Which is why I have no idea why they teach it in english poetry classes in grade school.Well technically it isn't 17 syllables for a haiku. It is word sounds that they count. So if you saw Osaka, it is actually written out in a way that is O-o-sa-ka. So while you think it is 3 syllables, it's actually 4 sounds for the definition of haiku. Nippon is 2 syllables but again it's 4 on because it actually Ni-p-po-n. So there
(stupid things you remember from taking Japanese in HS for a few years)