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Haiku Illustrated: Classic Japanese Short Poems
Haiku – seventeen-syllable poems that evoke worlds despite their brevity – have captivated Japanese readers since the seventeenth century. Today the form is practiced worldwide and has become established as part of our common global heritage. This beautiful traditionally hand-bound volume presents new English translations of classic poems by the four great masters of Japanese haiku – Matsuo Basho, Yosa Buson, Kobayashi Issa, and Masaoka Shiki – accompanied by both the original Japanese and a phonetic transcription, and a photograph or artwork highlighting or echoing the poem's theme. With a timeless design, Haiku Illustrated is an expert introduction and celebration of one of the most beautiful and accessible forms of poetry in the world.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
December 1, 2021
The strength of serene simplicity
The oak tree
Stands unswayed
By blossoms
Such stillness -
The song of cicadas
Seeping into stone
(Matsuo Bashō)
This bilingual Japanese/English edition consist of a selection of 19 hokku/haiku from the quartet known as the four masters in the Japanese haiku tradition, Matsuo Bashō (1644-1694), Yosa Buson (1716-1784), Kobayashi Issa (1763-1828) and Masoaka Shiki (1867-1902).
The English translation is juxtaposed with both the Japanese original text and a phonetic transcription, accompanied by an artwork of photograph which more or less match with the theme of the poem. The presentation includes plenty of blank space, making the poems come into their own more.
The poems, attentive to time and space evoke intensity of experience in the small form. Images are drawn mostly from common life, a seasonal reference (kigo) essential to it, giving a sense of the human place in the cyclical movement of the world and of the exposure and vulnerability of humans and animals to the elements, echoing transience, contingence, acknowledging the place of suffering for humans and animals, moments of being which the poets meet with compassion, understanding and a whiff of humour (Issa).
(Yusa Buson, Cuckoo flying over new verdure)
Haiku is not about impressing with verbal virtuosity or about the ego of the poet. Its strength does not lie in complexity, but in letting the moment speak to the maximum, sharing with a minimum of words a sensation, feeling or sudden inspiration in which the reader is involved.
Surprise and amazement arise from observing nature. Birds, insects, weather elements that affect the landscape allow to express the emotion of the moment.
Such joy in crossing
A summer stream
Sandals in hand
The one I yearn to meet
A footfall in the distance –
Fallen leaves
(Yosa Bushon)
In the introduction the translator clarifies he didn’t attempt to strictly respect the traditional form of the haiku (the seventeen syllables arranged 5-7-5) as translating into seventeen English syllables usually means excessive wordiness.
Come
Play with me
Orphaned sparrow
Spiders in the corners
Fear not, I won’t
Be dusting
(Kobayashi Issa)
(Yusa Buson, A little cuckoo across a hydrangea)
Having received a digital copy from NetGalley, the delightful half an hour of serene simplicity, humour and beauty the collection offered felt well-spent. The book however is obviously meant to be read as a paper copy as a paper copy will probably do more justice to the visual and tactile experience created by the combination of Japanese calligraphy, the selection of suiting illustrations to pair with the poems and the use of traditional Chinese bookbinding techniques.
I was less enchanted by the mix of traditional and contemporary illustrations and photography which came across as slightly unequal and I missed attributions to time and artists, the picture credits mostly only giving information about the copyright holders.
House-bound in winter
Turning to my books before
Even washing my face
Settled on
The temple bell –
A glowing firefly
(Masaoka Shiki)
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the translator for granting me the chance to read an ARC of this book.
The oak tree
Stands unswayed
By blossoms
Such stillness -
The song of cicadas
Seeping into stone
(Matsuo Bashō)
This bilingual Japanese/English edition consist of a selection of 19 hokku/haiku from the quartet known as the four masters in the Japanese haiku tradition, Matsuo Bashō (1644-1694), Yosa Buson (1716-1784), Kobayashi Issa (1763-1828) and Masoaka Shiki (1867-1902).
