JAPANESE GEM IN THE HEART OF EUROPE – A Thousand Hungarian Haiku in Japanese

More than just a poetic form, haiku is a way of seeing — a brief moment that captures the essence of life and reveals its hidden beauty. It is a delicate poetic bridge between Japan and Hungary.
“A JAPANESE GEM IN THE HEART OF EUROPE – A Thousand Hungarian Haiku in Japanese” is not merely a book launch at Expo 2025 Osaka, but an invitation to embark on a cultural journey into the world of Hungarian haiku. During this presentation, the audience will gain insight into the history, themes, and unique features of Hungarian haiku. Through personal stories and reflections, the speakers will explore the art of composing and translating haiku, as well as the depth of Japanese–Hungarian cultural dialogue — showing how this brief, yet profoundly expressive poetic form continues to live on in contemporary Hungarian literature. We warmly recommend this event to lovers of literature, Japanese culture, literary translation, and cross-cultural dialogue — and to anyone curious about how two distant cultures can meet in just three lines.
Join us in Osaka for a special cultural journey into the world of the Hungarian haiku!

Speakers:
Dr. Judit Vihar – Translator, literary historian, haiku poet, honorary president of the Hungarian-Japanese Friendship Society
Kaoru Watanabe – Japanese language instructor at Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Budapest, translator of the book