Hokku

Hokku, meaning "opening verse," is the opening stanza of a renga or haikai no renga, a collaborative linked-verse poetry form that developed in medieval Japan. The hokku sets the scene and establishes a seasonal mood, often connecting to the next stanza through a juxtaposition or a cutting word (kireji). In practice it functions as a stand-alone unit within the larger sequence, and over time came to be valued for its own brevity and image.

Traditionally, the hokku is composed in a three-part sequence totaling 17 morae, commonly described in a 5-7-5 pattern, with a kigo (season word) anchoring the poem to a particular time of year. The presence of a kireji, a verbal caesura or concluding particle, helps create a pause or pivot that links to what follows.

Historically, hokku evolved within the linked-verse circles of the 15th to 17th centuries. Poets such as Matsuo Bashō, Yosa Buson, and Kobayashi Issa refined its aesthetics—emphasizing natural observation, simplicity, and a momentary insight. In the late 19th century, Masaoka Shiki reframed the hokku as an independent short poem and coined the term haiku to denote the standalone form, while preserving its heritage from renga.

In modern usage, hokku is often discussed as the historical precursor to haiku. Contemporary haiku typically treat the form as a single stand-alone poem, with emphasis on concise imagery, seasonal reference, and the impression of a single, clear moment. The terms hokku and haiku are sometimes used interchangeably in English-language contexts, though the distinction remains in Japanese traditional practice.