In many languages and countries around the world today, millions of people are writing haiku. But what is a haiku, really? How did it develop from its obscure origins in Japan to have a global reach? What makes writing haiku in Japanese different from, say, English?
Thomas Rimer, a retired professor of Japanese literature, sat down to answer some of these questions for The Epoch Times. He has published a number of books on various aspects of Japanese literature, including fiction, poetry, and modern drama. He is also one of the judges in the Society of Classical Poets 2025 Haiku Competition, going on now until Aug. 15, 2025.
