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Yasou Kudo

くどう やそう

Kudō Yasō

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1970-01-01 （Aomori Prefecture, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
haiku poet
Active Years
1998-
Affiliations
Kaite (member), LOTUS (haiku magazine, editor), Unaffiliated
Influenced By
Tota Kaneko, Shinji Saitō

Awards

Kaite Newcomer Prize
2003
Organization: Kaite (haiku circle)
Result: 受賞
Shiba Fukio Haiku Newcomer Prize (Encouragement Award)
2006
Organization: Shiba Fukio Haiku Newcomer Prize Committee
Result: 奨励賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Arabesque

2019 haiku collection

A 2019 collection of haiku that maintains the 5-7-5 form while diverging from traditional seasonal themes. Known for its highly difficult, experimental imagery and lexical leaps; recurrent motifs include the sea, animals, and ritualistic scenes.

difficult imageryexperimentalseaanimalsritual

Bibliography

  • Arabesque (Rokka Shorin, 2019)
  • Shinsen 21 (anthology, Eds., Mura Shorin, 2010)
  • Yasui Koji Reader I & II (co-edited, Kingyoya Press Japan edition, 2022)
  • Kafka Haiku (participated in dialogue, Chuo Koron Shinsha, 2024)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
strict adherence to 5-7-5 formcryptic, poetic imageryexperimental lexicon
Recurring Motifs
the seaanimal figures (peacocks, white horses)festival/ritual scenesfragmented dreamlike visions

Legacy

Yasou Kudo is a 21st-century Japanese haiku poet noted for retaining traditional form while pursuing experimental, hermetic meanings. He has contributed to the haiku community through editing and magazine activities, supporting younger poets.

Quotes

  • Elm, an ancestor falls from the sea
    Source: From the haiku collection 'Arabesque' (example lines) (2019)

Trivia

  • Active on Twitter (@yasow910)
  • Has a Facebook profile
  • Founded and edited the haiku magazine LOTUS