One Year Since 'Hey, Nakajima! Forget That, Let's Write Haiku!'

The link is to last year's July 27th article.

It has been one year since that article sparked the sudden haiku competition. A rough mental calculation suggests there have been over 700 total participants and more than 2,000 total haiku submissions. If you include the tanka and senryu added since the Spring Space Cup, the total number of participants exceeds 1,000.

It really touches my heart.

At the first event, I knew nothing about haiku, to the point that I held the summer haiku gathering in August. Since then, I have met, parted ways with, and reunited with so many people. I have laughed so much and cried so much. For me, this is undoubtedly a treasure of a lifetime.

The only reason I have been able to keep this going is, of course, thanks to all the many friends and participants. I would like to say thank you again to everyone who played along with me. I am grateful to everyone who has been involved.

Well,
I am persistent, so I will keep going. I have already been steadily preparing the next host, illustrator, and music coordinator behind the scenes. Look forward to the announcement at the Grand Finale on August 3rd.

At the same time, it is also time to properly wrap up the Tsurukame Cup. The upcoming schedule (tentative) is as follows.

7/25 Submission deadline (Haiku, Tanka, Senryu)

7/27 Preliminary round begins (Haiku)

7/30 Final round begins (Haiku)

8/1 Everyone's Haiku Grand Prize decided (Haiku)

8/2 'Even So, Mother' Award and Special Jury Award announcements (Haiku)

8/3 Jury Award announcements (Haiku, Tanka) Three Major Awards announcement (Haiku)
Grand Finale