ITO EN (North America)
THE ART OF HAIKU CONTEST
OFFICIAL RULES
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
The “Art of the Haiku” Contest
Official Rules
NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING. VOID IN PUERTO RICO AND WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
BY ENTERING OR OTHERWISE PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROMOTION, YOU AGREE TO THESE OFFICIAL RULES, WHICH ARE A CONTRACT, SO READ THEM CAREFULLY BEFORE ENTERING. WITHOUT LIMITATION, THIS CONTRACT REQUIRES YOU TO INDEMNIFY AND RELEASE ALL CLAIMS AGAINST THE PROMOTION ENTITIES AND TO AGREE TO ARBITRATION WITH NO CLASS RELIEF AND A LIMITATION OF YOUR RIGHTS AND REMEDIES. ALL DISPUTES WILL BE RESOLVED SOLELY BY BINDING ARBITRATION WITH NO CLASS RELIEF.
DESCRIPTION: ITO EN (North America) (the “Sponsor”) and New York Seikatsu Press Inc. (the “Presenter”) are offering a contest looking for new haiku, which are poems following the syllabic pattern of 5-7-5.
ELIGIBILITY: The “Art of the Haiku” Contest (the “Contest” or “Promotion”) is open to individuals who are legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia at the time of entry (the “Participant” or “Entrant”). Employees of ITO EN (“Sponsor”), New York Seikatsu Press Inc., their affiliates, subsidiaries, related companies, advertising agencies, Marden-Kane, Inc. (the “Administrator”) and the immediate families (spouse, parents, children, siblings and their respective spouses) (collectively “Releasees”) and individuals living in the same household as such employees are not eligible to enter or win a prize. Entrant, by participating in the Contest, agrees to be bound by these Official Rules and Sponsor’s decisions which are final and binding. Void in Puerto Rico, all U.S. Territories and Possessions, overseas Military Installations and where prohibited or restricted by law. The Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein. The Sponsor is solely responsible for all aspects of this Promotion.
ENTRY PERIOD: The ITO EN (North America) The Art of Haiku Contest (the “Contest”) starts 12:00:00 am Eastern Time (“ET”) on January 1, 2026 and ends 11:59:59 pm ET on October 31, 2026 (the “Promotion Period”) which is further divided into ten (10) Monthly Entry Periods (each a “Monthly Entry Period”) as defined in the Entry Submission Period Chart below. The Sponsor’s computer runs the official clock for the Contest and will solely determine the time by which an entry is received. Entries that are submitted before or after the Contest Entry Period will be disqualified.
Entry Submission Period Chart
All dates are 2026. All times are Eastern Time.
| Monthly Entry Period | Starts | Ends | Email & Online Entry Received By 11:59:59 pm ET | Mail- in Entry Post Marked By | Mail- in Entry Received By |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1/1 | 1/31 | 1/31 | 1/31 | 2/5 |
| 2 | 2/1 | 2/28 | 2/28 | 2/28 | 3/5 |
| 3 | 3/1 | 3/31 | 3/31 | 3/31 | 4/6 |
| 4 | 4/1 | 4/30 | 4/30 | 4/30 | 5/5 |
| 5 | 5/1 | 5/30 | 5/30 | 5/30 | 6/5 |
| 6 | 5/30 | 6/30 | 6/30 | 6/30 | 7/7 |
| 7 | 7/1 | 7/31 | 7/31 | 7/31 | 8/5 |
| 8 | 8/1 | 8/31 | 8/31 | 8/31 | 9/7 |
| 9 | 9/1 | 9/30 | 9/30 | 9/30 | 10/6 |
| 10 | 10/1 | 10/31 | 10/31 | 10/31 | 11/6 |
HOW TO ENTER: Write a haiku (the “Entry”) in either Japanese or English. There are a series of Entry Submission Periods (see chart below). There will be three (3) entry divisions (an “Entry Division”) for each Entry Period into the Contest: [1] a Japanese language entry submission for entrants over 18 years of age; [2] an English language entry submission for entrants over 18 years of age; and [3] a Japanese or English language entry submission for entrants 17 years of age or younger.
