At the end of the 19th century, beginning of the 20th, Masaoka Shiki decided to break the starting verse of renku free. He named this new, independent poetic form, “haiku.” However, it can be argued (as I do, frequently) that haiku's deep roots in renku continue to shape the form and purpose of these little, one-breath poems. But that's a topic for a different website!
Shiki
Renku continues to be popular in Japan, although in terms of numbers, more people belong to haiku associations and clubs than to those devoted to renku. In the early 2000's, thanks to the Internet, renku began to be written in many languages and in many countries, sometimes simultaneously. To truly enjoy renku, it's important to have a gentle, patient leader who knows the rules but also understands human nature and art enough to bend the rules for the common good. Lacking such a leader, you should look for a guide that is accurate, easy to follow, and deeply in touch with renku's truths. This website is an attempt to be such a guide.
A final note about "What's Renku" (a question that can never be answered completely because renku is alive and always growing): Most of my renku friends in Japan don't know (and don't really care) about its origins in Buddhist ritual. However, when I ask them, "Does writing renku give you a feeling of peace?" "Do renku sessions with others help you escape your own spinning wheels of ego and self-absorption?" "Does the experience of renku make you feel a bit wiser, a bit more in touch with reality—and ready to cope with it?" Usually, they answer, "Yes, Yes, and Yes!" I think the Buddhist shapers of renku would be pleased. —David G. Lanoue