Bright snowy mountains
came into my eyes –
silent morning
……………………. Mayumi K.
Prior to Sunday February 12th, Kyoto had seen intermittent snow for two days and nights, much of the city having been shrouded in white. A poetic adventure invariably on his mind, it didn’t take long for Tito to come up with an idea for a snow-viewing meet at two famous ponds in Saga. In spite of very short notice, six haiku wanderers showed up on what turned out to be a mostly dry and breezy Sunday. The snowfall, alas, had petered out by the early morning hours. All we were left with was white mountain-tops and an occasional patch of unmelted snow to marvel at along the way.
The shrine grove
still holding snow –
the wicked sun
……………………. Tito
Four of us started our walk at Daikaku-ji in Ukyo ward, where a small shrine dedicated to Sugawara Michizane (Tenjin-san), the Japanese God of Poetry, sits on an island in Osawa Pond.
Praying for snow
before a toneless bell
of Tenjin-san
……………………. Branko
Nearby, a plum orchard, barely in bloom, was a welcome sight.
a day of teasing snow –
the small white buds
on this plum tree
……………………. Duro
Years ago, Tito used to live just around the corner from Daikaku-ji and, needless to say, knows the surrounding area like the back of his hand. He was kind enough to provide us with lots of information on local history, both ancient and recent. One such point of interest was a group of burial mounds (‘Kitasaga Shichi Kofun’) dotting the rural landscape of vegetable plots and rice-fields. After clawing our way to the top of one such tumulus, we were astonished to find a great number of badger burrows, some of them freshly dug. From each emanated a strong animal scent, and it was safe to say the nocturnal creatures were better off inside the mound than we were, standing frozen on its windy top.
Below the frost line
the ancient tomb
reclaimed by badgers
……………………. Branko
Without restraint
beating its own drum:
a speedwell
out-of-season
……………………. Tomiko
More plodding through the fields, soggy with snow-melt, and the four who began at Daikaku-ji eventually reached Hirosawa Pond … for a perfectly timed rendezvous with Hitomi and Duro (Gerald). This pond is emptied every December and was that day still partly water-less, a landscape dotted with wading birds foraging across the shallows and mudflats.
Hirosawa Pond –
left and right
high over fish shadows
an osprey hovering
…………………….. Hitomi
a famous pond
drained for the winter –
such hollow dreams
…………………….. Duro
Our final stop was a rather stylish Japanese restaurant, a 15-minute walk from Hirosawa Pond. Have you ever dined at a place frequented by members of royal families? Well, apparently this was such a place! On the walls, large photos recorded visits from the Cambodian and Burmese Royal Families, those of Mongolian dignitaries, and even one from a Ugandan chieftain.
Looking at
framed pictures of royalty …
my oyster curry arrives
……………………. Tito
After a lengthy meal and a productive and fun haiku sharing, we had a group photo taken in the garden outside. No sooner had we said goodbye, than snow began to fall again!
* click on any photo to see it enlarged *
