[For Seniors] Summer kigo: A list of famous seasonal words to enjoy while savoring their elegance

evening showerNEW!

Haiku and the Seasonal Word “Evening Shower” [Summer Seasonal Word]

Yūdachi, the sudden rain that falls on summer evenings.

These days we even get downpours like those in tropical rainforests, so we need to be careful.

From Yosa Buson and Masaoka Shiki onward, many haiku poets have written about the way the scenery suddenly changes in such rain.

Terrifying rain can be captured through sight, the unique smell after the rain through smell, and of course the texture of the rain itself—making it a versatile seasonal word that can be approached from many angles.

An evening shower in the city, in the mountains, by the sea—imagining a scene from a movie might be nice, too.

Great HeatNEW!

Haiku and the seasonal word “Taisho” [Summer seasonal word]

Daisho (Great Heat) is one of the 24 solar terms, and in today’s calendar it corresponds to the period from around July 23 to around August 7.

As the name suggests, it is considered the time when the year’s heat is at its peak.

In the sequence of the 24 solar terms, it comes after Shosho (Lesser Heat) and before Risshu (Beginning of Autumn).

A satisfying order, isn’t it? “Great Heat—white of a distant sail keeps moving” is a haiku by Atsushi Anzumi.

If, like Anzumi, you can evoke a spiritual calm that goes beyond “it’s unbearably, unbearably hot,” that’s first-rate.

If you have memories of the hottest days, it’s also nice to shape those recollections into a set form.

the westering sunNEW!

Haiku and the seasonal word “nishibi” [summer season word]

Nishibi refers to the sun slanting in the western sky, or its sunlight—specifically, the strong light that streams into rooms from afternoon into evening.

In summer, when the sun rises higher, people often feel the nishibi more intensely.

Because of this, nishibi is considered a seasonal word for summer.

As summer arrives, there are more days when the nishibi becomes a concern.

It seems this hasn’t changed from the past, as many renowned haiku poets have composed numerous poems on this theme.

Why not try composing your own summer haiku—using your own words to capture the heat, the scene, and the feelings brought on by the nishibi shining into a room?

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thunderNEW!

[Haiku Stroll • No. 78] Exploring the true meaning of the seasonal word “thunder” (summer)! ⚡️

Thunder may occur at any time of year, but in the world of haiku it is considered a summer season word.

This is because the Japanese have long believed that thunder helps rice grow.

With its instant flash and a roar that seems to split the earth, it is also a season word that tests various senses.

One famous haiku by Hashimoto Takako, one of the prominent female haiku poets of the Showa era, goes: “When the heat lightning comes from the north, I look to the north.” It is truly a masterpiece among masterpieces, one that can be appreciated from any angle—unconscious self, contrast with nature, and more.

blue stormNEW!

Haiku and the seasonal word “aoarashi” [summer seasonal word]

Seiran (also read as aoarashi) is a seasonal word referring to a strong wind that seems to sweep through, as if knocking down the vividly lush trees and grasses of early summer.

For those living in big cities, it might feel a bit distant.

You could think of it as the summer counterpart to spring’s haru-ichiban or hana-arashi.

Ryuta Iida’s haiku, “Seiran: a cow tethered on a precipice,” is a superb verse that depicts harsh nature and the vitality of life.

If one could compose such haiku with ease, writing haiku would surely be enjoyable.

It might also be nice to try composing together with terms like kazekauru (“fragrant wind”) or kunpū (“balmy breeze”) in mind.