◉Morioka Ginko Tour held on Saturday, August 3

GINKO tour was held to create haiku while finding Morioka’sattractions. 23 people joined the tour along with Ms. Terry Ann Carter, one of the judges of the English haiku section. The tour started from an ancient Japanese style house, now known as Takuboku Newlywed House. Takuboku (1886-1912), a famous tanka/haiku poet who represents Morioka lived in this house when he just got married. The tour was followed by Mitsuishi Shrine, Iwayama Park, Kaminohashi Bridge and Morioka Castle Site Park. It was a hot summer day in Morioka, but all the participants seemed to have incorporated even that heat into their poems.

Takuboku Newlywed House

Mitsuishi Shrine

Nakatsugawa River bank besides Kaminohashi Bridge

Morioka Castle Site Park

Inside the tour bus

Iwayama Park

◉1st Morioka International Haiku Contest held on Sunday, August 4

The venue was Odashima-gumi☆hall located on the 7th floor of Iwate Prefectural Citizens Information Exchange Center (Aina). Ms. Itsuki Natsui, a popular Japanese poet and essayist gave her talk on the stage. Ms. Terry Ann Carter joined the contest as a judge from Morioka’s twin city, Victoria, B.C. Canada. She introduced attractions of English haiku and its popularity in North America.

Inside the venue

Talk by Ms. Itsuki Natsui

Keynote Speech by Ms. Terry Ann Carter

Prior Submission – English Section
Prized poems announcement and commentary.

Prior Submission – Japanese Section
Prized poems announcement and commentary.

On the day entry – Japanese Section
Prized poems announcement and commentary.