Haiku Workshops

Every poet anonymously submits a set number of haiku on separate strips of paper (usually 2-4), one haiku on each strip. These strips of paper are called "tanzaku".

 These tanzaku are then collected and jumbled up or shuffled and the haiku are written in random order on larger sheets of paper (eg. 2-4 a sheet).

 These sheets are numbered and passed, in order, around the circle of desks. Everyone copies the haiku, under their respective numbers, into their notepads.

 After the copying-down is finished, everyone picks the haiku (usually 5 or so) that they liked most and writes them on another sheet (referred to as "senku youshi") along with their name.

 These sheets are submitted and each person's choices are read out aloud.

 If your haiku is chosen (read out aloud) you call out your name so people know that you are the author.

 People mark down how many people chose each haiku in their notepads.

 When everyones 5 choices have been read out, the Sensei goes through each haiku and comments on its good points and how it can be improved. (At the smaller meetings like "Fuyoh", the people who chose each haiku explain why they chose it.)

 Sometimes people come up with totally different interpretations and the discussion on whether this was intentional and if not, how to change the words of the haiku so that only the original meaning is conveyed, is educational to everyone.

At "Fuyoh" meetings the author does not call out their name until after everyone has made comments on the haiku. This ensures that people do not become afraid of making comments on, for example, the Sensei's haiku just because of social standing.

 The sensei is very important to the Japanese haiku workshop. If no-one else at the workshop picks out your ku as one of their favourites but the Sensei does, it is considered the highest honour. (As obviously it was too difficult/deep for "normal" people to understand)