Haiku Writing Class at Ishiteji Temple, Matsuyama

Compose haiku while walking a sacred pilgrimage, then refine your poems with a guide who knows the form inside out.

A haiku writing class in Matsuyama combines a gin-kō (pilgrimage walk) to Ishiteji Temple, the 51st stop on the Shikoku 88 Temple circuit, with an English-language haiku workshop. You wear full pilgrim attire, draw inspiration from the landscape and historic setting, compose poems on the walk, then gather at the Shiki Museum to share your work and receive instructor commentary. The program runs about four hours and includes the lecture, guided walk, workshop, all materials, and pilgrim clothing.

The experience

You meet at the Shiki Museum at 12:50 and begin with a lecture on English haiku and the spirit of Matsuyama. The city where Masaoka Shiki transformed haiku into modern literature and where the form remains woven into daily life. The instructor, fluent in English, grounds the hour in the poets and places that shaped the tradition, so when you step out onto the pilgrimage walk you are not just moving through a landscape but reading it the way a haiku poet does.

The gin-kō itself lasts an hour. You walk to Ishiteji Temple in full pilgrim attire (robes, hat, walking staff), which shifts how you move and how the world meets you. The temple is the 51st station on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, a route that has drawn walkers for centuries. As you go, you stop to compose English-language haiku inspired by what you see and the weight of the place. This is not a sightseeing tour: you are working, noticing, choosing words. The instructor guides the walk and the process, but the poems come from you.

Back at the museum by 15:10, the kukai (haiku workshop) gives you ninety minutes to refine what you wrote. You share your poems aloud, hear how others saw the same walk, and get direct feedback from someone trained in the form. The experience is rare: opportunities to write haiku in English under instruction in Matsuyama, the haiku capital itself, do not come often. By 16:40 you are done, carrying poems you made and a sense of how a form that seems simple on the page asks you to pay attention in a way almost nothing else does.

What’s included

• English haiku lecture and workshop instruction.
• full set of pilgrim attire including robes, hat and walking staff.
• guided pilgrimage walk to Ishiteji Temple.
• haiku composition and sharing session.
• instructor commentary on your poems.
• all materials and venue use at the Shiki Museum.
• English and Japanese navigator support throughout.

Before you book

Days and timesFridayDeparts at 12:30

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (13 to 80 years) · Under 13: can't be booked

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by ＪＴＢ松山支店

Is this one for you?Book this class if you have a free afternoon in Matsuyama and want to slow down and write rather than move quickly through sights. The lecture and workshop frame the walk so you understand haiku as a living form, not a historical artifact, and the pilgrim attire makes the experience physical and real in a way street clothes would not. You need to be comfortable reading and writing in English and have moderate fitness for the walk itself.

Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Ishiteji Temple and why does the walk go there?

Ishiteji is the 51st temple on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, a historic circuit that has drawn pilgrims for centuries. The temple's age and significance make it an ideal setting for a haiku walk, since the form draws power from seasonal change and the weight of place.

Do I need to know how to write haiku before I come?

No. The lecture covers English haiku and the spirit behind it, so you start with grounding in the form. The instructor then guides you through composition on the walk and refines your work in the workshop. The class is designed for people new to haiku.

What does the pilgrim attire include and will I be comfortable walking in it?

The full set of authentic pilgrim clothing is provided and includes robes, hat, and walking staff. The attire is designed for walking and changes how you experience the pilgrimage. It is part of the practice, not a costume. You should have at least moderate fitness for the walk itself.

Is this class only for people who speak English fluently?

Yes. The lecture, haiku composition, and workshop all happen in English, and you need to read, write, and communicate in the language to participate fully. The instructor is fluent in English and provides guidance throughout.

How much of the afternoon does this take, and when does it end?

The program runs from 12:50 p.m. to 4:40 p.m., so plan for a full afternoon. It includes the lecture, the one-hour walk, and the workshop, with breaks built in.