The English translation is juxtaposed with both the Japanese original text and a phonetic transcription, accompanied by an artwork of photograph which more or less match with the theme of the poem. The presentation includes plenty of blank space, making the poems come into their own more.
The poems, attentive to time and space evoke intensity of experience in the small form. Images are drawn mostly from common life, a seasonal reference (kigo) essential to it, giving a sense of the human place in the cyclical movement of the world and of the exposure and vulnerability of humans and animals to the elements, echoing transience, contingence, acknowledging the place of suffering for humans and animals, moments of being which the poets meet with compassion, understanding and a whiff of humour (Issa).
(Yusa Buson, Cuckoo flying over new verdure)
Haiku is not about impressing with verbal virtuosity or about the ego of the poet. Its strength does not lie in complexity, but in letting the moment speak to the maximum, sharing with a minimum of words a sensation, feeling or sudden inspiration in which the reader is involved.
Surprise and amazement arise from observing nature. Birds, insects, weather elements that affect the landscape allow to express the emotion of the moment.
Such joy in crossing
A summer stream
Sandals in hand
The one I yearn to meet
A footfall in the distance –
Fallen leaves
(Yosa Bushon)
In the introduction the translator clarifies he didn’t attempt to strictly respect the traditional form of the haiku (the seventeen syllables arranged 5-7-5) as translating into seventeen English syllables usually means excessive wordiness.
Come
Play with me
Orphaned sparrow
Spiders in the corners
Fear not, I won’t
Be dusting
(Kobayashi Issa)
(Yusa Buson, A little cuckoo across a hydrangea)
Having received a digital copy from NetGalley, the delightful half an hour of serene simplicity, humour and beauty the collection offered felt well-spent. The book however is obviously meant to be read as a paper copy as a paper copy will probably do more justice to the visual and tactile experience created by the combination of Japanese calligraphy, the selection of suiting illustrations to pair with the poems and the use of traditional Chinese bookbinding techniques.
I was less enchanted by the mix of traditional and contemporary illustrations and photography which came across as slightly unequal and I missed attributions to time and artists, the picture credits mostly only giving information about the copyright holders.
House-bound in winter
Turning to my books before
Even washing my face
Settled on
The temple bell –
A glowing firefly
(Masaoka Shiki)
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the translator for granting me the chance to read an ARC of this book.
April 5, 2023
This is a lovely introduction to haiku for someone who doesn't read much poetry.
My favorite haikus come from Kobayashi Issa. Here are some examples :
"Sleeping spread-eagled
So refreshing
So lonely"
"Clinging
To the rear wall
Even the snow is desperate"
"Scrawny frog
Don't give in
Issa is with you"
The presentation is a plus. The illustrations invite your imagination, just like the verses it accompanies. It is a beautiful book to hold in your hands.
My favorite haikus come from Kobayashi Issa. Here are some examples :
"Sleeping spread-eagled
So refreshing
So lonely"
"Clinging
To the rear wall
Even the snow is desperate"
"Scrawny frog
Don't give in
Issa is with you"
The presentation is a plus. The illustrations invite your imagination, just like the verses it accompanies. It is a beautiful book to hold in your hands.
August 7, 2021
This entire book, this particular publication, is an experience from start to finish.
The book itself is bound like older books; it is hole punched, then tied together. The pages themselves feel like parchment and are two pages folded back on the other. The haiku on the pages are printed in the original Kanji calligraphy, the Anglicized Japanese, and finally, in English.
The collection is short, but you don't mind because what you get is such a wonderful experience while reading it. The haiku themselves are witty, introspective, and philosophical from some masters of the art.
Heartily recommend this to anyone interested in haiku.
The book itself is bound like older books; it is hole punched, then tied together. The pages themselves feel like parchment and are two pages folded back on the other. The haiku on the pages are printed in the original Kanji calligraphy, the Anglicized Japanese, and finally, in English.
