These traditional Japanese month names (Wafu Getsumei) 和風月名

Category： Diary, Information, Japanese, Japanese Culture

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Wafu Getsumei 和風月名

Did you know that Japan has its own unique way of naming months, called “Wafu Getsumei” (traditional Japanese month names)?

These traditional Japanese month names are considered to have developed independently from Chinese month names, reflecting Japan’s unique cultural evolution.

Their origins are ancient, with some of these names appearing in Japan’s oldest book, the “Nihon Shoki” (Chronicles of Japan).

As they are based on the old lunar calendar, they are offset by one or two months from the current Gregorian calendar. These names are closely related to seasonal changes, agricultural work, and traditional events.

日本独自の月の呼び方で和風月名というのがあるのをご存じでしょうか？
和風月名は日本の伝統的な月の呼び名で、中国の月名とは異なり、日本独自の発展を遂げたものと考えられます。
起源は古く、日本最古の書籍「日本書紀」にも一部の月名が記されています。
旧暦に基づいているため、現在の暦（グレゴリオ暦）とは1、2ヶ月のずれがあり季節の変化や農作業、行事などと密接に関連しています。

These traditional Japanese month names (Wafu Getsumei) are still used today to express Japan’s traditional culture and seasonal sensibilities. They frequently appear in poetry and literary works, so familiarizing yourself with them can broaden your understanding of Japanese culture.

Let me introduce the traditional Japanese month names:紹介しましょう！

睦月（むつき）：正月に親類一同が集まり、睦み合う月という意味。

Mutsuki (January): The month of harmony, when families gather and strengthen bonds.

如月（きさらぎ）：寒さが残り、衣を重ね着（更に着）する月。

Kisaragi (February): The month of wearing more clothes due to lingering cold.

弥生（やよい）：草木が生い茂る（弥生い茂る）月。

Yayoi (March): The month when plants begin to grow abundantly.

卯月（うづき）：卯の花（ウツギ）が咲く月。

Uzuki (April): The month when deutzia flowers bloom.

皐月（さつき）：早苗を植える月。

Satsuki (May): The month for planting rice seedlings.

水無月（みなづき）：田に水を引く月。「無」は「の」の意味。

Minazuki (June): The month of water, when water is drawn into rice fields.

文月（ふみづき）：七夕に詩歌を献ずることから、または稲の穂が実る月。

Fumizuki (July): The month of literature, associated with composing poetry for Tanabata, or when rice ears form.

葉月（はづき）：木々の葉が落ちる月。

Hazuki (August): The month when leaves start to fall.

長月（ながつき）：夜が長くなる月、または長雨の月。

Nagatsuki (September): The month of long nights or long rains.

神無月（かんなづき）：全国の神々が出雲大社に集まり、各地の神々が留守になる月。

Kannazuki (October): The month when gods are absent, as they gather at Izumo Shrine.

霜月（しもつき）：霜が降り始める月。

Shimotsuki (November): The month when frost begins to fall.

師走（しわす）：師匠も走り回るほど忙しい月。

Shiwasu (December): The month so busy that even Buddhist teachers run around.

It is interesting to know the Wafu Getsumei

Traditional Japanese month names (Wafu Getsumei) gained popularity during the Heian period court culture and have been widely used in waka poetry and literary works. Even in modern times, they appear in poetry and literature, playing a crucial role in expressing Japan’s traditional aesthetic sensibilities and seasonal awareness.

Furthermore, these names continue to be used in poetry, literature, and traditional events as words that richly express Japanese traditional culture and sense of seasons. They serve as fascinating elements that allow us to feel the depth of Japanese culture.

和風月名を知るともっと面白い

和風月名は、平安時代の宮廷文化で広まり、和歌や文学作品で多く使用されてきました。現代でも詩歌や文学作品に登場し、日本の伝統的な美意識や季節感を表現する上で重要な役割を果たしています。
また日本の伝統文化や季節感を豊かに表現する言葉として、今でも詩歌や文学、伝統行事などで使用され、日本文化の奥深さを感じさせる興味深い要素となっています。