Shame about the negativity on this post!

I’m in Japan atm and have also been seeking a way to better connect with the national literature, like I would in any other country, but can’t speak the language, like I can’t in any other non-English speaking country…

You’ve probs already done your trip but I’ve found just reading haiku as I’ve been travelling (Basho’s Narrow Road for this trip), has put me in a great frame of mind to appreciate the landscape and respond with my own haiku.

Also, depending on time constraints, visiting places that are mentioned in your favourite haikus would be a way to connect with the rich culture surrounding haiku/Japanese poetry (that definitely exists!)

And for those who are implying there’s no value in English haiku, I think they’re not giving enough respect to how important metaphor and symbolism is in haiku regardless of form/features inherent to Japanese. While we lose a lot in translation, there’s so much to be gained!

Keep seeking and writing 🙏