髙橋句美子句集『手ぶくろの色』（２０１３年刊）第１章「貝がら」の英訳句集「Seashells」の序ができました。
Preface
This book contains 50 haiku written by my daughter, Kumiko, from the age of 4 to 18 in Matsuyama, the birthplace of the great haiku poet Masaoka Shiki.
These haiku were later included in her first collection, Tebukuro no Iro (Colors of Mittens), published in 2013. Since the age of four, Kumiko has continued writing haiku for nearly forty years. After graduating from Keio University, where she studied mathematics, she now lives and works in Tokyo.
Fortunately, Japan has enjoyed over 80 years of peace without war. However, in recent years, we have endured severe earthquakes and natural disasters. I have translated my daughter’s haiku for children of all ages, including those who remain children at heart, with a prayer that they may live in peace and happiness, and find inspiration and comfort in these poems.
We originally planned to publish this book in 2024 in memory of Nobuyuki Takahashi, founder of the haiku magazine, following his passing.
He was also our father and husband. Having endured many hardships after the end of World War II, he passed away on May 24, 2023.
May this book accompany you in moments of quiet reflection.
November 10, 2026
Yokohama
Translator Masako Takahashi