🏮 Matsuo Basho Sai Zenkoku Haiku Taikai

松尾芭蕉祭・全国俳句大会

Matsushima, Miyagi (Zuiganji Temple) · Every year on the 2nd Sunday of November

55 days to go
Rooms around Matsushima, Miyagi fill up while the festival is on.

The Matsushima Basho Festival and National Haiku Convention, held every autumn in Matsushima, Miyagi Prefecture, is a long-established event co-hosted by the Miyagi Haiku Association and the town of Matsushima. This gathering, which has continued since 1955 (Showa 30), keeps alive the deep connection between the haiku poet Matsuo Basho and Matsushima. The festival traces its origins to Matsuo Basho's visit to Zuigan Temple in the early Edo period. On the day of the event, in the morning, a memorial service honoring Basho is solemnly held in the main hall of Zuigan Temple. In the afternoon, the National Haiku Convention is held at the Matsushima Town Cultural Tourism Exchange Center (Atre-ru Hall), where haiku submitted in advance by the general public are judged by renowned selectors, and awards such as the Matsushima Town Mayor's Prize and the Miyagi Prefectural Governor's Prize are chosen. Participants in the convention can enjoy free admission to Zuigan Temple and the Kanzantei, attend the memorial service, and submit haiku on the day, allowing them to experience Matsushima's scenic beauty and the world of haiku at the same time.

Getting there

About a 10-minute walk from Matsushima-Kaigan Station on the JR Senseki Line. About a 10-minute drive from the Matsushima Interchange on the Tohoku Expressway.