What are seasonal words in haiku?
Seasonal words, or “kigo,” are traditional terms that point to a specific time of year in haiku poetry. The poet does not make them up—they are part of a shared set of words used in Japanese poetry for centuries. For example, sakura (cherry blossoms) signals spring, while yuki (snow) represents winter. A kigo adds mood, meaning, and context to a haiku in just one word.
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