The Second World Haiku Association Conference took place between October 3 and 5 in Tenri with Moya 38 serving as the main venue. Held with the theme of "Bridges: Haiku Around the World," the conference attracted some 90 haiku lovers from 12 countries, who joined together in haiku reading, a symposium, a haiku excursion, and other events. The idea of holding this conference in the Home of the Parent came from the association's Director Ban'ya Natsuishi, professor of comparative culture at Meiji University, through his friendship with Tenrikyo Doyusha Vice President Kuniharu Shimizu, who serves as advisor to the association.

The conference started with haiku reading, during which haikus composed by all participants were presented both in English and Japanese. This was followed by a reception, in which Overseas Department Head Yoshiaki Mihama made a speech along with several association members. "Tenrikyo's Scripture called the Ofudesaki, The Tip of the Writing Brush, is written in the Japanese waka style of poetry, which has the pattern of 5-7-5-7-7 syllables," he said. "This Scripture is composed in verse form in order to help us familiarize ourselves with the teachings and understand and remember them more easily. Both haiku and waka are able to express facets of nature and the depths of the human psyche by means of extremely concise poetic forms. It is, indeed, a joy and honor for us to host the World Haiku Association Conference here in Tenri, where Oyasama revealed the teachings in verse form."

The symposium held on the second day was moderated by Dr. Kan'ichi Abe, vice president of both the Haiku International Association and the Modern Haiku Association, and discussed such questions as whether haiku written in languages other than Japanese have a new character and whether haiku can be a bridge between different cultures. On the last day, the participants visited Tenri Central Library, which preserves important materials related to several pioneers in modern haiku, such as Shiki Masaoka, Kyoshi Takahama, and Hekigoto Kawahigashi. The members later went on a haiku excursion.