This page was last updated on 08-2-2012

Saijiki Resources: a collection of season words (kigo), references, and inspirations for haiku poets -- and so much more (sigh-gee-key).

• Higginson, William J. with Penny Harter. The Haiku Handbook: How to Write, Share, and Teach Haiku. Kodansha: New York, Tokyo. 1985. Paperback. 331 pages. The Saijiki: 267-286. The excellent book is available at most book sellers; it is stocked in shops and is available on-line.

• Aha! Poetry. An on-line resource created by Jane Reichold. 1991. Reichold has arranged her saijiku uniquely and unlike the traditional books published for this purpose. See the introduction: http://www.ahapoetry.com/aadoh/intro.htm

• The Five Hundred Essential Japanese Seasonal Words selected by Kenkichi Yamamoto—Translated by Kris Young Kondo and William J. Higginson: on-line resource: http://www.2hweb.net/haikai/renku/500ESWd.html

• WKD.  Dr. Gabi Greve, Daruma Museum, Japan. WKDB. An on-line resource that is being continually enriched with new contributions. The World Kigo Database is collecting words from all over the world that may be used as seasonal words (kigo　季語) for haiku of the respective areas. It is based on the concept of a Japanese Dictionary of Seasonal Words (saijiki　歳時記), but addresses all cultures, areas and regions of the world, where people are now writing haiku in languages other than Japanese. Every haiku poet is welcome to contribute !  ...It is truly a GLOBAL project.  The various regions are listed below.  http://worldkigodatabase.blogspot.com/

WKD Regional Kigo Lists and Saijiki

• Japanese Haiku: a topical dictionary. University of Virginia Library.  An on-line resource. The Japanese Haiku Topical Dictionary is a work-in-progress based on the Ny笛mon Saijiki by the Museum of Haiku Literature in Tokyo. Like other Japanese saijiki, the Ny笛mon Saijiki is a compilation of the major kidai (seasonal topics) and kigo (seasonal words) in traditional and modern Japanese haiku.  http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/japanese/haiku/saijiki/index.html

• Kiyose Collection of Season Words in Japan: on-line: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/worldkigoparkinglot/message/528 [Borrowed from The SHIKI IE Haiku Salon (from Japan) http://www.geocities.com/meister_z/HAIKSZNS.htm]

• Yuki Teikei Haiku Society (San Jose) Kigo List with San Francisco Bay Area Regional Kigo, Summer Season on-line: www.youngleaves.org/season-word-list

• 1977-78 Haiku Journal, translated by Kiyoko Tokutomi. http://www.adianta.com/YTKigoList.html
  See also: The Yuki Teikei Haiku Season Word List: http://youngleaves.org/season-word-list/

This page was last updated on 08-02-2012

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