August 13th – August 17th, 2026 is Autumn – Middle of RISSHU (Beginning of autumn)-38th KOU “Evening cicadas sing.”
“HIGURASHI is a seasonal word for autumn, and the SHICHIJYUNI-KOU lunisolar calendar is currently in the autumn phase.
Yesterday was the 13th—the day to light the welcoming fires for OBON. In SHINSHU, it is observed a month later than the standard calendar. During Obon, we have a custom of visiting ancestors’ graves to offer prayers while reflecting on their memory.
On our way to visit the family grave, I spotted an ABURAZEMI (large brown cicada) on an old cedar tree at the shrine—it wasn’t making a sound and motionless. And there was no singing of HIGURASHI (evening cicada) either. For some reason, cicadas simply weren’t singing. So, it was quite difficult to spot them.
There was a praying mantis on a cucumber leaf. From the grass came a chirping sound “lee, lee, lee….”—was it a cricket?
For me, it feels like OBON falls somewhere between summer and autumn.
2026/08/13