haikaiTALKS: a saturday gathering! 24th January 2026 Guest poet: Keiko Izawa

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

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Special Guest Poet: Keiko Izawa

host: Srinivasa Sambangi 24th January 2026

haikaiTALKS 

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Special Guest Poet: Keiko Izawa

host: Srinivasa Sambangi

haikaiTALKS: a saturday gathering under the banyan tree

haikaiTALKS  24th January 2026

Japanese aesthetics – Miyabi

Miyabi is one of the oldest traditional aesthetic ideals in Japan. The term

miyabi embodies the image of an ideal aristocratic culture. It represents

courtesy, language, expression, atmosphere, and emotions that are free from

coarseness and immaturity, all aimed at achieving the highest level of

elegance. In modern writing, it is typically translated as "elegance, refinement, or courtly elegance."

Yoshida Kenkō said that many people seem to enjoy only the full bloom of

cherry blossoms or the full moon, but that is not always the case. He

considered that cherry blossoms before they bloom and after they have fallen

are also elegant, and that yearning for the moon which cannot be seen due to

the rain, is equally elegant. He mentions that if you observe carefully, you can

find elegance in everything.

This week you are requested to write up to two haiku that express miyabi.

As usual, try to use kigo from the lists below. You can also use your local

season words that are not listed here.

Characteristics of Miyabi

• graceful composure

• graceful motion

• gentle transitions

• subtle refinement

• polished delicacy

• elegant restraint

• soft luminosity

• harmonious coloring

• lightness without fragility

• unforced beauty

• courtly grace

• tender emotional nuance

Samples:

雨帯て うごかぬ梅の にほひかな

ume obi te / ugokanu ume no / nioi kana

tinged with rain

the scent of plum blossoms

lingers

~ Nanasato

うまれたての 月上りけり 雪うさぎ

umaretate no / tsuki nobori keri / yukiusagi

climbing

the newborn moon

snow rabbit

~ author unknown

瞬きて 紫陽花のゐる 陽射しかな

mabataki te / ajisai no iru / hizashi kana

in the blink of an eye

sunlight glimmers

on the hydrangeas

~ Naito Yōkō

leaf by leaf

a snail’s trail

silvers the dusk

~ Marilyn Ashbaugh

haikuKATHA #47 2025

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We are repeating MIYABI once again, this week.

!! _kala

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

https://thehaikufoundation.org/omeka/files/original/7fb6654a1dfd1afef97369da

920530f8.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.

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

Greatly indebted to you. And a million thanks for being with us and guiding us through your lessons.

Dear Members,

Please provide your feedback on others' commentary and poems as well.

We are continuing haikaiTALKS in full swing!

Keep writing and commenting! _kala