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JT Community Page 10th Anniversary: Write a Haiku, win a copy of Debito’s HANDBOOK
Posted by debito on April 25th, 2012
Novel IN APPROPRIATE by ARUDOU Debito
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Hi Blog. As I wrote last week, next week heralds a celebration of the Tenth Anniversary of the Japan Times’ Tuesday Community Page. As I’ve written about 100 articles and JBC columns for it so far, I’ll be doing double duty next week with two articles, one in commemoration, and one a regular JBC column (more on the topic shortly before publication).
This week, however, in anticipation, the JT announced that it would be offering FIVE free copies of Akira Higuchi and Arudou Debito’s bilingual HANDBOOK FOR NEWCOMERS, MIGRANTS, AND IMMIGRANTS (more on it here), which has been a solid and steady seller, what with all the information about getting the right visa, getting a steady job, getting settled for a permanent life in Japan, and dealing with problems and issues that may come up. Table of Contents and reviews here.
That’s right, five free copies of HANDBOOK, and all you have to do is write a Haiku in English about Japan — “the good, the bad and the ugly”. Some examples (there are many more at the link) by Zeit Gist contributor Colin Jones this week include:
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fl20120424lg.html
Random card checking
Fingerprints at the airport
Yokoso Japan!
Non-Japanese folk
Have constitutional rights
Except when they don’t
Barred from the hot springs
for invisible tattoo
It says “foreigner”
Now, those are my kinda Haiku. And no doubt we’ll have some anti-Debito ones too (taste the irony of being rewarded by the very person you’re dissing!). Go for it! Submit via:
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/community-anniversary.html
Happy Anniversary, Community Page! Arudou Debito
April 25th, 2012 at 4:11 pm
@ Debito,
Those haiku don’t even include a season reference word!
We Japanese (that’s me AND Donald Keene) are not amused by the lack of respect NJ have for Japanese ancient culture!
April 26th, 2012 at 12:23 pm
Summer, hot and moist
Wet, tender flesh sticks to the
Fingerprint scanner.
April 26th, 2012 at 1:11 pm
frog moon sweat
candy moth chirpiness breath
pay your taxes
April 26th, 2012 at 7:48 pm
The Japanese news -
Nadeshiko, AKB,
food, and maybe news
April 26th, 2012 at 10:27 pm
I am not special
All we require from you
level playing field
sitting on train
wow I have space
I had a shower
April 27th, 2012 at 9:57 am
15 Springs I gave
my vigor now depleted
Call it time to bounce?
April 27th, 2012 at 11:26 am
Immigrant-free land
Will the last person to leave
Please turn out the lights?
April 27th, 2012 at 11:43 am
Bicycle checkpoint
“I have saved you the receipt”
A foggy Sunday
After seven springs
“Sir, where did you get this bike?”
Even in Tokyo
April 27th, 2012 at 4:15 pm
I cant build a life
I gotta get out of here
Johnny Foreigner
April 27th, 2012 at 9:25 pm
Japan is unique
Foreigners don’t understand
Dolphin sashimi
April 27th, 2012 at 10:22 pm
Ahh, I can’t express my J-heart in English haiku, but my favorite Kipling poem always reminds me of the Japanese attitude to NJ;
O it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, go away”;
But it’s “Thank you, Mister Atkins”, when the band begins to play,
April 28th, 2012 at 11:07 am
Speaking of Kipling:
“If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you”
is now my official motto.
April 28th, 2012 at 9:45 pm
@Becky #13
That is a great poem with so many inadvertent allusions to Japan. For example;
But make allowance for their doubting too; (one for the ‘flyjin’ haters),
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating, (one for the stalker site),
If you can dream – and not make dreams your master; (a lesson there for the J-gov),
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim; (one for all the Japanese who can’t answer a straight ‘yes/no’ question without ‘ehhh…to’ing for 15 mins first).
I could go on, but my favorite line is;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
And that’s the standard by which I judge my achievements, not by how much money I earn, or the size of my house.
April 29th, 2012 at 3:06 am
Blatant Japan (the band) rip off so no prize but anyway…
Tokyo life is cruel
It seems so artificial
So why should I care?
Written in 1979…..Ahead of their time.
April 30th, 2012 at 9:05 am
Don’t call me racist
if you please. It’s not racist.
It’s just Japanese.
May 1st, 2012 at 4:41 am
Quake brought Tsunami
Swept over the towns
Government bowed down on lies
May 2nd, 2012 at 4:49 pm
You are in Japan
You must follow our ways –
If we say you can
May 4th, 2012 at 6:30 am
smiling faces gone
culture in the throes of death
fault found everywhere