Kenkabō, Hekigotō, and the Russo-Japanese War: Senryū and Haiku in War

DOI Web Site

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • 剣花坊・日露戦争・碧梧桐
  • 剣花坊・日露戦争・碧梧桐 : 時局の中の川柳と俳句
  • ケン カボウ ・ ニチロ センソウ ・ ヘキアオギリ : ジキョク ノ ナカ ノ センリュウ ト ハイク
  • ――時局の中の川柳と俳句――

Search this article

Abstract

<p>In this paper, I examine the relationship between the traditional poetry genres haiku and senryū, and the Russo-Japanese War, by following the activities of Inoue Kenkabō and Kawahigashi Hekigotō during this period. Kenkabō expressed his ideas for the innovation of senryū through his column Shindai ryūson in the newspaper Nippon; he made great strides by riding the current of the times during the war. In particular, he seized on the element of “humorous taste,” which he saw as lacking in conventional literary genres, and asserted that senryū was the best genre for promoting Japan culture, and enhancing its greatness as a nation. On the other hand, in the wartime haiku scene, a project called “Haiku-At-Arms” was undertaken to promote national prestige, but did not succeed in producing many militaristic haiku. Meanwhile, after Hekigotō's plan to go to war fell through, he did not try to form an easy connection between haiku and the war, choosing instead to stick to his own notion of haiku as an independent literary genre. Building on this stance of resistance, Hekigotō later traveled throughout Japan, promoting his idea of a modern haiku that broke with the traditional five-seven-five syllable pattern and season words.</p>

Journal

Keywords

Details 詳細情報について

Report a problem

Back to top