haikeuden

Haikeuden (俳句伝) is a term used in Japanese literary studies to refer to the tradition, transmission, and body of knowledge surrounding haiku poetry. The word combines haiku with den, meaning tradition or transmission, and is typically used to discuss the lineage of poets, schools, and formative influences that shape haiku across periods. Haikeuden is not a form or genre of poetry itself; rather, it denotes the meta-level tradition that guides composition, criticism, teaching, and preservation of haiku techniques, aesthetics, seasonal practice, and language choices.

Scholarly usage: In historical or critical writing, haikeuden may describe the lineage from master to apprentice within a particular school, or the corpus of writings—anthologies, treatises, commentaries—that document methods for composing kireji (cuts), kigos (season words), and the 17-syllable structure. It may also refer to the defined canon of works that scholars treat as exemplary haiku writing. The term is more common in Japanese-language scholarship and is less standardized in English.

Relation to other concepts: Haikeuden overlaps with discussions of haikai, renga, and the broader tradition of Japanese lyric poetry. It is used to analyze how poets adapt tradition to contemporary language while maintaining core aesthetics such as brevity, imagery, and sensitivity to season.

See also: Haiku, Bashō, Haikai, Renga, Senryū.