 |
WHF2002/Basho
Journey/
Kamakura/Kyoto Options
Press coverage |
The World Haiku Festival 2002 (20-22 September
2002), the Oku-no-hosomichi Basho Journey (13-19 ditto), Kamakura Option (7-12
ditto) and Kyoto Option (23-27), which the World Haiku Club organised in Japan
in association with Yuwa Town, Akita, had quite an impact on the people there.
This has been reflected in various coverage of the event by newspapers, radio
stations and television broadcasting companies.
Newspapers and radio
stations have been following this extensive event from its preparatory stages.
Interviews were conducted by newspapers and on the air with WHC Chairman, Susumu
Takiguchi, who visited Yuwa Town twice beforehand while inspecting trips to
various places.
Apart from this, Sakigake
Newspaper has been publishing a series of articles by Kazuhiro Kudo on Akita
haiku poet, Ishii Rogetsu (1873-1928), who is the main theme of WHF2002.
Articles by Professor Katsushi Wada on a different but related haiku
theme, Masaoka Shiki, have been appearing in various papers. This series will
last until next March when it will become over fifty instalments. Notably, a
two-part essay by Takiguchi on the significance of WHF2002 was published in the
newspaper, Sakigake, before the event. The event itself was covered
closely by the Sakigake and other media.
WHF2002 has been extensively followed by
national television companies. TSB, the popular Tokyo Channel 12 incorporated
the event into a one-hour special arts programme
called “In Love with Arts”, broadcast nation-wide on 15 November 2002. It's
subtitle is as follows:
The Shortest Form of Literature in the World
– What are the simple truths behind the haiku boom? Why 7-5-7? Fine haiku
poems which can surprise Basho…
Japan’s
national broadcasting corporation, NHK, sent a special team to accompany the WHC
party all the way from Kamakura to Yuwa Town, broadcasting the coverage on
25 November 2002. The 45-minute special documentary covered the event by
focusing on three different figures from among the WHC participants, Visnja
McMaster from Croatia, Judit Vihar from Hungary and David Barsky from USA,
depicting the event through their eyes.
