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Miki Saito

さいとう みき

Saito Miki

Pen Names: Miki Saito（Haiku pen name (legal name: Masanao)）

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1923-12-06 （Shimo-Hayakawa Village, Nishikubiki District, Niigata Prefecture (now Itoigawa City, Niigata, Japan)）
Died
2012-12-26 （Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan） age 89
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Itoigawa City, Niigata, Japan

Career

Occupations
haiku poet, school teacher, farmer
Active Years
1941-2012
Affiliations
Kanrai (haiku magazine), Kaikyō (haiku magazine), Kyōen (haiku magazine), Sugi (haiku magazine), Fumoto (haiku magazine; founder and editor), Modern Haiku Association (advisor), Niigata Modern Haiku Association (chair)
Memberships
Modern Haiku Association, Niigata Modern Haiku Association
Influenced By

Education

Takaoka Higher Commercial School (now University of Toyama)
Faculty of Economics
Period: Graduated 1941
Year of Graduation: 1941
Country: Japan
Takaoka Higher Commercial School corresponds to the present Faculty of Economics, University of Toyama.

Awards

Modern Haiku Association Award
1981
Organization: Modern Haiku Association
Result: 受賞
Modern Haiku Grand Prize
2006
Organization: Modern Haiku Association
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Hanabishimon

1970 Haiku collection

An early collection capturing the landscape and spirit of her hometown, Itoigawa.

naturehometownseasons

Torikoshi

1975 Haiku collection

A mid-period collection emphasizing regional characteristics and lyricism.

hometownpeoplelocal landscape

Chi no Hito

1979 Haiku collection

Poems that carefully depict local life.

rural lifeseasonsnostalgia

Rojōshū

1984 Haiku collection

A collection of haiku that capture fragments of walks and daily life.

everyday lifenature observationlandscape

Kaidō

1987 Haiku collection

Focuses on the sea and port-town scenes.

seaport townslocal climate

Sakura Kakushi

1991 Haiku collection

A collection themed on spring scenes and cherry blossoms.

springcherry blossomsseasonal feeling

Hakujū

1995 Haiku collection

A mature-period collection summarizing years of work.

liferecollectionnature

Hyakunen

2000 Haiku collection

Includes works conscious of generations and the passage of time.

erahistorylocality

Rokka-shū

2002 Haiku collection

A set of works thematically focused on snow and winter scenes.

snowwinternatural description

Haru no Mai

2003 Haiku collection

A later-period collection centered on themes of spring.

springreturnnature

The Climate of Haiku

1985 Essays on haiku

An essay collection discussing the relationship between haiku and local climate/landscape.

haiku criticismlocal climatetheory of expression

Bibliography

  • Hanabishimon (1970)
  • Torikoshi (1975)
  • Chi no Hito (1979)
  • Rojōshū (1984)
  • Kaidō (1987)
  • Sakura Kakushi (1991)
  • Hakujū (1995)
  • Hyakunen (2000)
  • Rokka-shū (2002)
  • Haru no Mai (2003)
  • The Climate of Haiku (1985)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
lyrical haiku styleconcise and poetic expressionblend of traditional and modern haiku
Recurring Motifs
hometownseasnowseasonsrural life

Legacy

Known for lyrical haiku rooted in the landscape of Itoigawa; recipient of the Modern Haiku Association Award and the Modern Haiku Grand Prize. Contributed to the promotion of regional haiku and nurturing younger poets.

Academic Societies

  • Modern Haiku Association
  • Niigata Modern Haiku Association

Trivia

  • Legal name was Masanao.
  • Graduated from Takaoka Higher Commercial School (now University of Toyama, Faculty of Economics) in 1941.
  • Worked in agriculture after retiring from teaching.
  • Founded and edited the haiku magazine "Fumoto" in 1981.