Guidelines for the Genjuan International Haibun Contest 2015:

Background:
Genjuan is the name of the cottage near Lake Biwa where, in 1690, Basho lived for a time.
His residence in this ‘Vision-Inhabited Cottage’ was probably the happiest period of his life,
and it was there that he wrote his most famous short haibun.

Competition aims:
The purpose of the Genjuan International Haibun Contest is to encourage the writing of fine
haibun in English and to maintain the connection between the traditional Japanese
perception of haibun and what is evolving around the world.

Subject:
Free.

Style:
No restrictions, but special attention must be paid to honouring the spirit of haikai.

Length:
In total, between 10 and 40 lines (at one line = 80 spaces; a 3-line haiku counts as 3 lines).

Haiku:
At least one haiku should be included (with no formal restrictions).

Title:
Each piece should be given a title, however short.

Format:
Print on one sheet of A4-size paper (using the reverse side as well, if long). At the bottom,
write your name (and your pen name, if you have one), together with your address,
telephone number, and email address. Your privacy will be strictly protected, and the judges
will not see your names until the result has been decided.

Deadline/ address:
Between 1 October 2014 and 31 January 2015, please send your entries to:
Ms. Eiko Mori,
2-11-23-206 Jokoji,
Amagasaki-shi,
Hyogo-ken 660-0811,
Japan.

Entries received after this date might not be accepted.
Kindly avoid sending by express and using extra-large envelopes.
(It’s best to write your home address on your envelope, too.)

Entry Fee:
None.

Restrictions:
Entrants can send up to three entries.
They should be unpublished and not under consideration elsewhere.
As we cannot return your entries after screening, please retain your own copies.

Questions:
All queries should be sent to the address above or by email to [email protected]
Email Ms. Mori two weeks after sending your entries, if you wish to have an
acknowledgement of receipt.

Judges:
Toshinori (Nenten) Tsubouchi, Stephen Henry Gill, Hisashi Miyazaki

Special Request:
The authors of the decorated works will later be requested to send in their works by email.
In this, organisers expect your co-operation.

Results:
The results and the judges’ comments will be sent to all entrants in the northern spring.
Results will also be displayed on the Hailstone Icebox http://hailhaiku.wordpress.com/.
(Full details about the competition can be seen there, along with last year’s winning pieces.)

Prizes:
Winner of the Grand Prix will receive a good replica of a Hokusai ukiyo-e print.
Smaller gifts will also be sent to the An (Cottage) Prize-winners (highly commended).
The writers of all the decorated works will receive a certificate of merit.

Stephen Gill