The collection is short, but you don't mind because what you get is such a wonderful experience while reading it. The haiku themselves are witty, introspective, and philosophical from some masters of the art.
Heartily recommend this to anyone interested in haiku.
July 25, 2020
I resist the urge to make this review a series of hacky haikus. I hope y'all appreciate how difficult that was for me to resist.
So, the first thing to acknowledge about this book is the fantastic binding. It's a style called Traditional Chinese, in which each page is a double sheet folded over, printed only on the outside, and the stitching is visible on the outside of the spine. It looks rather nice, and it was a pleasure to hold. I have not the historical knowledge to know if Japanese haikus were printed using Traditional Chinese Bookbinding techniques, but let's assume for the moment that the publisher did their homework on this point.
The haikus are presented, one per page, in English, Romanji (Japanese words using Latin letters), Kanji, and Hiragana; the first two horizontally, and the other two vertically. The paper is nice quality, and the use of black ink for the first two writing systems and dark red ink for the other two was nice. It felt peaceful just to open the book and look at it. I read it two pages per morning, at a spot by the river, which seemed to fit the subject matter.
The three authors were Basho (1644-1694):
In this bleak rain
Even the monkeys seem to want
Little straw cloaks
...Buson (1716-1784):
Settled on
The temple bell-
A sleeping butterfly
...and Issa (1763-1828), my favorite:
The winter fly I spared
Was captured by
The cat
Inevitably, it encouraged me to try my hand at making my own, but more importantly, after reading one or two each morning, there was a moment of calm stillness, when I would look out across the river and mentally pause for a short time.
So, the first thing to acknowledge about this book is the fantastic binding. It's a style called Traditional Chinese, in which each page is a double sheet folded over, printed only on the outside, and the stitching is visible on the outside of the spine. It looks rather nice, and it was a pleasure to hold. I have not the historical knowledge to know if Japanese haikus were printed using Traditional Chinese Bookbinding techniques, but let's assume for the moment that the publisher did their homework on this point.
The haikus are presented, one per page, in English, Romanji (Japanese words using Latin letters), Kanji, and Hiragana; the first two horizontally, and the other two vertically. The paper is nice quality, and the use of black ink for the first two writing systems and dark red ink for the other two was nice. It felt peaceful just to open the book and look at it. I read it two pages per morning, at a spot by the river, which seemed to fit the subject matter.
The three authors were Basho (1644-1694):
In this bleak rain
Even the monkeys seem to want
Little straw cloaks
...Buson (1716-1784):
Settled on
The temple bell-
A sleeping butterfly
...and Issa (1763-1828), my favorite:
The winter fly I spared
Was captured by
The cat
Inevitably, it encouraged me to try my hand at making my own, but more importantly, after reading one or two each morning, there was a moment of calm stillness, when I would look out across the river and mentally pause for a short time.
July 29, 2020
Haiku Illustrated by Hart Larrabee [tr] is a beautiful collection of haiku by four of Japan's most recognized and respected masters of the form. The ability to invoke such complete and detailed images in a brief seventeen syllables has always impressed upon me the beauty and accessibility of the haiku, a Japanese tradition of storytelling that has been shared for generations. The gorgeous illustrations that accompany each poem are a lovely addition to an already stunning collection. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in broadening their knowledge of the mysterious and beautiful Japanese culture.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Amber Books Ltd for the opportunity to read this impressive collection.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Amber Books Ltd for the opportunity to read this impressive collection.
July 11, 2024
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
I'm so glad that I read this one!
First of all, the Haiku were all really stunning and I'm surprised to see how I liked at least one from all the authors that were showcasted. Yes, we don't only get Japanese poems by one author, but many more and even in a perfect order!
Not only that, we also get before starting into the Haiku collection, a explanation was a Haiku is, a bit of backstory and also remarks as to how it got translated into English.
