Master Kawazu

Kawazu was just an ordinary frog sitting in a pond when a haiku poet asked him to jump in the water. After Kawazu created a Plop! that resonated throughout haiku history, he decided to open a haiku school and to take an apprentice: Kaeru.

Favorite haiku:

old Pond
a frog jumps in
the sound of the water

- Basho

Kaeru the apprentice

Kaeru leaves his pond in search of a haiku teacher. He visits different schools and when he returns to the pond, he finds the perfect haiku teacher: Master Kawazu. After writing one a haiku a day for a month, Kaeru becomes Master Kawazu's apprentice. He receives his first haiku lessons, read the Japanese haiku masters, goes cherry blossom viewing and attends his first haiku conference.

Favorite haiku:

green frog
is your body also
freshly painted?

- Ryunosuke Akutagawa

Haiku Poet

The Haiku poet is always looking for inspiration to write haiku. He likes taking long walks, observing natures, and making friend with various creatures such as the frog, the butterfly, the snail, and the fly that invaded his home.

Favorite haiku:

Matsushima, ah !
Ah, Matsushima, ah-ah !
Matsushima, ah !

- Basho

The Snail

The snail is a small creature with big ambition: his dream is to climb mount Fuji. In an animated gif series I did for tumblr, he trains really hard and reaches his goal.

Favorite haiku:

Little snail
Inch by inch, climbs
Mount Fuji!

- Kobayashi Issa

The Goose

The Goose is curious about what the poet is doing, eating and thinking.

Favorite haiku:

departing geese
where will you moon-gaze
tomorrow?

- Kobayashi Issa (translation by David G. Lanoue)

The Butterfly

The Butterfly travels with the poet. He turns out to be a very bad travel companion, disturbing the poet with his erratice flying and sarcastic remarks.

Favorite haiku:

from the weeds
that little butterfly
is born!

- Kobayashi Issa (translation by David G. Lanoue)

The Fly

The Fly enters the poet's house and calls it "home". The poet tries in vain to get rid of him.

Favorite haiku:

"It's a good year!"
they clamor...
flies in the grass   

- Kobayashi Issa (translation by David G. Lanoue)