Japanese: Haiku to be submitted in Japanese are generally expected to follow the syllabic pattern of 5-7-5 but with no requirement to include a season word (kigo).
English: Haiku in English may consider the following as models:
Across the still lake
through upcurls of morning mist –
The cry of a loon
– O. Mabson Southard
summer sun
slowly dissolving
boats on horizon
– Stephanie Visaya Bose
a stick goes over the falls at sunset
– Cor van den Heuvel
How to Submit your entry: There are three (3) ways to submit your entry:
1 – By Email: Send an e-mail with the subject line: “ITO EN 2026 The Art of Haiku Contest Submission” to haikugrandprix@gmail.com. Within the body of the email type your haiku, along with your first and last names, complete mailing address, telephone number, date of birth, e-mail address (if you have one) and name of your school (if a student).
2 – Online: Go http://artofhaiku.org and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the Official Online Submission Form and submit your haiku. Once you have completed your Entry, click the “Submit” button to enter.
3 – By Mail: Write your haiku, along with your first and last names, complete mailing address, telephone number, date of birth, e-mail address (if you have one) and name of your school (if a student) (all legibly hand printed or typed) on a piece of paper no larger than 8×10 and mail to: Shukan NY Seikatsu, New York Seikatsu Press, ATTN: ITO EN (North America) 2026 The Art of Haiku Entry,71 West 47th Street, Suite 1205 New York, NY 10036. Your outer mailing envelope must include a valid return address, which includes a complete first and last name and mailing address. Mail-in entries, including outer envelope, must be handwritten. Mail-in entries must be postmarked by October 31, 2026 and received by November 6, 2026. Envelopes containing multiple entries will be disqualified. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, damaged, delayed, destroyed, misdirected, incomplete, illegible, mutilated, or postage due mail-in entries or mail-in entries not processed by the Post Office by the deadline. Photocopies, mechanically reproduced, forged or altered mailed entries and facsimiles are void. Incomplete or illegible entries are not eligible. All entries become the property of the Sponsor and will not be returned. No entries may be submitted on behalf of another person. No correspondence will be acknowledged or entered into; requests for confirmation of quantity and/or receipt of mail-in entries will not be acknowledged.
Special Instructions For Participants Under 13 Years Of Age: If you wish to submit a haiku in this contest but you are under 13 years of age, your haiku cannot be submitted online or by email. You must submit your entry by mail. To be valid, write your haiku, along with your first and last names, complete mailing address, telephone number, date of birth, your parent/legal guardian’s e-mail address (if they have one), name of your school (if a student) (all legibly hand printed or typed) and your parent or legal guardian’s signature evidencing their permission for you to participate in the Contest on a piece of paper no larger than 8×10 and mail to: Shukan NY Seikatsu, New York Seikatsu Press, ATTN: ITO EN (North America) 2023 The Art of Haiku Entry, 71 West 47th Street, Suite 1205 New York, NY. 10036.
There is a limit of one (1) entry per person, per Monthly Entry Submission Period, per Division, regardless of entry method. Group entries not eligible. If more than one (1) entry is received from the same person/email in any of the Divisions in the same Entry Submission Period Schedule, only the first entry received will be accepted. This Contest is separate from the one ITO EN holds in Japan.
MONTHLY JUDGING/NOTIFICATION SCHEDULE: Eligible entries received will be judged on a monthly basis as noted below on the “Monthly Judging Schedule.” To be eligible for a Judging Period, entries must be received by the dates for any of the Judging Periods listed below. The entries will be judged on a monthly basis. If your entry is not selected as a Semifinalist in the Judging Period in which it was entered, it will be void and not be carried over to the next Judging Period. To submit the same entry in more than one Judging Period, you must re-submit the entry each time.
