Japanese Literary Awards

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Takao Hirowatari

ひろわたり たかお

Hirowatari Takao

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1951-04-13 （Okagaki, Onga District, Fukuoka, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
haiku poet
Active Years
1989-
Affiliations
Haijin Association (councilor), Ta no Kai (executive, sekai/association), Japan Writers' Association (member), Japanese Alpine Club (member), Contributor/member of the magazine 'Oki'
Memberships
Haijin Association, Japan Writers' Association, Ta no Kai, Japanese Alpine Club
Influenced By
Toshirō Nomura

Education

Fukuoka Prefectural Shuyukan High School
Country: Japan
Kyushu University
Faculty of Law
Country: Japan
Graduated from Faculty of Law (graduation year not specified)

Awards

Nakashinden Haiku Prize (runner-up)
1999
Work: Ongagawa
Organization: Nakashinden Haiku Prize Committee
Result: runner-up
Kadokawa Haiku Prize (runner-up)
2005
Organization: Kadokawa Shoten
Result: runner-up
Kadokawa Haiku Prize (winner)
2012
Organization: Kadokawa Shoten
Result: winner
Chiba Prefecture Haiku Prize (honorable mention)
2016
Work: Madorizu
Organization: Chiba Prefecture Haiku Writers' Association
Result: honorable mention
Haijin Association Award (runner-up)
2016
Work: Madorizu
Organization: Haijin Association
Result: runner-up
Japan Poetic Society Criticism Category Excellence Award
2024
Work: Traveling Haiku Pillows of Japan: 62 Selections
Category: 評論部門
Organization: Japan Poetic Society
Result: excellence award
Chiba Prefecture Haiku Prize (10th)
2024
Work: Fumon (Wind Ripples)
Organization: Chiba Prefecture Haiku Writers' Association
Result: winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Ongagawa

1999 Haiku collection

First haiku collection. Contains many poems on mountains and nature, including pieces centered on the Ongagawa river area.

naturemountainsrivers

Laika

2009 Haiku collection

Second collection featuring intimate scenes and tactile imagery in many poems.

daily lifememorynature

Madorizu

2016 Haiku collection

Third collection containing delicate depictions of spatial expression and scenes of everyday life.

spacedomestic scenesnature

50 Selected Trees of Japan Traveled by Haiku

2021 Essays / haiku (guide to trees)

A guide-like work that explores Japanese trees through haiku and commentary.

treesnature-poetryguide

Traveling Haiku Pillows of Japan: 62 Selections

2024 travelogue / haiku collection

A travelogue and haiku compilation visiting notable haiku sites across Japan.

travelhistoric siteshaiku loci

Fumon (Wind Ripples)

2024 Haiku collection

Fourth collection focusing on subtle observations of nature's movement and landscapes.

windnature observationseasonality

Bibliography

  • Ongagawa
  • Laika
  • Madorizu
  • 50 Selected Trees of Japan Traveled by Haiku
  • Traveling Haiku Pillows of Japan: 62 Selections
  • Fumon (Wind Ripples)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
calm, nature-centered stylefield-sense and tactile description in mountain haikublend of traditional haikai tone with contemporary perspectives
Recurring Motifs
mountainstreesseasonal animalsrivers and watersidessmall domestic scenes

Legacy

A contemporary haiku poet respected for mountain haiku and nature-themed poems. He is recognized for regionally rooted and observational verse and has received multiple awards and selections.

Academic Societies

  • Haijin Association
  • Japan Writers' Association

Quotes

  • My hands numbed, I only note the summit time
    Source: Haiku collection 'Ongagawa' (1999)
  • A fish that will swim till death — starry night
    Source: Haiku collection 'Fumon (Wind Ripples)' (2024)

Trivia

  • Started writing haiku in 1989
  • Graduated from Kyushu University Faculty of Law
  • Member of the Japanese Alpine Club; noted for mountain haiku
  • Published collections include 'Ongagawa', 'Laika', 'Madorizu', and 'Fumon'