The layout of each page might stayed the same, but it was good, as we got the authors name and how long they lived at the top, on the right side the original Haiku and on the left the translation and also transliteration which was very cool and interesting to read too.
I absolutely enjoyed this book and it would be a lie to say that there was anything I didn't like.
Even the multiple repitions of spiders was just funny to me, and Masaoka Shiki seemed to be my favourite as his way of writing seemed past-aggresive which was just hilarious.
Thank you very much NetGalley and Amber Books Ltd for the advanced reaper copy of Haiku by Basho, Buson, Issa & Shiki
I'm so glad that I read this one!
First of all, the Haiku were all really stunning and I'm surprised to see how I liked at least one from all the authors that were showcasted. Yes, we don't only get Japanese poems by one author, but many more and even in a perfect order!
Not only that, we also get before starting into the Haiku collection, a explanation was a Haiku is, a bit of backstory and also remarks as to how it got translated into English.
The layout of each page might stayed the same, but it was good, as we got the authors name and how long they lived at the top, on the right side the original Haiku and on the left the translation and also transliteration which was very cool and interesting to read too.
I absolutely enjoyed this book and it would be a lie to say that there was anything I didn't like.
Even the multiple repitions of spiders was just funny to me, and Masaoka Shiki seemed to be my favourite as his way of writing seemed past-aggresive which was just hilarious.
Thank you very much NetGalley and Amber Books Ltd for the advanced reaper copy of Haiku by Basho, Buson, Issa & Shiki
August 14, 2024
I fell in love with Haiku, poetry (and poetry in general), in fifth grade after reading a small book called Cricket Songs: Japanese Haiku by Harry Behn.
Haiku is lyrical poetry that bounce off the pages. Easy to read and understand. They are, by far, my favorite type of poetry.
The book is beautiful inside and out. Artistic illustrations throughout and the red Japanese binding adds to the beauty of the book.
I recommend to anyone who enjoys poetry.
Haiku is lyrical poetry that bounce off the pages. Easy to read and understand. They are, by far, my favorite type of poetry.
The book is beautiful inside and out. Artistic illustrations throughout and the red Japanese binding adds to the beauty of the book.
I recommend to anyone who enjoys poetry.
September 12, 2020
thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
sleeping spread-eagled
so refreshing
so lonely
beauty is sometimes found in the simplest of things and this book of haiku poems demonstrates it. the collection has some of the most famous poets from japan like matsuo basho, yosa buson, kobayashi issa and masaoka shiki. since this is a translation, the syllabus format gets lost a little, however it still has the power to transmit a strong feeling to the reader.
settled on
the temple bell-
a sleeping butterfly
sleeping spread-eagled
so refreshing
so lonely
beauty is sometimes found in the simplest of things and this book of haiku poems demonstrates it. the collection has some of the most famous poets from japan like matsuo basho, yosa buson, kobayashi issa and masaoka shiki. since this is a translation, the syllabus format gets lost a little, however it still has the power to transmit a strong feeling to the reader.
settled on
the temple bell-
a sleeping butterfly
August 1, 2020
Very great haiku book. It was great for various reason. The art was great, the way the haiku were presented was awesome, they always have one picture, and the haiku written in three way, the alphabetical Japanese, the English version and the original Japanese writing with their own «writing» not sure how to call it, but not the alphabetical one. So that was good in itself, but what was even better was the selection of haiku from, probably the most popular and talented haiku author like Basho, Buson, Issa, Shiki and I think there a few more... Very good, very well edited and totally worth checking it out if you're into those kind of book (haiku or poetry).
July 25, 2020
This is a good book to get as a gift for the haiku lover in your life. It's bound and printed in the printing method of old Japanese poetry books -- string literally used to bind it and pages printed folded over with writing on only one side. Wasteful but lovely. The pages themselves are beautiful with original characters on the side with subtle, more modern Japanese characters and the heart of the pages containing a single haiku in English.