Monthly Judging Schedule
All dates are 2026
| Judging Period* | Starts | Ends | Potential Semifinalists Notified (on or about) | Number of Semifinalists from Over 18 Japanese Division | Number of Semifinalists from Over 18 English Division | Number of Semifinalists from Under 18 Japanese or English Division |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1/1 | 2/6 | 2/9 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| 2 | 2/1 | 3/6 | 3/9 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| 3 | 3/1 | 4/7 | 4/9 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| 4 | 4/1 | 5/6 | 5/7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| 5 | 5/1 | 6/6 | 6/9 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| 6 | 6/1 | 7/8 | 7/10 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| 7 | 7/1 | 8/6 | 8/10 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| 8 | 8/1 | 9/8 | 9/11 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| 9 | 9/1 | 10/7 | 10/9 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| 10 | 10/1 | 11/9 | 11/11 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
JUDGING: During the Judging, all eligible entries will be judged by a panel of qualified judges who will include, but not be limited to, Sho Otaka, Senri Oe, Kinue Esaka, Scott Mason and Taizan Tanaka as well as representatives from Sponsor, Promoter and their marketing agencies, under the supervision of the Contest Administrator on the basis of the following criteria:
- Creativity 40%
- Originality 40%
- Clear expression of haiku 20%
In the event of a tie in any stage of judging, the Winner(s) will be determined based on whichever Entry received the highest score in the originality category from the judging criteria. In the event of a tie in both judging criteria, the Entries would be re-judged by a different panel of judges.
Judging to determine the Gold, Silver and Bronze prize winners (from among the Semifinalists) and the Outstand School will take place on or about 11/17/26.
PRIZES:
Three (3) Gold Winners (one (1) from each of the Entry Divisions as listed above) will each receive: Three (3) cases of Oi Ocha green tea (ARV: $23.50 per case = $70.50) and a Trophy (trophy has no cash value). Total ARV of prize package: 70.50 each winner.
Three (3) Silver Winners (one (1) from each of the Entry Divisions as listed above) will each receive: Two (2) cases of Oi Ocha green tea (ARV: $23.50 per case = $47.00) and a Trophy (trophy has no cash value). Total ARV of prize package: $47.00 each.
Three (3) Bronze Winners (one (1) from each of the Entry Divisions as listed) will each receive: One (1) case of Oi Ocha green tea (ARV: $23.50 per case = $23.50) and a Trophy (trophy has no cash value). Total ARV of prize package: $23.50 each.
Total ARV of all prizes: $423.00.
Outstanding School Prize: One (1) School with the greatest number of outstanding entries as determined by the panel of judges will receive a certificate of recognition. For the school to qualify for this recognition they must have a minimum of ten (10) entries submitted by different students. There is no cash value to receiving the title of “Outstanding School”. Gold, Silver and Bronze prize winners will also have their haiku printed in the first issue of the 2026 Shukan NY Seikatsu as well as posted on http://artofhaiku.org. Winners are responsible for all applicable sales and income taxes on Prize. All prizes will be awarded provided enough entries have been received. No prize will be awarded for having achieved Semifinalist status. Semifinalists will have their haiku published in Shukan NY Seikatsu in the fourth issue of each month following the Entry Submission Period they are deemed a Semifinalist for as well as on the website http://artofhaiku.org.
Prize Conditions: Winners are responsible for the payment of all applicable taxes on the prizes. Prize must be accepted as awarded. All details of prizes not specified herein shall be determined solely by Sponsor. Except as provided herein, no cash, transfers or prize substitution is allowed except at the discretion of Sponsor, who reserves the right where lawful to substitute a prize (or prize component) with one of comparable or greater value. If prize cannot be awarded due to circumstances beyond the control of Sponsor, a substitute prize of equal or greater retail value will be awarded; provided, however, that if prize is awarded but unclaimed or forfeited by recipient, prize may not be re-awarded, in Sponsor’s sole discretion. No component of the Prize may be transferred or sold unless Sponsor, in its sole discretion, gives prior written permission. By accepting the prize, Winner acknowledges compliance with these Official Rules. In no event will more Contest prizes be awarded than those listed in these Official Rules.
