While accessible in only a couple of hours, the wide metropolis of Tokyo sometimes feels a bit conceptually distant from quieter, more conservative Kyoto. Both cultural hubs of Japan, however, have vibrant literary communities which are of great benefit to each other by way of networking and knowledge sharing. Writers in Kyoto was delighted to have the opportunity to host a relaxed and friendly Zoom session at the end of last month with Tokyo Poetry Journal (ToPoJo) co-founders and editors Taylor Mignon and Jeffrey Johnson to gain insight and inspiration from their experiences. This Zoom session was moderated by Lisa Wilcut (winner of First Prize in the 2019 WiK Kyoto Writing Competition for her poem Okuribi) and was also attended by nine other WiK members, many of whom also compose poetry. This was another example of how Zoom has enhanced our reach in the pandemic age, enabling us to connect with valued speakers in various regions.

ToPoJo is a biannual publication of poetry, art, reviews, and criticism founded in 2015. Their activities also include live readings incorporating the spoken word of the poets with live musical, improvised accompaniment. Over the years ToPoJo has been covered by the Japan Times, Tokyo Weekender, Wall Street International, Writers in Kyoto, and others, and as a team they have published eleven journals to date on an eclectic range of topics including Music and Poetry, poetry of the Heisei Generation, Japan and the Beats, and Poetry and Butoh. Volume 11, centered on submitted poetry, is scheduled to appear soon. Jordan A.Y. Smith will serve as Editor-in-Chief for Volume 12 (Translated Poetry).

The session began with two short video clips of Taylor’s and Jeffrey’s poems, each set to musical accompaniment. The video of Taylor’s “Buttered Young, Battered Jung” was written in collaboration with Todd Silverstein and has an added soundscape by David Severn. Saxophonist Bob Sliwa provides a background to Jeffrey’s poems, one containing a line translated by Nobel Prize-winning Mexican poet Octavio Paz.

Discussion flowed around many topics including poetry as an art form, the journal’s concept and style, the literary community formed through ToPoJo, the mechanics of running the journal, how submissions are handled, how the editors balance their professional lives and their poetry, and about the ToPoJo live events which have gained such a positive reputation over time.

On discussing the aims of the journal, Taylor explained that while he respects haiku, it is his wish to break the stereotype that this is all Japan has to offer. He deeply appreciates, for example, the cutting-edge material developed in the process of the country’s industrialization, preceding the surrealist movement. Bareku (“breaking propriety verse” of the 1700s), he says, gives a glimpse into the true nature of the Japanese. Having studied under Cid Corman, Taylor became intrigued by syllabic meter experimentation and the lack of adjective usage. He’s also fascinated by the work of the Han Geijutsu group, the Fluxus movement, avant-garde poetry, art, film, Japanese works in the Taisho Period, and the Beats. As there are still so many areas that have not been examined, Taylor hopes to bring many underexposed works to light instead of continuing to reinforce the same stereotypes.

All ToPoJo team members work as volunteers and duties are shared, with the editing of volumes taking place on a revolving basis. Each editor chooses the theme of their volume and proceeds in accordance with their own style. The chosen theme provides the overall flavor as the volume takes form, but the content may vary. When asked about how they balance their poetic activities with their academic work, Jeffrey interestingly stated that the analytical functions he uses as an academic are “turned off” in his mind when he’s creating poetry. Taylor, while working at a university, views himself as more of an outsider and as part of the counterculture of music and art, having an interest in teaching creative writing and composing his own. He also sees possible future growth in Modernist Japanese art education.

The costs of printing and distributing ToPoJo are covered mainly through the research funds allotted to many of the team (in their university academic posts) and online events (most of which are new volume launch parties). As much as possible, the journal contributors read their pieces, at which time some of them have their first chance to perform with musical improvisation. At several launches ToPoJo has welcomed Sam Bennett (a local percussionist), Morgan Fisher (keyboardist), and Masahiko Shimaji (bass player). Other venues for performances have been the open mic events “Drunk Poets See God” at Bar Gari Gari (Setagaya) and at an English pub What the Dickens (Ebisu). It is through such spoken word events that Jeffrey and Taylor believe a strong community has formed around poetry in Tokyo.

Overall, covering the costs is challenging. Unfortunately, major bookstores in Japan will not distribute journals. Therefore, it’s quite difficult to find outlets willing to carry the journal, and finances take a hit when copies are sent overseas due to additional shipping. While Volume 10 is being offered digitally, the rest remain on paper (despite the high printing costs) because the ToPoJo team considers it to have been the best option so far. There have been innovative steps along the way, however, to align print copies with the virtual age. Volume 3 (Poetry and Music) has QR codes on the pages which allow the reader to access the audio version of the poems, with musical accompaniment, as they read along.

For those interested in submitting their work to the journal for consideration, a list of guidelines can be found on the journal’s website. Taylor and Jeffrey said that prospective contributors should be sure to submit through the proper route (email) and are advised to submit between three to five works at a time, so the selection committee is able to gain a broad picture of the individual’s poetic ability. Submitting more than one piece will increase one’s chances of acceptance for publication. Another important tip is that all works published by ToPoJo have some connection with Japan. Although the content itself doesn’t always have to speak specifically of the country, there should be a connection to Japan in the author’s bio.

Perhaps the most exciting part of the session was when we touched on the idea of possible ways that poets of Writers in Kyoto can contribute to ToPoJo in the future. Taylor said that while the journal began in Tokyo, he has an interest in the poetic traditions and social history of Japan at large. Might there be a role for a Kyoto Editor? Jeffrey also suggested the idea of a ToPoJo Kyoto Edition for his next stint as Editor-in-Chief. There are many nuggets of wisdom to be shared between the members of ToPoJo and Writers in Kyoto, so we hope that this session served as a doorway to possible areas of literary collaboration in the future. Perhaps a fabulous launch party in downtown Kyoto?

Thank you, Taylor and Jeffrey, for a richly informative and inspiring discussion!

The full video of the November 28th Zoom session is below. To access a full list of ToPoJo volumes, click here. To view different online order options, click here.