As for the translations, they are almost uniformly excellent and distinctive. The initial ones from Basho made my heart swell. The translator tackles only the Mt. Rushmore of haiku: Basho, Buson, Issa, and Shiki; he covers their most famous haiku but also includes some lesser known ones. It's like a greatest hits album with some B-sides and live tracks.
I have two criticisms that are not major -- I loved what's here and wholeheartedly recommend the book to haiku fans -- but they niggle at me. The first is that I don't think he captured Issa. The haiku he chose are fine, but the Issa I love created some of the greatest poems of compassion and understanding of the vulnerable in the world but this did not shine through enough for me.
And the second niggle is the inclusion of Shiki. I just didn't like the person that came through in his haiku, and it made me realize that haiku and Chinese/Japanese poetry compilations -- especially those translated by men -- under-represent women. In my layperson's view, Chiyo-ni: Woman Haiku Master is superior to Shiki yet her work is hard to find. She -- and the many other great female poets of China and Japan -- deserves better. Kenneth Rexroth and Patricia Donegan have some good books that fill this void.
Two excerpts -- the first two I flipped to randomly:
The crane's legs
grow shorter in the
early summer rain
~Basho
Clinging
to the rear wall
Even the snow is desperate
~Issa
As for the translations, they are almost uniformly excellent and distinctive. The initial ones from Basho made my heart swell. The translator tackles only the Mt. Rushmore of haiku: Basho, Buson, Issa, and Shiki; he covers their most famous haiku but also includes some lesser known ones. It's like a greatest hits album with some B-sides and live tracks.
I have two criticisms that are not major -- I loved what's here and wholeheartedly recommend the book to haiku fans -- but they niggle at me. The first is that I don't think he captured Issa. The haiku he chose are fine, but the Issa I love created some of the greatest poems of compassion and understanding of the vulnerable in the world but this did not shine through enough for me.
And the second niggle is the inclusion of Shiki. I just didn't like the person that came through in his haiku, and it made me realize that haiku and Chinese/Japanese poetry compilations -- especially those translated by men -- under-represent women. In my layperson's view, Chiyo-ni: Woman Haiku Master is superior to Shiki yet her work is hard to find. She -- and the many other great female poets of China and Japan -- deserves better. Kenneth Rexroth and Patricia Donegan have some good books that fill this void.
Two excerpts -- the first two I flipped to randomly:
The crane's legs
grow shorter in the
early summer rain
~Basho
Clinging
to the rear wall
Even the snow is desperate
~Issa
October 3, 2021
Haiku, a Japanese poetry genre with ancient roots. Haiku is more than just 17 Syllables arranged 5-7-5. It is generally written on a single vertical line. Haiku often include a fragment and a phrase, the former indicated by 'kireji' (a cutting word or a dash -), such as 'ya' at the end of the firstline or 'kana' at the end of the third. Haiku mainly describes a moment in the present and include a 'season word' (Kigo). Poet amd reader are united by their shared experience of natire and the changing seasons, of ageing and the passage of time.
This is a pretty insightful genre for them who want to know more about Japanese culture. Those poetries alongside the illustrations were so soothing. Each poetry contains autumn's feels. If you don't know about Haiku then you should give this a read.
Thank you netgalley for the e-ARC
This is a pretty insightful genre for them who want to know more about Japanese culture. Those poetries alongside the illustrations were so soothing. Each poetry contains autumn's feels. If you don't know about Haiku then you should give this a read.
Thank you netgalley for the e-ARC
August 29, 2020
These haiku are so beautiful! I'm really glad I picked this book. The design is simply magnificent: gorgeous Japaneses style illustrations and poems in both English and Japanese (and even the kanji). This is my first time I'm reading haikus and I'm truly glad I chose this book to be the first one. Rating: 5/5 stars.
May 2, 2022
No. You don’t understand. I’m OBSESSED.