WINNER NOTIFICATION AND VERIFICATION: The Semifinalists will be notified by mail, e-mail and/or telephone on or about the dates listed in the Monthly Judging Schedule chart above. Contest Semifinalists, as well as the Gold, Silver and Bronze prize winners, may be required to complete and sign (where legal) an Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability, and where legal, a Publicity Release, which must be returned within three (3) days of initial issuance of written notification. If such documents are not returned within the stated timeframe or are returned as undeliverable, the corresponding Semifinalist will be disqualified and an alternate Semifinalist will be determined based on the judging criteria and notified as per the procedures describe above. If the prize is won by an eligible individual who is not of the legal age of majority in his/her state of permanent residence (“minor”), the required documents must be confirmed and signed by winner’s parent or legal guardian. The Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, request any additional documentation needed to verify a winner. An Entrant is not deemed a winner of any prize, even if the winning notification should so indicate, unless and until (i) the Entrant’s eligibility has been verified, (ii) all requirements determined by the Sponsor in order to claim his/her prize have been fulfilled and (iii) the Entrant has been notified that the acceptance and verification process is complete.
SCAM ALERT – Protect yourself from scams. If you are selected as a potential winner in one of our promotions, the Administrator will contact you via the phone number and/or the email address you provided on your order/email sign-up/text message sign-up/mail-in entry form. You will NEVER be asked to provide a credit card, bank information or a payment of any kind as a condition of a prize award. We do NOT use social media to contact winners of the promotions we offer on Meta Platforms Inc. or YouTube. Prize winnings must be reported to the IRS when filing your tax returns, and winner is solely responsible for paying federal or state income taxes associated with their prize. For more information, visit http://www.mardenkane.com/scammer-alert and/or Scam Alerts | FTC Consumer Information.
GENERAL CONDITIONS: By entering the Promotion, Entrant’s, or, if minors in their state of permanent residence, their parents or legal guardians, agree to the use by Sponsor and its designees of their names, cities and states and photographs/likenesses for advertising and promotional purposes for this and similar promotions, worldwide, and in perpetuity, in any and all forms of media, now known or hereafter devised (including and without limitation, the Internet) without additional compensation, notification, or permission, except where prohibited by law. Upon request, Prize Winners must consent to such in writing.
Use of any automated entry software is prohibited. Electronically reproduced, mechanically reproduced, illegible, incomplete, or inaccurate entries are void. By participating, Entrants agree to comply with these Official Rules including all eligibility requirements. Decisions of the Sponsor/Administrator will be final and binding on all matters relating to this Promotion. By entering the Promotion, Entrants, agree to the use by Sponsor and its designees of their names, entry submission, and photographs/likenesses for advertising and promotional purposes for this and similar promotions, worldwide, and in perpetuity, in any and all forms of media, now known or hereafter devised (including and without limitation, the Internet) without additional compensation except where prohibited by law. In no event will more prizes be awarded than those listed in these Official Rules. Any questions, comments or complaints regarding the Promotion are to be directed to the Sponsor at the address below. U.S. law governs this Promotion. Notice to online participants: Internet access and usage charges applicable to a participant’s account, including access charges and/or any usage charges applicable under participant’s Internet pricing plan and any applicable taxes will continue to apply while a participant is online in connection with this Promotion, and will be the sole responsibility of such Entrant.
Any attempt by an Entrant or any other individual to deliberately damage any online service or web site or undermine the legitimate operation of this Contest may be a violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made; the Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages and/or other remedies from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that or any other provision.
