I was asked to do a short speech on Japanese culture, such as haiku, for my smallest Junior High School, so I thought I’d rattle off a quick worksheet. Here are nine Japanese haikus, with English translations, most of which I wrote this morning. The activity for the kids is to match the English with the Japanese.

Obviously this post just has the Japanese followed immediately by the English translation. The worksheet isn’t quite so easy.

 

朝のコーヒー

美しい日の出

早すぎる！

A morning coffee

A beautiful sunrise

It’s too early!

 

ピアノの音

人がないの部屋

怖いだね

The piano plays

A room with no-one in it

Isn’t it scary?

 

朝の雨

フロントガラス

事故しまった

Morning rain

A car’s windshield

There’s an accident!

 

夏の夕日

西に見ている

目が痛い

The summer sunset

Looking to the west

Hurts my eyes

 

鳥の鳴く

恋しくなった

夏の声

The bird’s chirp

I’ve come to love

The voice of summer

 

白蝶々

暖かい昼

私達の

White butterflies

A warm midday

Are our’s to share

 

夏の夜

蛍の光る

追いましょう

A summer night

A firefly’s glow

Let’s follow it

 

雨の時

蝶々は

どこに行く？

When it rains

The butterflies

Where do they go?

 

携帯の音

授業の間

誰のですか？

A mobile rings

In the middle of class

Whose is it?