お月見 (Otsukimi) 2016 & Moon Viewing Haiku Winners

by aleks

SJG • 9/17/16 - the gate entrance

We had another fabulous Moon Viewing celebration last Saturday, complete with traditional Japanese tea ceremonies in the Shoseian Tea House,  bento dinners in the courtyard and Tatueuchi Community Room + floating lanterns launch on the pond at dusk.

From our  moon viewing platform we were delighted with haiku readings by Michael Dylan Welch from Haiku Northwest and music from several artists:
• Marcia and Kuniko Takamura on koto
• James Jennings on Shakuhachi
• Gretchen Yanover on electric cello
• Gary Stroutsos on bamboo flute

SJG • 9/17/16. Photo by Tony 

It was a cloudy evening, with prediction of 70% rain for the start of the fest, but luckily we only got a slight drizzle somewhere half-way trough.  No moon, alas. But that's OK: the ceremony does not require the moon to be present, as waiting for it is sufficient to celebrate this dating back to the 8th century tradition of honoring the autumn harvest moon.

SJG • 9/17/16. Photo by Tony

2016 Seattle Japanese Garden Moon Viewing Haiku Contest

Judged by Tanya McDonald and Michael Dylan Welch (from 126 entries)

First Place:

Lying in bed,
moonlight through the window,
my second blanket

Kaitlin Powell

Second Place:

the moon viewing
even the fish
need umbrellas

Anonymous (please let us know your name by emailing WelchM@aol.com)

Third Place:

the pond’s still surface
       reflects the full moon
              reflecting the sun

Kelvin Kleinman

SJG • 9/17/16 - tea ceremonies in the Shoseian Tea House. Photo by Tony 

Adult Honorable Mentions (in no particular order):

silver reflection
     drifting on the water
          faint as a caress

Rachel Burgoon

sun descending moon ascending
in a garden by a pond
a young boy looks up

Mahdi Mohammad Bagher

the moon is high
and so am I
the stars are out

B. St. J.

The moon is full,
and I am full too,
full of memories

Robbie Emmet

Small moons among us
The artificial lights flicker
The full moon shrouded
  
  Rebecca Church

SJG • 9/17/16 - Gretchen Yanover on electric cello

The pond’s hungry koi
Nibbling for their evening meal
Eat nothing but moon

Tem

Again the night is dark.
With flashlights and white balloons
let’s make our own moons.

Mata tsuki nai.
Hai-tekku wo tsukaite
tsuki wo shimas

Maurice Varon

Moon viewing in the park
I slip on a rock
Ah, the koi

Rodney Smith

drifting fog
an acquaintance
I’d rather not meet

Sky Ramirez

Even if you claim
it’s not a competition
no one “views” the sun

R. Thursday

SJG • 9/17/16. Photo by Tony

Youth Honorable Mentions  (in no particular order):

Look up to the sky
the moon smiles to you happily
to say hi to you

Olivia Near, age 10

The koi swim around
like a circle beautiful
as the moon

Olivia Near, age 10

Shadows on the sky
are like ghosts dancing on the moon
that are saying hello

Olivia Near, age 10

peaceful quiet dark
it drives away nightmares the moon
I gaze at the moon

Isaac Kim, age 8

Dear moon
you are so beautiful
I love your moonlight
you make me smile every night

Eliza Kim, age 5

SJG • 9/17/16 - Gary Stroutsos on bamboo flute. Photo by Tony

SJG • 9/17/16