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY AND RELEASE OF CLAIMS: By participating in the Promotion, Entrants agree to release, indemnify and hold harmless Releasees, and each of their respective agents, representatives, officers, directors, shareholders and employees from and against any injuries, losses, damages, claims, actions and any liability of any kind resulting from or arising from participation in the Promotion or acceptance, possession, use, misuse or nonuse of the prize (including any travel or travel-related activity thereto) that may be awarded. Releasees are not responsible for technical, computer, mechanical, printing, typographical, human or other errors relating to or in connection with the Promotion, including, without limitation, errors which may occur in connection with the administration of the Promotion, the processing of entries, the announcement of Promotion or prizes or in any Promotion related materials; or for stolen, lost, late, misdirected, postage due, damaged, incomplete, inaccurate, undelivered, delayed or illegible entries or; for electronic, computer, or telephonic malfunction or error, or failure to enter into the processing system, or are processed, reported, or transmitted late or incorrectly or are lost for any reason including computer, telephone, paper transfer, or process any transaction thereon. If in the Sponsor’s opinion, for any reason this Promotion is not capable of running as planned, or there is any suspected or actual evidence of electronic or non-electronic tampering with any portion of the Promotion, or if computer viruses, bugs, unauthorized intervention, fraud, or technical difficulties or failures, compromise or corrupt or affect the administration, integrity, security, fairness, or proper conduct of the Promotion, the Sponsors reserve the right at their sole discretion to disqualify any individual (and void his/her entry and/or prevent him/her from future participation) who tampers with the entry process and/or who is acting in violation of these Official Rules, to modify or suspend the Promotion, or to terminate the Promotion and at Sponsor’s discretion conduct the drawing to award the prizes using all eligible non suspect transactions and entries received as of the termination date. As a condition of entering the Promotion, Entrants agree that: a.) under no circumstances will Entrants be permitted to obtain awards for, and Entrants hereby waive all rights to claim, punitive, incidental, consequential, or any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses; b.) all causes of action arising out of or connected with this Promotion, or the prizes awarded, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action; and c.) any and all claims, judgments, and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, and in no event shall Entrant be entitled to receive attorneys’ fees or other legal costs. Sponsor reserves the right to modify prize award procedures at their discretion. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that or any other provision.
PLEASE READ: IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING DISPUTE RESOLUTION. These Official Rules contain terms that govern how claims relating to this Promotion will be resolved. For example, they include an arbitration agreement and waiver of a class action that require submitting Promotion-related claims to an arbitrator (instead of going to court before a judge or jury). They also limit the ability to bring claims on behalf of other persons (that is, it prohibits bringing any class action or collective or representative proceeding). The Official Rules also limit the type of damages that can be recovered. Please read these terms carefully as they impact your legal rights and, by participating in the Promotion you are agreeing to the terms.
CHOICE OF LAW/JURISDICTION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION: This Contest is offered only in the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, and is governed by the laws of the State of Texas. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any terms of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that or any other provision. By entering, entrants irrevocably consent to the dispute resolutions stated below as well as to the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Texas located in a county determined by the Sponsor for any action, suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Promotion.
