Kigo
(Season Word)

Most haiku contain at least one word designed to indicate the season. This gives the reader a background for the poem and aids in understanding the poem.  The idea that haiku are about nature sprang from the use of Kigo. In fact, Kigo is so associated with haiku that haiku anthologies are often organized by season.

Kigo can come in many forms, both explicit and subtle.  Poets can set the season by using the name of the season, such as "summer heat."  The season can also be implied.  "Snow" and "icicles" hint of winter while "falling leaves" and "harvest" suggest Autumn. Poets make use of seasonal animals, plants, holidays, traditions, music, weather, etc. Look at this concept map I created of words that I associate with Autumn.

Kigo is very important to haiku poets, they often compile lists to refer to as they write. There are even separate anthologies of season words for the different regions in Japan! Since different regions experience the seasons differently, kigo can change from location to location. Conveying the season was an easier task to accomplish when haiku was purely a Japanese art. The average Japanese citizen may automatically identify that "deer" means autumn and "cherry blossoms" mean spring but we may not find it so easy to comprehend.  Dragonflies in Japan may not behave the same as the dragonflies in other parts of the world and different cultures celebrate different holidays. Additionally, in Japan as well as the rest of the world, humanity has moved further from nature. In fact, haiku do not have to be about nature. (Yes, traditionalists would suggest otherwise!) This may make "kigo" hard to recognize. Practice by identifying the season word in the following examples:

Let's practice:
Read the following kigo examples and decide which season they imply. Some lines you may recognize, not just haiku poets use seasonal references, and some are my haiku. Because people often have slight differences of opinion instead of answering with one specific season (even if the name of that season appears in the question) limit your answers to "spring/summer" or "autumn/winter". 

1. "The summer wind came rolling in across the sea"

2. "All the leaves are brown and the sky is gray"

3. "but since we've no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow"

4. "under a harvest moon"

5. "let's go surfin' now, everybody's learning how"

6. following the trail // of airborne music children // chase after ice-cream

7. Crunching on acorns // I dance to the music of // My own creation

8. brightly colored eggs // pale in comparison to // my cousins' fingers

9. walking home from school // yields an unexpected chance // to taste snowflakes

10. Under my bushes, // Blown down by October winds, //A pansy struggles

Score = 
Correct answers:


 
 
 

ASSIGNMENT!! As a novice poet it would benefit you to start your own collection of kigo.

Autumn     Winter   Spring     Summer
 
 

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