The year 2023 had a lunar ‘leap’ month, urū-zuki, 閏月, intercalary-month, also read jun-getsu. There was a ‘leap’ 2nd month of 29 days, so that the lunar 3rd month began on April 20. The lunar 4th month began on May 20. Rikyū’s death on lunar 2nd month 29th day was in 1591, which had a ‘leap’ 2nd month, so that his actual day of death day coincided with April 21. The lunar 4th month is identified with the east southeast direction, and the Zodiac sign of Mi, 巳, Snake. Left: the ro with the sukigi-gama resting on wooden blocks, (right): the furo with a kama supported...
Continue readingApril in Japan: Following Elephants
It is believed that the Buddha was born on the 8th day of the 4th lunar month. The observances in Japan are called Hana-matsuri, 花祭, Flower-festival, and Kan-butsu-e, 灌仏会, Bathe-buddha-meeting. The year 2023 contained a lunar 2nd leap month, which was added. April 20, is when the 3rd lunar month began. The Buddha’s lunar birthday on the 8th day of the 4th lunar month which, in 2023, is on May 27th. On the 8th day of lunar 4th month, which is believed to be the date of the birth of the Buddha, Sha-ka Tan-jo-butsu, 釈迦誕生佛, Explain-(sound) Birth-live-buddha, a rite called Kan-butsu-e, 灌仏会, Libate-buddha-meeting is observed. It...
Continue readingApril and Uzuki
April in Japan is Shi-gatsu, 4月, Fourth-month, and according to the old calendar the name for the 4th month is U-zuki, 卯月, Hare-moon. It is said that Uzuki is named for the u-no-hana, 卯の花, hare’s flower, which blooms at this time of the year. In 2022, the first day of the 4th month occurred on May 1, which is one month later than April 1. The plant unohana, in English, is known as deutzia crenata, which is in the hydrangea family, and is called ‘bridal wreath,’ which is a bit misleading for that name is applied to other flowering shrubs. In addition, the Kanji for deutzia...
Continue readingApril: Bells and Kuzu
On the 27th of April, Dō-jō-ji, 道成寺, Way-attain-temple, in Wa-ka-yama, 和歌山, Japan-poem-mountain, observes the tale of a monk’s fatal encounter with a monstrous snake, Ō-rochi, 大蛇, Great-snake. The snake is a woman, shunned by a Buddhist monk, transformed by her jealousy. A popular event, it enacts the incident. An enormous snake puppet, 21 meters, or 70 shaku, long giant with a fearsome dragon-like head, is supported by about 70 people. It climbs a hill to the temple amid a throng of on-lookers. It coils around the replica of the temple bell, and when the bell is turned over reveals a white skeleton of the monk. The incense...
Continue readingFuro to Ro
In the realm of Chanoyu, it is necessary to heat water to make the tea. According to tradition, water is heated in a kama, 釜, kettle. Originally, the kama was part of a portable hearth called a fu-ro, 風炉, wind-hearth. In time, the kama was taken from the furo bowl, and used with a hearth sunk in the floor, called an i-ro-ri, 囲炉裏, enclose-hearth-inner. The word irori is abbreviated to ro, 炉. The furo can be used throughout the year, but if a ro is available, it is used in the cold half of the year, from November through April. The fu-ro, 風炉, wind-hearth, is used from...
Continue readingRikyū’s Memorial
Sen no Rikyū’s life was much more important than his death, though his birth day is uncertain. However, curiosity prompts speculation about his death. Rikyū had in some way provoked enmity with Toyo-tomi Hide-yoshi, 豊臣秀吉, Excellent-retainer Surpassing-joy, who demanded that he commit seppuku, 切腹, cut-belly. There is some thought that Hideyoshi, urged by Rikyū’s friends, did pardon him, but Rikyū did kill himself. The cause of Hideyoshi’s ire is thought to have been prompted by a sculpture of Rikyū installed in the great gate of Daitokuji, in 1589, by the abbot in thanks for contributing the second story of the unfinished gate. Hideyoshi in a rage having...
Continue readingTea in March Part 2
Cha-dō-gu, 茶道具, Tea-way-tools, often used in March have designs reflective of the zodiac animal of the year, 2023 is an U-doshi, 卯年, Hare-year. Seasonal motifs such as cherry flowers, and dragons. The Sei-ryū, 青龍, Azur-dragon, which is one of the four divine creatures that are guardians of the directions, and Seiryū is in the east. The zodiac sign following the Hare is the dragon, Tatsu, 龍. Dragon motifs on Tea utensils have extensive symbolism. In early Chinese belief, there were five dragons in the heavens, each of a different color, and guardians of the directions. The Seiryū – azure (blue-green dragon) remained in the east. The red...
Continue readingGyakugatte Dairo
In Kyōto, around the middle of February, the weather temperature is getting pleasantly warm, so that additional heat from the Dairo may not be the reason Gen-gen-sai Sei-chū Sō-shitsu, 玄々斎精中 宗室, (1810 – 1877) developed the dai-ro, 大炉, great-hearth. On February 19 is U-sui, 雨水, Rain-water, one of the 24 seasonal divisions of the solar calendar, and the middle of the Tora no Tsuki, 寅の月, Tiger ’s Month. In Japan, the Gregorian calendar officially began to be used in 1873. In 2023, the lunar 2 month begins February 20. Lunar Nehane occurs on March 6. Dairo may have a word play on Miyako-ō-ji, 都大路, Capital-great-way, the avenue...
Continue readingSetsubun Extra
Setsu-bun, 節分, Season-divide, is celebrated on February 3, the eve of Ri-sshun, 立春, Start-spring. Actually, there are Setsubun on the eves of each of the four seasons, but that of spring is the most popular. According to tradition, a man born in that particular year, toshi-otoko, 歳男, year-man, wears a mask of O-ta-fuku, お多福, O-much-fortune, and throws parched soy beans, fuku-mame, 福豆, fortune-beans, from an open box, fuku-masu, 福升, fortune-measure, to chase away the harshness of winter. The harshness of winter is embodied in the figure of an oni, 鬼, demon. The toshi-otoko shouts, “Oni wa soto fuku wa uchi”, 鬼は外福は内, Demon is out fortune is in....
Continue readingMochi Pounding for the New Year
Formerly, kagami-biraki occurred on the 20th day after New Year, but was moved to the 11th, because of the death of Tokugawa Iemitsu on April 20th. Thus, some occasions were avoided on the 20th of every month. For the Lunar New Year, kagami-mochi is offered and broken open 20 days later, which corresponds with Lunar Ko-shō-gatsu, 小正月, Little-correct-month, which occurs on February 10, 2023. Mochi is eaten throughout the year in Japan. Mochi is made at home and professionally. Making mochi is called mochi-tsuki, 餅搗き, mochi-pound. The word mochi-tsuki is also written with the Kanji, 望月, full moon-month. In general, making mochi is steaming mochi–kome, 餅米, mochi-rice,...
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