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Nobuhiro Takahashi

たかはし のぶひろ

Takahashi Nobuhiro

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1955-12-27 （Tokyo, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Toyama Prefecture, Japan

Career

Occupations
haiku poet, poet, creative director
Active Years
1977-
Affiliations
Member, Modern Haiku Association, Member, Japan Modern Poets Association, Councilor, Museum of Modern Japanese Poetry and Poetics, Chair, Toyama Prefecture Poets Association (from 2019-11-03), Editor, haiku journal Kobo (until its 2008 final issue), Contributor, haiku journals 'Iki', 'Hakuen', 'Furai', Contributor, poetry journal 'Big Magellan' (until its 2008 final issue), Publisher, haiku journal '575' (founded July 2010), Publisher, poetry journal 'NS' (founded Oct 2020), Participant, poetry journal 'Magellan Future' (founded Dec 2021)
Influenced By
Akira Shimizu, Mikio Sasaki, Rokurino Suzuki, Sanki Saito, Shinji Honda

Awards

Kayo Newcomer Award (23rd)
1999
Organization: Kayo Award Committee
Result: winner
Saito Sanki Prize (7th)
2000
Organization: Saito Sanki Prize Committee
Result: winner
Modern Haiku Association Annual Work Award (2nd)
2001
Organization: Modern Haiku Association
Result: winner
Modern Haiku Criticism Prize (22nd)
2002
Organization: Modern Haiku Association
Result: winner
Kayo Award (31st)
2002
Organization: Kayo Award Committee
Result: winner
Kayo Award (32nd)
2003
Organization: Kayo Award Committee
Result: winner
Hokuriku Nippo Arts Award (17th)
2004
Organization: Hokuriku Nippo Newspaper
Result: recipient
Hokuriku Contemporary Poets Prize, Encouragement Award (3rd)
2004
Work: Sheep in the Water
Organization: Hokuriku Contemporary Poets Prize Committee
Result: winner
Modern Haiku Newcomer Award (23rd)
2005
Organization: Modern Haiku Association
Result: winner
Toyama Prefecture Commendation for Meritorious Service (Arts & Culture)
2021
Organization: Toyama Prefecture
Result: recipient

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Curse Scenery: Fragments

1977 poetry collection

Early poetry collection characterized by fragmentary images and experimental language.

fragmentsinterior lifeimagery

Shadow of Summer

1986 poetry collection

A collection emphasizing seasonal feeling; delicately depicts summer's presence and memory.

seasonalitymemorynature

Sheep in the Water

2004 poetry collection

Poetry collection that won an encouragement award; develops images around water and landscape.

waterlandscapeexistence

Barbarian

2005 haiku collection

A haiku collection marked by sharp observation and concise expression.

kigo (season words)everyday lifeobservation

Honey Tower

2008 haiku collection

Haiku collection that emphasizes visual imagery.

visualitycitynature

Sky Garden + Shadow of Summer

2008 poetry collection

A combined edition featuring poems in dialogue with nature.

gardenskyseason

Notes on Garden Making

2010 poetry collection

Poetry collection themed on garden-making, depicting relationships between nature and the artificial.

gardengarden-makingnature vs. artifice

Midday Fireworks

2011 essays/criticism

A collection of criticism on poetry and haiku, addressing language and poetics.

poeticsexpressioncriticism

Empty Vessel

2013 haiku collection

A haiku collection using symbolic motifs.

symbolismexistenceemptiness

MOTHER HOTEL

2014 poetry collection

A collection traversing contemporary images, dealing with urban sensibility and memory.

citymemoryfamily

One Hundred Haiku of Rokurino Suzuki (Commentary)

2023 commentary

A critical commentary on the haiku of Rokurino Suzuki.

commentaryhaiku studies

Eye of Darkness — On Rokurino Suzuki

2025 criticism

Critical study on Rokurino Suzuki, including haiku history and personal analysis.

haiku historyauthor study

Bibliography

  • Curse Scenery: Fragments (poetry, Unamunantei, 1977)
  • Shadow of Summer (poetry, Edition K, 1986)
  • Sheep in the Water (poetry, Soshisha, 2004)
  • Barbarian (haiku collection, Soshisha, 2005)
  • Honey Tower (haiku collection, Soshisha, 2008)
  • Sky Garden + Shadow of Summer (poetry, Soshisha, 2008)
  • Notes on Garden Making (poetry, Soshisha, 2010)
  • Midday Fireworks (essays, Soshisha, 2011)
  • Empty Vessel (haiku collection, Soshisha, 2013)
  • MOTHER HOTEL (poetry, Soshisha, 2014)
  • One Hundred Haiku of Rokurino Suzuki (commentary, Furansudo, 2023)
  • Eye of Darkness — On Rokurino Suzuki (criticism, Furansudo, 2025)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
modern haiku expressionpoetic brevity and symbolismemphasis on visual imagery
Recurring Motifs
waterseasonal changecity vs. naturememory

Legacy

Active for decades in haiku and poetry, Takahashi has promoted new haiku expression from Toyama through editing journals and collaborating on poster and visual projects. His work has been featured in major national newspapers and selected for international poster biennales, earning broad recognition.

Academic Societies

  • Modern Haiku Association
  • Japan Modern Poets Association
  • Museum of Modern Japanese Poetry and Poetics

Archives

  • National Diet Library (holding records)
  • VIAF (identifier available)

In Popular Culture

  • Haiku featured in Asahi Shimbun's 'Oiori no Uta' column
  • Introduced in Yomiuri Shimbun's 'Henshu Techou' column

Trivia

  • Regularly organizes the '5-7-5 Poster Exhibition', collaborating with Toyama designers.
  • Poster works have been selected for the Brno International Biennale, Warsaw International Biennale, Zgraf, and World Poster Triennale.
  • Works have been published in JAGDA Yearbook and Tokyo ADC Yearbook, among others.