Hilarious Haiku About The Small Embarrassments Of Modern Life

Last week I discovered Yamada Zenjido, an artist who pens haiku-like truisms paired with pitch-perfect drawings, and they are SO FUNNY…if you can read handwritten Japanese, that is.

Fortunately, I have a friend who helped me with the more opaque characters (and because no good deed goes unpunished, will be pestered to do so maybe FOREVER), so I  can pass a few of these on to you now and bring a little happy embarrassment to your day…

I stop to fix my hair in a window reflection

Then I realize

Someone is watching from the other side.

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In the electronics store

I barely touched it, and it died

So I quickly walked on.

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The automatic door sensor

Doesn’t seem to be working, even though I tried everything

Oh, you have to push the button.

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Those samples look really delicious

I badly want to try one, but that would be uncool

So I pretend I’m not interested.

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On a ground floor balcony where everyone can see him

Shouldn’t that old guy be a little

Less relaxed?

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At the designer clothing shop

I’m shocked by the prices

But I put on an “oh, this is usual” face, then quickly leave.

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Driving by myself

Singing along to my favorite song,

I realize later that the window was open.

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Whenever I wash something

Suddenly

I have to pee.

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For the first time

I hear how my voice sounds to other people

And it’s depressing.

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If you’re a better kanji reader than I am (and that includes just about everybody and their grandmother) I DEEPLY ENVY YOU because you can see a lot more of these gems if you follow the artist on Twitter (@y_haiku) and/or Instagram (instagram.com/y_haiku/).

Eternal thanks to Hiroyuki Otomo, who helped me understand the peskier characters.

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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 
The Last Tea Bowl Thief was chosen as an Editor’s Pick for
Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense on Amazon

“A fascinating mix of history and mystery.” —Booklist

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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly e-magazine Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had