Hachikai Mimi, one of the most promising young poets/writers in Japan, will arrive in Vietnam to host lectures on Japanese contemporary literature and poetry in Hanoi, Hue and HCMC from Tuesday until Saturday, the Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam announced in a statement.
Equipped with an MA in ancient Japanese literature at Waseda University, Mimi has been actively working on writing, ranging from poems, novels, text for picture-books, translations of foreign picture-books, to reviews on literature and poetry, and public lectures.

Her first book of poems Ima nimo uruotteiku jinchi (The Position That’s Being Moistened Even Now), which was published when she was a graduate student, won the Nakahara Chuya prize - one of the most prestigious prizes for poetry in Japan. Her second book of poems Ku mono wa kuwareru yoru (The Night Those Who Eat Get Eaten), in 2005, won the Geijutsu Sensho Shinjin prize [the New Face Award of Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology for Poetry).

Mimi also has a collection of mini-essays Kujaku no hane no me ga miteru (The Eyes on a Peacock’s Feathers Are Watching), 2004, Beni suisho (Rose Quartz), 2007, Tenshin (Transformation), 2008, Kujaku no hane no me ga miteru (The Eyes on a Peacock’s Feathers Are Watching), 2004, Sora wo hikiyoseru ishi (The Stone Attracting the Sky), 2007, Esukarugo no yoake (Snail’s Dawn), 2006, and Ukiwa neko (A Cat with a Swimming Ring), 2011.

She often alludes to classical Japanese literature and engages in wordplay. Her fine sensibility on words, equipped with academic research on ancient Japanese literature, convinces us of broadening the possibility of poetry and literature.

The first talk will be held at the Conference Room on the second Floor, Literature Institute, 20 Ly Thai To Street in Hanoi from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday,  then at Phuong Nam Culture Center, 15 Le Loi Street in Hue from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Thursday. Finally she comes to Room D201, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, 10-12 Dinh Tien Hoang Street in HCMC’s District 1 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.

The lectures will be delivered in Japanese with Vietnamese interpretation. Admission is free.

SGT