haikaiTALKS: a saturday gathering! 14th March 2026 Guest poet: Keiko Izawa

haikaiTALKS: Japanese aesthetics: toriawase|a saturday gathering under the banyan tree

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Special Guest Poet: Keiko Izawa

host: Srinivasa Sambangi

haikaiTALKS: a saturday gathering under the banyan tree

haikaiTALKS  14th March 2026

Japanese aesthetics – Toriawase

In Japanese haiku, toriawase is the haiku technique of pairing two entirely different elementsーusually a season word (kigo) and a non-seasonal element (haiku seed) within a single poem. Through this paring, the meanings anｄ images carried by each element begin to resonate, giving the whole haiku a sense of depth and spaciousness (ma).

The beauty of toriawase does not lie in merely placing two unrelated words together. Rather, it lies in bringing seemingly unconnected elements into contact so that an unexpected “chemical reaction” occurs, creating a new perspective that even the poet may not have anticipated.

Tips for Effective Toriawase in Haiku

・Value surprise

Combine elements that seem unrelated or contrasting rather than similar ones, to create fresh meaning and resonance.

・Keep an appropriate distance

When the elements are too close, the haiku tends to become explanatory; arbitrary, and lose its resonance. A subtle, perceivable gap allows resonance to arise; when the gap is too wide, the haiku risks feeling arbitrary.

・Write from a moment that truly moved you

Go beyond intellectual planning and capture the instant your heart responded. Pairing a seasonal image with a personal awareness can give the haiku authenticity and emotional resonance.

・Balance

The kigo and the haiku seed should be in gentle balance. If one is too heavy, or if both are heavy, the poem becomes overloaded and the intended resonance between the two elements cannot emerge.

Samples:

mid-summer green ―

my child’s

first tooth coming in

       ～Nakamura Kusatao

taro leaf dew . . .

the mountain range

restores it outline

       ～Iida Dakotsu

winter dry spell－

setting down my glasses

sunlight pools

       ～Kaneko Tohta

Oh, the joy

of crossing the summer river

   sandals in hand

       ～Buson

spring breeze ー

I catch the tune

she leaves behind

       ～Kala Ramesh

steep street

a five-minute walk

to the moon

       ～Lev Hart

evening jasmine ー

regret over

saying too much

       ～-Keiko

More tips from Keiko:

Juxtaposition vs. Toriawase

Juxtaposition in English-language haiku often emphasizes placing two images side by side to create meaning, tension, or contrast.

Toriawase, in Japanese haiku aesthetics, is the placing together of two elements so that a feeling or atmosphere emerges naturally in the ma (the space) between them. The images do not explain or resolve each other.

In short:

• Juxtaposition → often meaning-making through contrast or tension

• Toriawase → resonance and depth arising in the ma between images

As usual, try to use kigo from the lists below. You can also use your local season words that are not listed here.

“A Dictionary of Haiku Classified by Season Words with Traditional and Modern Methods,” by Jane Reichhold:

https://thehaikufoundation.org/omeka/files/original/7fb6654a1dfd1afef973

69da920530f8.pdf

Indian subcontinent SAIJIKI:

https://www.trivenihaikai.in/indian-saijiki

The Five Hundred Essential Japanese Season Words:

http://www.2hweb.net/haikai/renku/500ESWd.html

The World Kigo Database:

https://wkdkigodatabase03.blogspot.com/

The Yuki Teikei Haiku Season Word List:

https://yths.org/season-word-list/

Thanks, Keiko! Another beautiful post. Thanks a lot.

Thanks for giving us such extra information, each time.

I hope our poets take the challenge and create a haiku on these lines! Keenly looking ahead to this month.

Greatly indebted to you.

Dear Members,

We need constant practice, and what better place than haikaiTALKS

with Keiko.

Please also provide your feedback on others' commentary and poems.

We are continuing haikaiTALKS in full swing!

Keep writing and commenting! _kala