These amazing haikus are paired with STUNNING art and the book itself is a piece of art. I am so happy I have this in my collection. Can’t recommend enough.
These amazing haikus are paired with STUNNING art and the book itself is a piece of art. I am so happy I have this in my collection. Can’t recommend enough.
February 1, 2025
This one made me smile. Issa was my favorite author by far due to the underlying humor. But I love this book. I’ve been trying to find a good compilation of all Japanese poems and I think this was really beautiful. Majority of the poems are just capturing mundane moments that we often overlook. And honestly Mundane moments are my favorite. So I would highly recommend this if you like poetry but also if you want to step into a moment of stillness and a window into nature.
August 22, 2025
This was such a soulful read, like a warm blanket on a winter night. All the haikus, baring two, spoke to me or made deep sense to me. The illustrations added to the experience, like moonlight adding a layer of light and beauty to the serenity of a still pond at night.
I love haikus for the imagery they come with, that slices the heart like a sharp knife, but with gentleness and kindness; they split open our heart for more light to enter. And almost each of the haikus in this collection did so. Some of the haikus in this collection are very popular, but most are new to me. Till now, I had never paid much attention to the names of haiku poets, now I have four favourites: Basho (1644-1694) , Buson (1716-1784), Issa (1763-1828), Shiki (1867-1902); I have shared the lifespan of the poets here to emphasise that the haikus here have been written more than a century ago, yet each of them is so relevant, each calls up a familiar feeling, and that is surprising because often they speak of snow or a weather which is unfamiliar in India, where I live. Which makes me realise, again, emotions are universal, across time and region.
Each translated haiku in this collection is printed along with its Japanese original, and often with an illustration. The illustrations equally steal the heart. This is one book I would love to buy and keep near me. Have heard that there are hand bound editions of this book, will love to keep one close to my heart.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this anthology, it added beauty to a few moments in my life, and I hope the light that entered my heart because of these haikus will live in me for days to come.
Q: Do I recommend this Haiku collection to my fellow readers?
A: Absolutely, ABSOLUTELY yes, if you enjoy reading haiku.
I love haikus for the imagery they come with, that slices the heart like a sharp knife, but with gentleness and kindness; they split open our heart for more light to enter. And almost each of the haikus in this collection did so. Some of the haikus in this collection are very popular, but most are new to me. Till now, I had never paid much attention to the names of haiku poets, now I have four favourites: Basho (1644-1694) , Buson (1716-1784), Issa (1763-1828), Shiki (1867-1902); I have shared the lifespan of the poets here to emphasise that the haikus here have been written more than a century ago, yet each of them is so relevant, each calls up a familiar feeling, and that is surprising because often they speak of snow or a weather which is unfamiliar in India, where I live. Which makes me realise, again, emotions are universal, across time and region.
Each translated haiku in this collection is printed along with its Japanese original, and often with an illustration. The illustrations equally steal the heart. This is one book I would love to buy and keep near me. Have heard that there are hand bound editions of this book, will love to keep one close to my heart.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this anthology, it added beauty to a few moments in my life, and I hope the light that entered my heart because of these haikus will live in me for days to come.
Q: Do I recommend this Haiku collection to my fellow readers?
A: Absolutely, ABSOLUTELY yes, if you enjoy reading haiku.
March 15, 2024
lovely haiku poems, and a good and short introduction to the history of haikus. i especially liked that the furigana were included for the japanese original on the right side of each poem.
September 1, 2020
This book of haiku poetry contains the works of Matsuo Bashō, Yosa Buson, Kobayashi Issa and Masaoka Shiki. Published alongside some exquisite imagery, this book of haiku certainly gives you a peace of mind.
For those of you who don't know, haiku is a style of poetry that originated from Japan and has since become renowned worldwide. The structure of a haiku is seventeen syllables, that are broken down into lines of 5, 7, 5 syllables.
