Last November when 12 Aussies visited the Yamadera Basho Memorial Museum in Yamagata, Japan, we were warmly greeted. Professor Oba has since told me that he and his staff were unaware, until our visit, of the quality and level of interest in Australia for haiku.

At the time we were there, Professor Oba mentioned the museum's haiku competition, which includes a category for haiku in English, and I promised to tell Australian poets about it when it was announced for 2011.

Applications for the 3rd Contest are now open and should be postmarked no later than Friday, June 11, 2011. Entry is free. Questions and applications should be submitted to:

〒999-3301 The Yamadera Basho Memorial Museum
4223 Nanin Yamadera, Yamagata-shi, Yamagata-ken
Japan

Full details of the Contest are available at: http://yamadera-basho.jp/?p=log&l;=232122

It would be lovely to see strong Australian support for this competition with sparkling, quality haiku from as many of our haiku poets as possible.

Beverley George