Category: Featured Writings (Page 12 of 14)

Jesse Efron has an M.A in English literature as well as an M.F.A in creative writing. He lives and teaches in northern Kyoto prefecture.  The judges felt his piece provided an interesting look at questions of identity in a global age and at a time when tourist numbers in Kyoto have surged dramatically. **************** Nippon …Read More

The winner of the third prize is Richard Steiner, who is a longterm resident of Kyoto, a noted woodblock printmaker, and a member of WiK. (See his piece on writer’s block.) The judges felt that while the piece was simple in conception, it captured the charm of the city which lies beneath the tourist veneer.  …Read More

Mayumi Kawaharada grew up, lives and works in Kyoto.  She started writing English haiku in 2004, as a member of the Hailstone Haiku Circle led by Stephen Henry Gill.  Many of her works appear on their blog and in their books.  Recently she self-published her first bilingual haiku and photo booklet, Three and half years …Read More

Kevin Ramsden’s novel The Drop was a gripping read of the London underworld, and personally I was impressed by the mastery of different voices and the weaving together of the plot.  The link for the book is here – not only is it highly recommendable, but all profits go to provide educational opportunities for children …Read More

this deep sky sea   these deep currents well up the way below roiling riding your waves your curls your shores your sea our sea this deep sky sea •••••••••••••••••• first rays first rays illuminating new fresh green reflections still golden on the pond in the stream   ************** in the wind      the temples …Read More

The passages below are a truncated version of an essay contained in a guide to Rinzai Zen Study for Foreigners in Japan, written by Ruth Fuller Sasaki and produced in 1960 for The First Zen Institute of America.  (For more about her life and connection with Kyoto, click here.)  The comments are not only interesting …Read More

  Cooling off by the River at Shijo (1690)   By Jeff Robbins, Compiler of the Basho4Now Trilogy The custom Basho describes in the following haibun and haiku began in the late 12th century as part of the Gion Festival; a temporary bridge was set up for portable shrines to cross the Kamo River near …Read More