An Utrecht Haiku Encounter Day? Yup! Behind the scenes, Japan Fans have been working on it for a while: the Haiku Meeting Day with the theme “wabi-sabi together”. Read more about it in this little blog!
Utrecht Haiku Encounter Day, wabi-sabi together
Neude library Utrecht, 7 October 2023
A Haiku Encounter Day will take place at the Neude-Bieb in Utrecht on Saturday 7 October 2023. The event is organised by the Haikukern Utrecht and the Japan Fans Foundation, in cooperation with the Haiku Kring Nederland, the Haiku Centre Flanders, the Sieboldhuis Leiden and the Utrecht Library. The event is in Dutch and free of charge.
The central theme of the Haiku Encounter Day is wabi-sabi, with a focus on “Wabi Sabi together”. The day will focus on the moment and/or the detail, with special attention to haiku, tanka and (free) poems in literary wabi-sabi narratives.
Wabi-sabi is a view of life that has developed over the past six centuries in Japan, influenced by Taoism and Zen Buddhism. This attitude to life, and for many even art of living, is now also finding its way to the West. Core values of wabi-sabi include the beauty of imperfection, accepting our own shortcomings, awareness of the fleetingness of existence, rustic simplicity and kindness in our dealings with nature and each other.
During the Haiku Encounter Day, various angles of wabi-sabi will be discussed, including visual art, music, design, Japanese gardens, ceramics, photography and coaching. It will also look at wabi-sabi literature and how it is evolving. The day will also provide an opportunity for participants to make their own contributions.
The Haiku Encounter Day starts at 9:00 am with a reception, followed by the official programme at 9:30 am. The morning programme will consist of seven guest speakers highlighting various topics. Afterwards, the jury of the Haiku Kring Nederland will present the Wabi-Sabi-Haiku Encouragement Prize. Registration via the website is required for the morning programme.
From 13:00, participants can participate in workshops of their choice under the guidance of the guest speakers. There will also be interludes covering various wabi-sabi aspects, such as music, storytelling and poetry. Moreover, there will be a special haiku writing workshop for all ages. During the Haiku Encounter Day, there will be a book table with a wide selection of wabi-sabi books, poetry collections and other literature. There will also be a wabi-sabi exhibition wall. Both the morning and afternoon programmes are free of charge.
For more information and registration, see the website www.haikuontmoetingsdag.nl