Entrant agrees that whenever you have a disagreement with Administrator or Sponsor arising out of, connected to, or in any way related to the Promotion, the Official Rules, or the Sponsor’s and/or Administrator’s Privacy Policy, you will send a written notice to the Sponsor (“Demand”). Entrant agrees that the requirements of this Dispute Resolution section will apply even to disagreements that may have arisen before entrant accepted these Official Rules or the Sponsor’s and/or Administrator’s Privacy Policy. Entrant must send the Demand to the following address (the “Notice Address”): ITO EN (North America) INC., 1320 Greenway Dr., Suite 700, Irving, TX 75038, Attention; Legal Department. Entrant agrees that entrant will not take any legal action, including filing a lawsuit or demanding arbitration, until 10 business days after entrant sends a Demand. If the disagreement stated in the Demand is not resolved to entrant’s satisfaction within 10 business days after it is received, and entrant intends on taking legal action, entrant agrees that it will file a demand for arbitration with the American Arbitration Association (the “Arbitrator”). This arbitration provision limits the ability of entrant, Administrator, and Sponsor to litigate claims in court and entrant, Administrator and Sponsor each agree to waive their respective rights to a jury trial or a state or federal judge. Entrant agrees that it will not file any lawsuit against Administrator or Sponsor in any state or federal court. Entrant agrees that if it does sue in state or federal court, and Administrator or Sponsor brings a successful motion to compel arbitration, entrant must pay all fees and costs incurred by Administrator and Sponsor in court, including reasonable attorney’s fees. For any such filing of a demand for arbitration, entrant must provide proper service under the rules of the Arbitrator and notice to the Notice Address may not be sufficient. If, for any reason, the American Arbitration Association is unable to conduct the arbitration, entrant may file its case with any national arbitration company. The Arbitrator shall apply the AAA Consumer Arbitration Rules effective September 1, 2014 (and as may be amended) and as modified by the agreement to arbitrate in this Dispute Resolution section. Entrant agrees that the Arbitrator will have sole and exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute it has with Administrator or Sponsor. The Federal Arbitration Act allows for the enforcement of arbitration agreements and governs the interpretation and enforcement of the agreement to arbitrate. The place of arbitration shall be in the State of Texas. Entrant agrees that it will not file a class action or collective action against Administrator or Sponsor, and that entrant will not participate in a class action or collective action against them. Entrant agrees that it will not join its claims to those of any other person. Notwithstanding any other provision in the Official Rules, or the Sponsor’s and/or Administrator’s Privacy Policy, if this class action waiver is invalidated, then the agreement to arbitrate is null and void, as though it were never entered into, and any arbitration dispute at that time will be dismissed without prejudice and may be refiled in a court. Under no circumstances does entrant, Administrator, or Sponsor agree to class or collective procedures in arbitration or the joinder of claims in arbitration. Administrator and Sponsor agree that we will submit all disputes with entrant to arbitration before the Arbitrator. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of the entrant and Sponsor’s in connection with the Promotion, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Texas, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the State of Texas or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Texas. This arbitration provision shall survive conclusion, modification or termination of the Promotion and suspension, revocation, closure, modification, or amendments to the Official Rules, and any aspect of the relationship of the parties relating to or arising from participation in the Promotion.
PRIVACY: Entrant understands that Entrant is providing information to the Sponsor and Administrator. As a condition of entering the Contest, each Entrant gives consent for Sponsor to obtain and deliver his or her name, address and other information to third parties for the purpose of administering this Contest and complying with applicable laws, regulations, and rules. The information provided by Entrants will only be used for the purpose of contacting potential Prize Winner unless Entrant opts-in to use in a different manner. The Sponsor and the Administrator will not share this information with third parties (other than the Sponsor’s or Administrator’s prize fulfillment agent, if applicable) or use this information for marketing or promotional purposes unless Entrant has opted-in to receive additional information and promotional materials from Sponsor. Sponsors privacy policy can be found at [INSERT URL[PS1] ].
SEVERABILITY: If any term or provision of these Official Rules is found under the law to be invalid or unenforceable, then such specific term or provision shall be of no force and effect and shall be severed, and the remainder of these Official Rules shall continue in full force and effect.
WHO WON? To request the names of the winners, send an e-mail with subject line: “ITO EN (North America) The Art of Haiku Contest 2026 Winners” to haikugrandprix@gmail.com. Requests must be received no later than November 30, 2026. The list will be sent when the judging has been conducted and the winners verified.
SPONSOR, PROMOTER & ADMINISTRATOR:
Sponsor: ITO EN (North America) INC., 1320 Greenway Dr., Suite 700, Irving, TX 75038.
Promoter: New York Seikatsu Press Inc., 71 West 47th Street, Suite 1205 New York, NY. 10036.
Administrator: Marden-Kane, Inc., 575 Underhill Blvd, Suite 222, Syosset, NY 11791.
©2026Marden-Kane, Inc. All rights reserved. Entrants are hereby authorized to copy these Official Rules on the condition that it will be for the entrant’s personal use only.