---
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. All my opinions are my own, unbiased views.
For those of you who don't know, haiku is a style of poetry that originated from Japan and has since become renowned worldwide. The structure of a haiku is seventeen syllables, that are broken down into lines of 5, 7, 5 syllables.
---
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. All my opinions are my own, unbiased views.
June 8, 2025
Absolutely amazing. Will be reread many times.
2023 shelf audit: So lovely. Each poem is the most delicious bite of nature, scenery, emotion. All so evocative to the imagination. Such a treat, I feel like I just ate sweet palate cleansing sorbet. I'll have to purchase more Haiku poetry, this really spoke to me.
2023 shelf audit: So lovely. Each poem is the most delicious bite of nature, scenery, emotion. All so evocative to the imagination. Such a treat, I feel like I just ate sweet palate cleansing sorbet. I'll have to purchase more Haiku poetry, this really spoke to me.
October 20, 2020
Although I already knew many of them them, in this new version with Japanese text on the front and relative illustration, these Haiku are, if possible, even more beautiful.
Anche se molti li conoscevo, in questa nuova versione con testo giapponese a fronte e illustrazione relativa, questi Haiku sono, se possibile, ancora piú belli.
THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!
Anche se molti li conoscevo, in questa nuova versione con testo giapponese a fronte e illustrazione relativa, questi Haiku sono, se possibile, ancora piú belli.
THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!
October 11, 2019
A beautiful collection of translated haiku's. My favourite was on page 11:
"
Fragrant Orchid -
Perfuming the wings
Of a butterfly
"
There is a lot of reference to mosquitoes by the various poets. Something to note if ever planning a trip to Japan.
"
Fragrant Orchid -
Perfuming the wings
Of a butterfly
"
There is a lot of reference to mosquitoes by the various poets. Something to note if ever planning a trip to Japan.
January 4, 2021
I read this very beautiful collection of Classic Japanese Short Poems with an ebook, and I am thinking about finding a print version I enjoyed them so much. While I enjoyed the poems by all authors, Issa's poems in particular spoke to me.
December 27, 2019
Absolutely fantastic collection of haiku and beautifully bound.
December 21, 2020
This book made me realize again why I love haikus so much. Beautifully selected haikus with related and delightful pictures will make every reader smile. This edition will make an excellent gift who appreciate good art and haikus.
January 19, 2021
3.5 I like how diverse my reading journey is so far this year. I started making Haikus growing up because of how Japan became part of Filipino history. I like how 3 short stanzas can each tell a story, it's so interesting and imagery was used very stunningly.
December 11, 2022
Some of my faves: 20, 27, 37, 48, 53, 61, 63, 71, 72, 73, 75, 79, 84.
kono michi ya
yuku hito nashi ni
aki no kure
This road-
Travelled by no man
At autumn's twilight
Also the translators last name just reminds me of Humphrey Bogart as Linus Larrabee in Sabrina (1954). So now I’m gonna go watch that movie again 🖤obvs.
kono michi ya
yuku hito nashi ni
aki no kure
This road-
Travelled by no man
At autumn's twilight
Also the translators last name just reminds me of Humphrey Bogart as Linus Larrabee in Sabrina (1954). So now I’m gonna go watch that movie again 🖤obvs.
May 9, 2024
Never really read Haiku and this was a really lovely and enjoyable introduction, Issa's collection was my was my favorite .. Enjoyed this.
highly recommend
highly recommend
July 7, 2024
Brimming, beautiful,
the words rain down supremely,
decadent past dreams.
the words rain down supremely,
decadent past dreams.
May 26, 2023
This is a beautiful book with Japanese haiku on one page faced on the next by watercolors
October 4, 2024
Such beautiful poems. Vivid imagery with every verse. The illustrations are superb. Highly recommend.
January 24, 2025
Myślę, że przed śmiercią każdy powinien napisać haiku
Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews