WHCtakashi is an important list where non-Japanese haiku poets from around the world are given a rare privilege to benefit directly from personal teaching by a leading Japanese haiku master. Takashi Hoshino (b. 1952 -) is a great grand son of Takahama Kyoshi (1874-1959), who was a father of modern haiku and the founder of the all-powerful orthodox Hototogisu School. His mother, Tsubaki (meaning: camellia), is President of a very popular wing of the Hototogisu School, the Tamamo School. Takashi the deputy and Editor of the School's celebrated haiku magazine, The Tamamo. Takashi is a rising star and is destined to become one of the top leaders of the next-generation of the highly hierarchical Japanese haiku community. Initially, he was taught haiku by his grand-mother, Tatsuko, who was the second daughter of Kyoshi and Tsubaki's mother. Now, as a very popular and respected master himself, Takashi teaches extensively up and down Japan but he also wishes to share the joy of authentic haiku with many haiku-loving poets across the world through the World Haiku Club. The main feature of WHCtakashi is Takashi's special kukai where out of all the haiku poems in English submitted by haijin from around the world, he will select the best ten, giving his personal comments. (The original poems will be translated into Japanese and his comments in Japanese will be translated back into English) The winning ten poets will have their haiku in English shown to the Japanese people in Japanese translation and original English. Takashi's own haiku will be introduced in English translation from time to time. Time permitting, Takashi's teachings could be translated into English.

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Susumu Takiguchi
Chairman, World Haiku Club