March 15th-March 19th, 2024 is Spring-KEICHITSU-9th KOU “Caterpillars become butterflies”.
The 9th KOU represents joy that spring has lastly arrived. Caterpillars changed to a pupa and finally turned into butterflies in Spring. Butterflies flying are letting us know that it’s spring now. Butterflies here usually refer to MONSHIROCHO (small white/cabbage white).
It’s been warm for the past few days, but I haven’t seen them around here yet. Rape flowers that MONSHIROCHO love also haven’t bloomed. Maybe about another week.
I found HIODOSHICHOU (yellow-legged tortoiseshell) in SATOYAMA (a woodland near a village). It is a butterfly that overwinters as an adult, so its nuances are slightly different from the KOU’s description. But the flying gives us joy that spring has arrived is the same.
