[Yamanashi, Nirasaki] A power spot where the romance of about 2,000 years ago blooms! "Anyama Town Haiku Contest 2026" accepting entries from July 4

The Anyama Community Center Haiku Club and others will hold the "Let's Recite Ancient Lotuses! Anyama Town Haiku Contest 2026" starting July 4, 2026.

The venue is the "Oga Lotus (Ancient Lotus) Pond" in Anyama Town, Nirasaki City, where beautiful large lotus flowers bloom every summer. We invite you to capture moments that move your heart in a 5-7-5 syllable format by the lotus pond, which is also loved as a power spot.

Recite a summer moment by the "Oga Lotus" that blooms across 2,000 years of time.

At the "Oga Lotus Pond," a famous spot in Anyama Town, Nirasaki City, Yamanashi Prefecture, beautiful lotus flowers imbued with ancient romance reach their peak bloom every summer.

This contest was planned to foster an appreciation for this wonderful scenery and pass on the region's rich natural environment to the next generation.

To apply, please drop your entry form into the dedicated "Haiku Post" located at the entrance of the lotus pond. Anyone can participate freely, regardless of age or place of residence.

Fujio Hosokawa will serve as the judge, selecting the top "Ten, Chi, Jin" awards and other winning entries. Winners will receive commemorative gifts, and selected works will be displayed at the entrance of the lotus pond throughout August.

Related Event: "Haiku Workshop" to learn from a professional, safe for beginners!

To prepare for the contest, a "Haiku Workshop" will be held on July 12, 2026 (Sat.) to help you craft your own satisfying haiku.

The workshop will provide easy-to-understand explanations, from the basics of haiku to specific critiques using past works as examples. Participation from outside the town is also very welcome.

Date & Time: July 12, 2026 (Sat.) 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Venue: Anyama Town Fureai Hall (Anyama Community Center)

Lecturers: Mitsuo Abe, Yasuko Nagasaka

How to Apply: Please call the Anyama Community Center staff (Kawanishi) at 090-5560-3812.

Saturdays and Sundays mornings only! Support the lotus pond with famous "Anyama Lotus Sablé" and fresh vegetables.

During the lotus blooming season (limited to Saturday and Sunday mornings until August 2), a special sale will be held at the entrance of the lotus pond.

Popular "Anyama Lotus Sablé" (2 pieces for 300 yen) and freshly harvested local summer vegetables will be available. The proceeds from this sale will be carefully used for the maintenance and management costs to continue protecting the beautiful lotus pond.

Contest Entry Guidelines

Contest Name: Let's Recite Ancient Lotuses! Anyama Town Haiku Contest 2026

Entry Period: July 4, 2026 (Sat.) - July 26, 2026 (Sun.)

How to Apply:

Fill out the entry form located at the entrance of Anyama Town's "Oga Lotus Pond" and submit it to the provided "Haiku Post."

*Up to 3 entries per person. Unpublished works only.

Results Announcement: Will be posted at the lotus pond entrance from 9:00 AM on August 1, 2026 (Sat.).

Awards: Ten, Chi, Jin (1 person each), Selected Entries (10 people) *Commemorative gifts will be presented to the awardees.

Lotus Pond Location: 5083 Anyama Town, Nirasaki City, Yamanashi Prefecture (Parking: approx. 20 spaces available)

[By Train] Approx. 15-minute walk from Anyama Station on the JR Chuo Line

[By Car] Approx. 10 minutes from Sudama IC on the Chuo Expressway

Column | [A Miracle Awakened from 2,000 Years of Slumber] The Little-Known Romance of Anyama Town's "Oga Lotus"

The "Oga Lotus Pond" in Anyama Town, Nirasaki City.

Every summer, large pink flowers bloom across the water's surface, but these lotuses are not just beautiful flowers!

1. Lotus seeds from the "Jomon Period"!? A Miraculous Time Travel

The roots of the Oga Lotus (Ancient Lotus) trace back to just three lotus seeds discovered in an archaeological site in Chiba Prefecture in 1951 (in a stratum corresponding to the Jomon period, about 2,000 years ago).

Through the efforts of botanist Dr. Ichiro Oga and others, one of these seeds bloomed magnificently! It became huge international news as the "World's Oldest Living Flower." This miraculous lotus was propagated and is now carefully cultivated in the rich natural environment of Anyama Town.

2. A Morning-Only Luxury! The Radiance of a "Moment" as it Beautifully Unfolds

Lotus flowers slowly open in the early morning and gently close before noon.

The most beautiful viewing time is precisely between 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM! The sight of the translucent pink petals unfurling while bathed in morning dew is breathtakingly beautiful.

It's a special front-row seat for summer, worth waking up early for.

3. A Hidden Summer Power Spot That Lifts Your Spirits

The lotus, which powerfully rises from the mud to bloom clear, large flowers, has been revered as a sacred symbol since ancient times.

The banks of the lotus pond, surrounded by the contrast of green leaves and pink against the blue sky, are a healing power spot that makes you forget the busyness of daily life.

Just visiting allows a refreshing breeze to blow through, making you feel cleansed.

A mysterious pink vista that the Jomon people of 2,000 years ago might have gazed upon.

This summer, why not wake up a little earlier and experience the romance of history and a cool morning front-row seat at the Anyama Town lotus pond?

[Organizer & Contact Information]

Organizers: Anyama Community Center Haiku Club / Anyama Town Committee for Promoting the Natural Environment to the Next Generation

Inquiries and applications for this matter and the haiku workshop:

Anyama Community Center Staff: Kasai

TEL: 090-5560-3812

Official Event Details Page: https://www.nirasaki-kankou.jp/event_schedule/event_info/7510.html