PRESS RELEASE N0: JPNEMPAK: 10-052

Islamabad: 30th November 2010

The Embassy of Japan organized a Haiku Mushaira “Basho Evening” at the National Art Gallery Islamabad, on 30th November 2010, to pay a tribute to Matsuo Basho, the father of Haiku. Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), Yosa Buson (1716-1783), and Kobayashi Issa are among the most popular Haiku masters of Japan. They are collectively known as the Three Pillars of Haiku, who lived during Japan’s Edo-period (1600-1868).

The Embassy of Japan organized this event in cooperation with the Pakistan Haiku Society, Pakistan National Council of the Arts, National University of Modern Languages and Pakistan-Japan Cultural Association. Mr. Iftikhar Arif, Chairman, Pakistan Academy of Letters, was the presiding poet and chief guest of the Mushaira.

The Haiku Mushaira started at 5:20 p.m. in which 14 renowned Pakistani Haiku poets participated. These poets recited two translations from the original Haiku poems composed by Basho and two of their own compositions.

Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry that dates back to the 17th century. Haiku is the most precise, compact and condensed poetry originating in Japan. Haiku is defined as an unrhymed verse, written in 5-7-5 syllabic form, usually in three lines. Its subjects are predominantly nature and life experiences. One of the most important forms of traditional Japanese poetry, Haiku remains popular in modern Japan, and in recent years its popularity has also spread to many countries including Pakistan. Many poets in Pakistan today practice this compact yet profound and evocative form of expression that leaves a lot of room for interpretation and subtlety. (End)