National Haiku Poetry Day:

Every April 17, The Haiku Foundation sponsors National Haiku Poetry Day, which honors the eponymous art form. Haiku is one of the oldest forms of Japanese poetry composed of three lines with a syllable structure of five-seven-five. This art form is one of the greatest ways to promote Japanese arts and explore an individual’s creativity.

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Why National Haiku Poetry Day? 

Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry that is short and sweet. It is commonly depicted by the contrast of two images or thoughts and is divided by verbal punctuation marks and colors, and it has three properties. 

If there is one thing that certain people remember from school, it is the day we were first introduced to Haiku, the classic Japanese art form. While it may have a long and noble history, it is most likely at its most ignoble when a bunch of young children attempt to piece together Haiku in a five-seven-five series! Even said, simply being creative can be enjoyable and stimulating, regardless of the medium.

Haiku Day serves as a reminder that this kind of poetry encompasses far more than a squandered week in high school literary studies. Instead, it’s a day to honor the depth, breadth, and width of experience that may be had when words are constrained but imaginations are free to soar.

The primary goal is to encourage the continuation of this prolific Japanese art and ensure that it does not stop existing. In addition to this, encouraging the younger generations to access and enhance their creativity, talents, and skills in poetry. 

How Can We Observe National Haiku Poetry Day: 

• Compose a Haiku poem: Get a pen and paper, go take a walk in the woods, and wait for something to spark your imagination! Anyone may compose a Haiku poem because of its distinctive style i.e. 5 syllables on the 1st line, 7 on the 2nd, and 5 again on the 3rd. However, capturing the heart and mind in the space of 17 syllables requires a great master.

• Attend a gathering: On this day, the Haiku Foundation offers a variety of events, including readings, exhibitions, and competitions. It also funds the HaikuLife Haiku Film Festival, the Earthrise Rolling Haiku Collaboration, and several foreign events.

• Read a Collection of Haiku Poems: Reading Haiku written by others is an excellent way to pass the time if you are not feeling inspired to write your own poetry. Matsuo Bash (1644-1694) is regarded as one of the best haiku poets in history. Read his work to get a sense of what is possible and set lofty goals for yourself. 
• Use the Hashtags #NationalHaikuPoetryDay and #HaikuPoetryDay to share your Haiku’s!

Interesting Facts On National Haiku Poetry Day: 

• Numerous languages across the globe have adopted haiku as a poetic form: Haiku are typically written in a single vertical line in Japanese, although they are often written in three lines in English, paralleling the three phases of Japanese haiku.
• Rules promote innovation: Although the restrictions of haiku may appear to be restricted, they really encourage creativity by activating the brain’s problem-solving area.
• An annual exercise of problem solving and wit: Haikus are so short that poets must count every word. They need to embody the style of fewer lines equals more impact!
• There are certain apps that help people learn the art of haiku: These apps work amazingly even for people with a different first language. One such app is Duolingo.

History Of National Haiku Poetry Day: 

The origins of this beautiful yet simple form of poetry are traced in the history of Haiku Poetry Day. When Masako Shiki, a famous Japanese poet, author, and literary critic, independently published Hokku in the late 1800s, it was dubbed Haiku.

Matsuo Bash and Ueshima Onitsuka are the two additional masters who are responsible for developing Haiku poetry into an autonomous art form. These two built the poetry to a level that the world started catching up. This was the foundation for a day to be dedicated in its honor.

Hendrik Doeff, an odd Danish man, was regarded as accountable for this day (hence, it appears in school curriculum texts). He gained an interest in Eastern poetry while serving as commissioner of trade in Nagasaki in the nineteenth century. However, even though he was able to bring it to the West on his own, it was not well accepted at first. In truth, Haiku did not become popular until the early to mid-1900s.