July 1st- July 6th, 2025 is Summer – End of GESHI (Summer solstice)-30th KOU “HANGE (Crow-dipper, Pinellia ternate ) sprouts.”
Until the end of June, farmers have been doing hard on farm works, such as planting rice, harvesting wheat and onions, and cultivating fruit trees. At this time coming summer, the works even tougher.
It’s good to take a break from the work for a while. The 30th KOU lets us know the time. Actually, it suggest tha you should complete the works before “HANGE sprouts” and be relax for a while, and also should take nutritious foods such as TAKO (octopus), SABA (mackerel) and UDON noodles to build up strength for the harsh to harsh summer ahead.
SHINSHU region is far from the sea, so it is not clear whether people had the custom of eating such sea foods at that time.though,
in Ogawa Village, Kamiminochi District, Nagano Prefecture, it seems that people had the custom of eating NAGAIMO (gated yam) soup at this time of year. It’s still popular as a nutritious food ingredient. Udon noodles also is popular too, in the busy farming season, as they are easy to prepare.
Come to think of it, the 72 KOU phases for this time of year are full of healthy ingredients and medicinal herbs such as “UME”, “NATSUKAREGUSA”, and this “HANGE.”
