The genius and geniality of Santoka Taneda, a wandering Zen poet
‘The Life and Zen Haiku Poetry of Santoka Taneda,’ a biography of one of Japan’s most beloved poets, is a loving tribute compiled by Taneda’s close friend, Sumita Oyama.
Imperial couple yearns for end of pandemic in postponed poetry ceremony
In her poem, the 57-year-old empress described the vitality of nature she experienced seeing fruits of Japanese apricot trees during the first state of emergency over the virus.
Beat Generation beacon Lawrence Ferlinghetti dies at age 101
Poet and publisher Lawrence Ferlinghetti, whose City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco became a West Coast literary haven for Beat Generation writers like Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, has died at the age of 101.
Matsuo Taseko: It’s myth vs. reality for Japanese nationalism
Inspired by the ‘Manyoshu,’ a peasant-poet took the Japanese capital by eloquent storm.
‘The Investigation’: With poetry, hope prevails within prison walls
South Korean author Jung-myung Lee’s thriller set in a prison in Fukuoka during World War II explores the power of literature and humanity in the darkest of times.
Poetry and translation are intertwined for Sawako Nakayasu
For poet Sawako Nakayasu, 45, a multicultural upbringing is what forged her distinctive perspective of language and artistic expression. Nakayasu was born in Yokohama and moved to the United States with her family when she was six. Although she was raised mostly in the ...
A passion project that became a literary journey through Kyoto
“Kyoto: A Literary Guide" was painstakingly collated by a group of friends whose dedication to studying the city’s literary legacy spans 10 years.
While workers have been lambasted over the spread of COVID-19, some have found solace in the art of tanka.
A thousand years of walking through Japan
The act of walking was one that Saigyo, Basho and Matsuo turned into poetry.
'Factory Girls': Verses for the workers, who toiled all day long
Takako Arai's newest poetry anthology in English, "Factory Girls," takes readers into the vanishing world of Japan's textile industry.
In first poem reading of Reiwa Era, Japan's emperor speaks of hope for children's futures
Emperor Naruhito expressed his hope for a bright future for children in his poem recited Thursday at the first New Year's Poetry Reading Ceremony held since he ascended to the chrysanthemum throne last year. The theme of this year's waka poems was nozomi (hope). Empress Masako, ...
Soramaru Takayama: There's much poetry in Vegan Pudding & Co.
After four years of traveling the world, poet Soramaru Takayama finds Vancouver a welcoming place for creativity and veganism.
