National Haiku Writing Month: Write a Haiku Every Day in February

February is National Haiku Writing Month (NaHaiWriMo), a global initiative inviting participants to compose one haiku daily for 28 or 29 days. Founded as an online project at nahaiwrimo.com, the event offers free registration, daily prompts, and a community for sharing haiku. Irene Canino, a promoter of Japanese culture and author of "La mia libreria Tsundoku" (Mondadori, 2025), recently organized a themed workshop for the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO). She emphasizes that haiku is not merely about syllable counting (5-7-5) but capturing a precise, often nature-linked moment with minimal language. The practice fosters mindfulness, observation, and discipline. Participants share haiku on social media via dedicated hashtags or keep private notebooks. For inspiration, the article recommends the exhibition "La Via dei Sabi: il Giappone Silenzioso" at Rocca di Lonato del Garda – Fondazione Ugo Da Como, featuring photographs by Andrea Lippi (honored at TIFA and BIFA 2024) and calligraphy by Luigi Gatti. The exhibition explores silence, impermanence, and beauty, echoing themes of haiku masters Matsuo Bashō (1644-1694) and Masaoka Shiki (1867-1902), whose verses are carved in stone at sites like Matsushima, Yamadera, Mount Ibuki, and Matsuyama.