Drawing after a photograph, by Susumu Takiguchi
Oxford, England

R. H. Blyth was born on December 3, 1898, in Essex, England. An English-honors graduate of London University, class of 1923, Blyth was self-taught in numerous European languages. In 1924, he graduated from London Day Training College with a teaching certificate and later moved to Korea, and then, Japan. In 1926 he began studying Zen under Kayama Taizi Roshi of Myoshinji Betsuin in Korea. Influenced by the Zen works of Daisetz Suzuki, Blyth immersed himself in Japanese culture and became a teacher of English in Japan.

During World War ll, from 1941-1945 Blyth was interned as an enemy alien in Kobe, Japan. His influential friends included D.T. Suzuki, Nosei Abe, Katsunoshin Yamanashi. R. H. Blyth became a friend and haiku mentor to James W. Hackett, who is the Honorary President of the World Haiku Club.

From a chronology of R.H. Blyth in "Garden Digest" (WHC member, Michael Garofalo's website)