Haiku by comedian Junior Chihara engraved in stone in Kyoto Pref. hometown

FUKUCHIYAMA, Kyoto — A haiku produced on a TV show by Japanese comedian Junior Chihara has been engraved on a stone monument unveiled near Fukuchiyama Castle in this city, which is his hometown.

A ceremony to unveil the monument was held in Fukuchiyama on Nov. 18. A delighted Chihara commented, “It’s not common for a comedian to have a haiku monument erected, so this is a great honor.”

Chihara has been appointed as Fukuchiyama’s “Dokkoise” ambassador, a reference to a slogan used at festivals in the city. In a segment on the MBS TV show “Purebato!!” (also called “Pressure Battle!!”) on April 25, he presented a haiku on the theme “hometown,” which read, “Furusato no mokushuku no ka wa kokarikeri” (The scent of clover in my hometown is so rich).

Japanese poet Itsuki Natsui, who reviews celebrities’ haiku on the show, showered praise on Chihara’s composition, saying it deserved a haiku monument in Fukuchiyama. Inspired by this, local stone company Nakagaki Sekizai offered to donate a stone to the Fukuchiyama Municipal Government, and the plan materialized.

The monument was placed in Yurano Garden, neighboring Fukuchiyama Castle. It is made from Mount Oe Mikage stone, a type of granite, and stands 140 centimeters tall by 63 cm wide. The haiku is written in Chihara’s own handwriting.

The “mokushuku” in Chihara’s haiku was a reference to white clover. During the ceremony, the comedian said, “There is also clover in Tokyo, but I wrote the haiku based on the feeling that the scent of the greenery is richer in my hometown.”

The stone was unveiled by Chihara together with Nakagaki Sekizai official Shota Nakagaki and Fukuchiyama Mayor Kazuo Ohashi. When the string attached to the veil suddenly detached, Chihara elicited laughs by saying, “I didn’t expect just the string to come off!”

In an interview with reporters, Chihara said, “If I ever publish a haiku collection, I hope to be invited back to Fukuchiyama.”

Mayor Ohashi noted, “This spot has a spectacular view with Fukuchiyama Castle in the background. We hope to make this place even more lively.”

(Japanese original by Manabu Niwata, Fukuchiyama Local Bureau)