Welcome to the 3rd collection of haiku from my Haiku of Japan series. This collection contains number 21 – 30. There are some good ones in here!

If you enjoy any of the verses you read, simply click on the title to go to a post specifically for that haiku where you'll find a bit more info about it, some background and perhaps some hints for understanding the deeper meaning.

Here we go!

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1. The Thief and the Moon
   
   
   

   盗人に取り残されし窓の月
   
   
   
   nusubito ni torinokosareshi mado no tsuki
   —Ryokan
   
   
   the thief
   left it
   the moon at my window
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. My Frozen Balls
   
   
   

   柿もぎの金玉寒し秋の風
   
   
   
   kakimogi no kintama samushi aki no kaze
   —Ryokan
   
   
   persimmon picking
   my balls are cold
   autumn wind
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. Saké Waves
   
   
   

   蒼海の浪酒臭し今日の月
   
   
   
   sōkai no nami sake kusashi kyō no tsuki
   —Basho
   
   
   blue sea
   waves smell of saké
   tonight's moon
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

4. Friends with the Moon
   
   
   

   中々にひとりあればぞ月を友
   
   
   
   nakanaka ni hitori areba zo tsuki o tomo
   —Buson
   
   
   because
   I'm all alone
   the moon is my friend
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

5. Falling Flower
   
   
   

   古井戸のくらきに落る椿哉
   
   
   
   furuidono kurakini otsuru tsubakikana
   —Buson
   
   
   an old well
   into the darkness
   falls a camellia
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

6. Winter Rain and No Hat
   
   
   

   笠もなきわれを時雨るるかこは何と
   
   
   
   kasa mo naki ware o shigururu ka ko wa nanto
   —Basho
   
   
   no rain hat
   is winter drizzle falling?
   oh well
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

7. Sleeping Boy
   
   
   

   凧抱たなりですやすや寝たりけり
   
   
   
   tako daita nari de suya-suya netari keri
   —Issa
   
   
   holding his kite
   sleeping
   peacefully
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

8. Reward of Persimmons
   
   
   

   三千の俳句を閲し柿二つ
   
   
   
   sanzen no haiku wo kemishi kaki futatsu
   —Shiki
   
   
   Three thousand
   haiku to look through
   Two persimmons
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

9. Chestnut Worm
   
   
   

   夜ル竊ニ虫は月下の栗を穿ツ
   
   
   
   yoru hisokani mushi wa gekka no kuri o ugatsu
   —Basho
   
   
   secretly
   a worm in the moonlight
   drills into a chestnut
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

10. Drunken Leaf Watching
    
    
    

    ほろほろ酔うて木の葉ふる
    
    
    
    horohoro youte ko no ha furu
    —Santoka
    
    
    slightly drunk
    the leaves
    are falling
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

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And that's that. Did any jump out at you as especally good?

All of these were translated by me. Feel free to use any of these translations anywhere you want, but if you do, please credit me. I ask that not so much because of my ego, but as a haiku reader myself I always want to know who did the translation so I can find more from them if I like it (or avoid them if I dislike it), so I'm always grateful when a book or website provides this info.

Needless to say, if you enjoyed any of these, follow me for more. I try to post one a day. Sometimes I miss a day if work or family gets in the way, but I do try to keep up.

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If you enjoyed any of these, be sure to check out the previous two Haiku of Japan Collections:

1. Collection 1 :: Haiki 1–10
2. Collection 2 :: Haiku 11–20

❦

David LaSpina is an American photographer and translator lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time and searching for the perfect haiku. He blogs here and at laspina.org. Write him on Twitter or Mastodon.