku, it also challenges one's knowledge reservoir. Again, readers unequipped with the Japanese history, culture and traditions knowledge would be at loss, rendering those haiku senseless, despite its richness that could be captured only by selected few. Thus it is of utmost important that haiku should be followed by comments and annotations to accommodate curious readers. Yet, regardless of how shallow my understanding and appreciation of and toward haiku, it intrigues me deeply still, of its ability to stimulate eagerness in, perhaps not only me but many others, to extend our understanding beyond haiku. In order to understand haiku well, one must also learn about Japanese language, history, cultures and traditions, dated eons back. The haiku masters, I deem, to be of excellent learned people: rich in their knowledge, and firm in their grasp of the aforesaid branches. It is the truth that Kuroda Momoko had said, "To learn haiku is to be patient with it." How can we not be?
One haiku can offer you vast learning opportunities beyond those 5-7-5 structure. It makes you appreciate the intellect of those incredible poets, as if they created real magics, not poems. Such mystery, such beauty, such intricacy. Suffice to say, they, like Bashō or Issa, deserved the recognition and fame for their poetic prodigy. I'm utterly impressed.
August 31, 2023
This was a really interesting book. And was a great on-site into Haiku. The book raised as many questions as it answered. This is not a bad thing as it’s clear through out the book that writing Haiku is a journey of discovery. I read the book as I’m playing with an idea in my mind with a little project using Haiku. What’s clear is I am not ready for that and this book was just the beginning of learning about this subject. If
August 11, 2019
I am on my own journey to learn to write haiku. I encountered this book in my search for texts on haiku. The book was entertaining and covered a number of topics that are helpful to me in my own journey. It was an enjoyable book to read and I read the book during two flights. I recommend it, especially if you are on your own haiku journey.
September 27, 2018
An American diplomat explores a culture and way of being by joining a haiku writing group that meets at the foot of Mt Fuji. As a lover of haiku, I found this memoir interesting. It is well written and, like haiku, flows nicely while being aptly evocative and descriptive.
March 2, 2024
I can't really explain why I loved reading this book so much. And why, when I finished it felt like saying goodbye to a dear friend way too early. I learned a lot, and feel inspired to continue my own journey with Haiku
March 21, 2018
4.5 stars.
August 6, 2018
Brilliant book. Great read with some interesting history on Japan. Only thing that may have been better is how the writer developed more at haiku. Giving examples etc progress.
June 29, 2021
I wasn't sold on the author's breezy, personal writing style at first but her journey really pulled me in! I've read this and her translation of Momoko Kuroda's work, and she's won me over.
June 15, 2023
A very well-written, western perspective of Japanese haiku. The author's intellectual curiosity is inspiring.
November 23, 2010
I really liked this easy memoir of an American diplomat living and working for a couple years in Japan. At the beginning, she has no interest in writing haiku, but a chance meeting here leads to an introduction there, which grows into a teacher/student relationship later still. The haiku she shares are often written by Japanese masters, but also common people who have touched a chord that resonates long after you put the book down. Discussion of haiku mechanics, and writing in English, are woven into the longer story of her stay in Japan. All in all, a nice book.
April 8, 2013
A clear description of the meaning of haiku in its modern forms, both in Japan and English-speaking world. Friedman has had the advantage of learning to write haiku in Japanese and grappling with the aspects of language differences that affect the form in English. However, as she learns in the context of her life, a diplomat living with her family in Tokyo, the key is to observe the immediate world and our feelings in the moment, to describe things as they are. And as her teacher Kuroda Momoko says: A good haiku is one that expresses you.
November 1, 2010
An excellent autobiography about living and working in Japan and discovering more about haiku. The only complaint I'd have about it is that it's a wee bit too short and could use more depth about the characters, but as an addition to reading haiku and studying the process of writing haiku and poetry it's a good fit.
August 12, 2013
This was a nice book. It gave me new insights into the philosophy behind haiku and I really enjoyed learning about the mechanics of the Japanese group she belonged to. And the members of the group. I enjoyed the smooth way she threaded her family life, her work as a diplomat and her new found interest in haiku together. But still, I would like to have known more about that life.
December 17, 2011
I enjoyed this insight into Japanese culture and approach to haiku by an American Foreign Service Officer living in Tokyo.
October 25, 2014
Wonderful introduction to a deeper understanding of Haiku. I may use it as a text when I teach someday
August 11, 2015
A very gentle read, and fascinating. Inspiring!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews