December
023/12/27-12/31 Dear shed antlers
December 27th-31st is Winter-TOJI (winter solstice)-65th KOU “Deer shed antlers.”
I think the deer here refers to the Milu (Père David’s deer; Elaphurus davidianus) that live in Chaina. Milu deer enjoy life in the wild in Hubei – CGTN
Of course, it should be impossible to see them in the HOKUSHIN area. Instead, I found footprints that looked very similar to deer ones. Can you see two hoof-like things side by side?
It’s actually a boar. Also, a raccoon dog, a heron, and a human (shoes) together. It’s kind of lively!
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2023/12/21-26 Self-heal sprouts
December 22nd-26th is Winter-GESHI (winter solstice)-64th KOU “Self-heal sprouts.”
December 22nd is the winter solstice. It is the day with the shortest daylight hours of the year. There is a certain plant that is said to sprout during this season, “NATSUKAREKUSA (Self-heal withers).”
On the exact opposite of this, this plant are also said to die at the summer solstice. The 28th KOU (2023/06/21-26) is “Self-heal withers.”
To find out what they’re like now, I went to the place where I found them in June. Hmm, I’m not sure where and which on is NASTUKAREKUSA.
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2023/12/17-12/21 Salmon gather and swim upstream
December 17th-21st is Winter-TAISETSU (greater snow)-63rd KOU “Salmon gather and swim upstream.”
The 63rd KOU describes the behavior of salmon that are born in a river, go to the sea, and return to the river to spawn.
Speaking of salmon, the MIOMOTE River in MURAKAMI City, NIIGATA prefecture, next to NAGANO prefecture, is famous. Salmon upstream began in late October and continues until mid-December, there.
I saw an angler on the SAIGAWA River, NAGANO City.
According to him, rainbow trout released by the local fishing association descend into the sea just like salmon. But weirs and dams along the way prevent salmon from reaching the ocean, where they grow larger and return back to the same river again.
The photo was taken about two months ago, another angler got a large rainbow trout.
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2023/12/12-12/16 Bears start hinernating in their dens
December 12th-16th is Winter-TAISETSU (greater snow)-62nd KOU “Bears start hibernating in their dens.”
There seem to be more bear sightings than usual, such as a bear coming down to the town and eating persimmons. I thought I had stopped hearing about it since December started, but just the other day (the 7th) it seems that something that looks like a bear was seen in Hachioji, Tokyo.
Perhaps there are fewer nuts such as acorns, or perhaps they have learned that there is food when they go down to human settlements.
They usually go into hibernation from around November, but I wonder if their hibernation period has been delayed due to the unusually warm weather…
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2023/12/07-12/11 Cold sets in, winter begins
December 7th-11th is Winter-TAISETSU (greater snow)-61st KOU “Cold sets in, winter begins.”
Now winter has come. 24 SEKKI (Major division) of the lunisolar calendar tells greater snow (TAISETSU).
The HOKUSHIN region is one of the areas with heavy snowfall in Japan. However, in the plains of Nagano City, there is almost no snow. Although it is bitterly cold, in fact, there are more dry blue skies during the day.
The Northern Japan Alps located at the west of Nagano City protect the wind and snow from the Sea of Japan.
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2023/12/07 NOZAWANA-ZUKE (pickled NOZAWANA vegetable)
The season for NOZAWANA-ZUKE has arrived again this year.
This year, it was warm even after autumn, so I thought the harvest would be a little later, since it tastes much better if harvested after it has been exposed to several frosts and has softened.
Having said that, as expected of NOZAWANA! The pickled ones are super delicious!! The texture is more crunchy than crispy, which is irresistible.
We can’t survive the winter in HOKUSHIN without this!!!
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2023/12/02-12/06 TACHIBANA citrus tree leaves start to turn yellow
December 2nd-6th is Winter-SHOSETSU (lessor snow)-60th KOU “TACHIBANA citrus tree leaves start to turn yellow.”
TACHIBANA is a variety of citrus fruit native to Japan.
Citrus fruits are associated with warm regions. I thought it wouldn’t grow in the HOKUSHIN region. But to my surprise!
I found potted lemon and KINKAN seedlings growing outside. I don’t know the reason but banana trees were planted at the temple (not a citrus fruit, but it’s a warm-place’s plant, so…). There were YUZU seedlings at the gardening store.
Everyone is doing their best in winter in SHINSHU.
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November
2023/11/27-12/01 North wind blows the leaves from the trees
November 27th-December 1st is Winter-SHOSETSU (Lesser snow)-59th KOU “North wind blows the leaves from the trees.”
The first winter wind of the year was observed on 13th in Tokyo area. I wonder if there was the report in the HOKUSHIN are ???
Anyway, leaves of HANAMIZUKI trees (Dogwood) in my garden were entirely blown away and also no more red berries on them. Until recently, ONAGA birds (Azure-winged Magpie) used to come to pick them every morning. The vegetables have almost been harvested, and now we are busy preserving them for the winter. Root vegetables such as NINJIN (carrot) and small DAIKON (Japanese radish) can be preserved by covering them with soil. HAKUSAI (Chinese cabbage) lasts for over two months just by wrapping newspapers and leaving on a balcony.
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November 22nd-26th is Winter-SHOSETSU (Lesser snow)-58th “Rainbow hide.”
Rainbow is a phenomenon in which sunlight is refracted by water-drops and split into seven colors. The SHICHIJYUUNI-KOU diary says that rainbows will no longer appear at this time of year when the clouds gather and the sunlight becomes weak.
But luckily, a rainbow appeared this morning! It’s wonderful to see a rainbow against the cloudy sky in early winter. Although it was only for a short time, it made me feel happy💛
Nagano City had the first snow already on 18th and the season is rapidly approaching winter. This may be the last rainbow of the year.
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2023/11/18-21 Daffodils bloom
November 18th-21st is Winter-RITTO (Beginning of winter)-57th “Daffodils bloom.”
In Japan, ECHIZEN Coast in FUKUI Prefecture is famous for its daffodil colonies, but the blooming season is from December to January, not this season. It seems that they can be seen in clusters on relatively warm coasts, west of JAPAN.
After all, it is impossible to see them in the HOKUSHIN region (and no sea in NAGANO prefecture. Hahaha….. ) at this time of year.
While walking around looking for seasonal flowers, I came across thousands of small chrysanthemums in full bloom instead of daffodils. The balance of white and yellow is like a daffodil. That’s a bit of an exaggeration, isn’t it?
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2023/11/13-11/17 Land starts to freeze
November 13th to 17th is Winter-RITTO (Beginning of winter)-56th KOU “Land starts to freeze”.
This morning is the coldest this year. The first frost has fallen in the field, and freshly planted onion seedlings say chilly! Exactly as per the calendar! Mt. IIZUNA, the symbol of Nagano City, has turned white first time. The trees look more frozen than snow-capped.
Commercials for winter tires and heaters are frequently shown on TV and in advertisements. Mobile kerosene selling wagons are running around town (maybe only in NAGANO prefecture?). Have you taken out the KOTATSU yet? You often hear of talks as like this.
KOTATSU is a traditional Japanese heating equipment. It is a low table with a heater and is used by covering the table with a soft and thick cover. A warm and comfortable KOTATSU is a must item for the upcoming winter season.
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2023/11/08-11/12 SAZANKA (Camellia japonica) blooms
November 8th to 12th is Winter-RITTO (Beginning of winter)-55th KOU “SAZANKA blooms”.
RITTO is the first sign of winter in the lunisolar calendar. Has winter started? I don’t really feel that way. The temperature this morning (11/09) at 6:00 was 7℃. It feels warmer now that I’m used to it.
I had been changing my walking route for the past few days, but when I return to my usual route for the first time in a while, not only the SAZANKAs but also the ground is in full bloom.
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2023/11/06 New SOBA (back wheat noodle)
It’s the season for new SOBA.
At the entrances of many soba restaurants in Nagano City, there are signs appealing to passersby “We have started serving new soba.”
The annual New SOBA Dedication Festival was held at TOGAKUSHI Shrine CHUSHA on November 1st. TOGAKUSHI is a place famous for its traditional SOBA.
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2023/11/03-11/07 Maple leaves and ivy turn yellow
November 3rd to 7th is Autumn-SOKO (Frost falls)-54th KOU “Maple leaves and ivy turn yellow”.
We Japanese go hiking to enjoy the autumn coloring leaves (MOMIJIGARI) on a refreshing autumn day.
Actually I wondered what the autumn leaves would look like this year, because the hot days continued into October. However, the SATOYAMA, that means a small mountain near a rural area, around NAGANO City are already starting to change its color. The mountains are decorated with a colorful landscape of red, yellow, brown and still green.
The weather in NAGANO City today, Nov. 3rd, was sunny and the maximum temperature was up to 24.2 ℃, more than 7℃ higher than normal. It might be a little hot for MOMIJIGSRI hiking.
And again, I wonder what will happen to the autumn leaves at this high temperature. Are plants not so weak?
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October
2023/10/29 Light rains sometimes fall
Around October 29th to November 2nd, it is Autumn-SOKO (Frost falls)-53rd KOU “Light rains sometimes fall”.
In the lunisolar calendar, there are descriptions of rain such as “USUI (Rain water)” around late February and “KOKUU (Grain rains)” around late April. Rains lead to topics about plants and farming.
It hasn’t rained for the past week. According to the weather forecast, we can’t expect rain next week either. I was curious about the autumn vegetables in my kitchen garden. Then I looked up at the sky, there were pitch black clouds over the western sky. The cloud radar site also forecasted that it would rain from 3 pm.
After all, it didn’t rain until the evening! I will go to the garden and water them tomorrow.
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2023/10/24 First frost
Around October 24th to 28th, 2023, it is Autumn-SOKO (Frost falls)- 52nd KOU “First frost”. It’s SOKO (Frost falls) in the 24 seasons (major divisions).
It’s been quite cold in the mornings lately, but it’s still early for frost. Instead, river fog is often present at this time of year. When fog hovers near the ground, it becomes difficult to see around.
In OSHIMADA-MACHI, NAGANO City, there is the KAWANAKAJIMA Battlefield (HACHIMANPARA), where the famous warlords UESUGI KENSHIN and TAKEDA SHINGEN fought fierce battles as rivals.
On the night of September 9, EIROKU-period 4th (around October 21, 1561 according to the current calendar), KENSHIN noticed SHINGEN preparing for battle at KAIZU Castle. KENSHIN then led his army from his base at Mt. SAIZYOZAN, hiding in the thick fog crossed CHIKUMA River through the AMEMIYA-no-WATASHI, and built a camp at HACHIMANPARA for battle. On the morning of September 10th, the TAKEDA army rushed towards HACHIMANPARA in the fog. When the fog finally cleared, UESUGI’s large army appeared in front of SHINGEN.
There should be KAIZU Castle on the lower right and AMENOMIYA-no-WATASHI on the left, but the fog hides everything.
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2023/10/19 Crickets chirp around the door
Around October 19th to 23rd 2023, it is AKI(Autumn)-KANRO(Cold dew)- 51st KOU “Crickets chirp around the door”.
The season has reached the end of KANRO (Cold dew) and the nights can get quite cold. In Nagano City, the number of days with minimum temperatures in the single digits is increasing (especially just before sunrise). Are crickets also looking for a warm place (house)?
Japan has a culture of enjoying the sounds of insects’ chirping, how elegant (FURYU), isn’t it? . And recently, eating insects has become popular. In any case, are the circumstance becoming difficult for crickets to live in????
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2023/10/13 Chrysanthemums (KIKU) bloom
Around October 13th to 18th 2023, it is AKI(Autumn)-KANRO(Cold dew)- 50th KOU “Chrysanthemums bloom”.
The chrysanthemums growing in my kitchen garden are about to bloom.
It is “MATSUKAZE” variety and is an edible flower. The petals are quickly blanched and eaten with vinegar soy sauce or mayonnaise. Its refreshing taste is like a breeze (KAZE) blowing through pine trees (MATSU).
From the end of this month, KIKU Festivals will be held in various locations around the HOKUSHIN area, including ZENKOJI Temple and SUZAKA City.
Dumpling are better than flowers for me. Ha-ha-ha!
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2023/10/08 Wild geese (GAN) return
Around October 8th to 12th 2023, it is AKI(Autumn)-KANRO(Cold dew)- 49th KOU “Wild geese (GAN) return”. It’s the season that Wild geese back to Japan, but….
After the swallows leave, geese and other birds of the geese family return to Japan after giving birth and raising their children in summer in places such as Siberia. They spend the winter here and return north in early spring.
The lunisolar calendar tells us that it is the period KANRO (Cold dew) when the weather gets colder and the geese begin their migration. However, it is true that the content is differ from the current state of NAGANO because the calendar was created in different eras and regions. On top of that, this summer has been unusually hot. I wonder if the arrival date of the geese will be delayed?
Mallards and common teals gather in the nearby SAI River. The temperature in NAGANO City has dropped rapidly. The first snow fell in the mountains of the Japan Northern Alps on October 6th.
We are ready to welcome you!
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2023/10/03 Farmers drain fields
Around October 3rd to 7th 2023, it is AKI(Autumn)-RISSHU(Autumn equinox)- 48th KOU “Farmers drain fields”.
The ears of rice have turned golden and it is time to harvest. Now is the time to drain the water from the rice fields and dry the soil to make it easier to harvest (OTOSHI-MIZU). In order to use large rice harvesting equipment, the soil must be thoroughly dry.
OTISHI-MIZU has been carried out around here since mid-September, and rice harvesting has already finished in most rice fields.
At a time when mechanical work in the fields was not so popular, elementary and junior high schools had a mid-time holiday during this period, actually to help with rice harvesting.
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September
2023/09/28 Insects hole up underground
Around September 28th to October 2nd 2023, it is AKI(Autumn)-RISSHU(Autumn equinox)- 47th KOU “Insects hole up underground”.
NAGANO City has finally come out of the lingering summer heat. Since the latter half of last week, the temperature has been hovering between a high of 25 ℃ and a low of 15 ℃. It’s a little too early for them to hole up and hide underground, isn’t it.
Tomorrow the 29th is CHUSHU-no-MEIGETSU (the harvest moon of mid-autumn). Hearing the sounds under only the moonlight is so nice. Please let us enjoy the autumn-sounds a little longer.
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2023/09/23 Thunder (KAMINARI) ceases
Around September 23rd to 27th 2023, it is AKI(Autumn)-RISSHU(Autumn equinox)- 46th KOU “Thunder ceases”. The season has progressed one more time, and today is the autumnal equinox. The 46th KOU Calendar heralds that the summer thunderstorm ceases.
Due to the influence of the autumn rain front over the past few days, we are unable to see clear autumn skies. This morning, I saw a brief spell of sunshine, and looked up at the sky. Above the low rain clouds, you can see clouds that look like they have been swept with a brush. These high clouds represent autumn clouds that are difficult to see in the summer when there is a lot of water vapor.
There are autumn clouds with delicious names such as IWASHI (sardine) cloud and SABA (mackerel) clouds. And finally, it’s time to harvest rice.
The autumn clear sky, new rice harvested for the first time this year, baked fish, and for dessert, grapes which are special products of HOKUSHIN area and now the peak of harvest.
Autumn really fills up our bellies!
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2023/09/18 Swallows (TSUBAME) leave
Around September 18th to 22nd 2023, it is AKI(Autumn)-HAKURO (White dew)- 45th KOU “Swallows leave”.
The first time I saw a swallow (TSUBAME) this year was at the end of March and the children left the nest in mid-July. From then on, young birds and their parents gather at reed field along riverbeds and roost in large groups. In the HOKUSHIN area, roosting has been found on riverbed of the CHIKUMA River in OBUSE Town and SHINONOI district.
I haven’t seen any swallows lately.
Swallows are migratory birds. So, before winter in Japan, swallows migrate to warmer areas such as Southeast Asian countries. Were they heading to their wintering grounds? Hopefully, a safe journey and a good stay!
However, this year, NAGANO City has still been experiencing midsummer days unusually. Swallows! Wouldn’t it have been better to stay here more longer?
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2023/09/13 Wagtails (SEKIREI) sing
Around September 13th to 17th 2023, it is AKI(Autumn)-HAKURO (White dew)- 44th KOU (microseason) “Wagtails sing”.
Of course, wagtails (SEKIREI) do not chirp only at this time of year, and it’s not like they’re special birds seen only for this time like migratory birds. They can be seen all year round. Despite this, why is it featured in the “SHICHIJYUNI KOU” calendar as the bird that represents this season?
Actually, their transparent high-pitched chirping matches the clear autumn sky!
In the SAI River (NAGANO City), you can see several wagtails playing together with jumping over the river stones and flying close to the river surface.
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2023/09/08 Dew glistens white on grass
Around September 8th to 12th 2023, it is AKI(Autumn)-HAKURO (White dew)- 43rd KOU (microseason) “Dew glistens white on grass”.
I woke up a little early and went for a walk. It was the same course as usual, but my shoes got really wet. Dew is water droplets that form when water vapor in the air comes into contact with cooled plants. Yes, I’ve just walked over “Dew glistens white on grass”
“White dew” sounds very cool, but some people are feeling post-summer fatigue.
Tomorrow, September 9th, is the CHOYO-NO-SEKKU (the Chrysanthemum (KIKU) Festival). People celebrate it by drinking KIKU-SAKE with chrysanthemum petals floating on it to ward off evil spirits and pray for long life.
Shall we beat the fatigue-devil with KIKU-SAKE?
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2023/09/03 Rice ripens
Around September 3rd to 7th 2023, it is AKI(Autumn)-SHOSHO (manageable heat)- 42nd KOU (microseason) “Rice ripens”.
The ears of rice (KOME) have started to droop like bowing. It expects a bountiful harvest.
On the other hand, there are concerns about the impact of this year’s heat wave on the growth. As of September 1st, NAGANO City had experienced 23 days of extremely hot with temperatures of 35 ℃ or higher, breaking the record. In addition, September is also the season when strong winds such as typhoons blow.
It will take another several weeks for them to turn golden. Please become a delicious rice without losing heat and wind.
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August
2023/08/28 Heat starts to die down
Around August 28th to September 2nd, 2023, it is AKI(Autumn)-SHOSHO (manageable heat)- 41st KOU (microseason) “Heat starts to die down”. “SHOSHO“ means the summer heat subsides. The 42nd KOU tells us that it’s time to transit to autumn from summer.
Sunset is early, isn’t it? It used to be vaguely bright until around 8 o’clock in the evening, but these days it gets dark soon after 6. It seems that the sound of insects gets louder as it gets lost in the darkness.
Even though it’s the change of the season, the heat of the summer in Japan lingers, and fatigue builds up. How about being healed by the sounds?
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2023/08/24 Cotton flowers bloom
Around August 23rd to 27th, 2023, it is AKI(Autumn)-SHOSHO (Manageable heat)- 40th KOU (microseason) “Cotton flowers bloom”.
Many people might be unfamiliar with the term “cotton/cotton flower” these days, as many chemical fibers are used.
In Japan, cotton cultivation was carried out on a nationwide scale in the EDO era. Here ZENKOJIDAIRA in the HOKUSHIN area, “ZENKOJI cotton” was treasured as a special product. However, it is currently cultivated only in very limited areas.
Forty to forty-five days after the flower blooms, the capsule splits open and the fibers inside are exposed, so the harvest time for cotton here, HOKUSHIN area, is from late September to early October. The season is transiting into SHUBUN (Autumn equinox) through HAKURO (White dew), slowly but definitely.
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2023/08/18 Thick fog descends
Around August 8th to 22nd, 2023, it is AKI(Autumn)-RISSHU- 39th KOU (microseason) “Thick fog descends”.
As you know, fog is a state in which the atmosphere is saturated with water, and water vapor forms fine droplets suspended in the air at or near the ground or water surface.
Heavy rain accompanied by thunder fell yesterday evening and overnight. It is thought that the fog (or rather haze) was caused by the fact that the humidity increased due to the rain, the coolness in the early morning, and almost no wind.
There is a saying that morning foggy days are sunny. But, today’s forecast maximum temperature is 36℃. I’m not the only one who wishes for cooler weather in RISSHU (Beginning of Autumn), I suppose…
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2033/08/14 Evening cicadas sing
Around August 13th to 17th, 2023, it is AKI(Autumn)-RISSHU- 38th KOU (microseason) “Evening cicadas sing”.
HIGURASHI (evening cicada or Tanna japonensis) and TSUKUTSUKUHOUJI (Meimuna opalifera) sing well around this season RISSHU (beginning of autumn), so they are called as “late cicada” or “autumn cicada” and are season word of autumn. Listening to the sound at this time of year when the sun sets earlier and earlier makes me feel like summer is over.
A cicada spends most of its life in the soil, and once it emerges from the ground, it can only live for one month while enjoying the singing. And even when the cicada is exhausted, falls from the tree and lies on its back, it still continues to sing.
A famous HAIKU poet, ISSA KOBAYAHI wrote HAIKU about this situation as following;
AONOKENI
OCHITE NAKERI
AKI NO SEMI
Lied on its back
Still singing after the fall
Exhausted cicada in Autumn
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2023/08/08 Cool winds blow
Around August 8th to 12th, 2023, it is SUMMER-RISSHU- 37th KOU (microseason) “Cool winds blow”. It’s RISSHUU (beginning of autumn) in the 24 seasons (major divisions). The 37th KOU tells us that the slight coolness of the wind has made us feel the change of seasons.
In HOKUSHIN area, still hot during the daytime, but I can feel the cool breeze in the morning and evening.
This is the season when peaches are the most delicious. KAWANAKAJIMA, NAGANO City is the birthplace of “KAWANAKAJIMA-HAKUTO”, one of the peach varieties. It is very popular one as a quality peach and is widely cultivated not only in NAGANO but also in several places such as YUKUSHIMA and YAMANASHI prefectures.
Fruits such as peaches, peacherines and watermelons that they all harvested at nearby fields are lined up as offerings for the OBON festival,.
* OBON is the most important Buddhist festival in Japan. During OBON period, Japanese remember deceased family members and welcome the souls to their houses.
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2023/08/02 Great rains sometimes fall
Around August 2nd to 7th, 2023, it is SUMMER-TAISHO- 36th KOU (microseason) “Great rains sometimes fall”. This is the time when summer cumulonimbus clouds bring sudden heavy rains.
It rained in earnest yesterday. During this period of the TAISHO (greater heat), the fields would split if the sunny days continued longer. So the rain was a blessing one for the crops.
However, in rice cultivation, there is a period during which the water is drained from the rice field. It’s NAKABOSHI; “About 40 days after planting, it’s time to dry the rice field. The standard period of NAKABOSHI is about two weeks. By doing this, the rice body becomes firm.”
In this area, rice planting was completed by mid-June, so the period of NAKABOSHI is from the end of July to around this time.
Japan is about to enter the typhoon season. NAKABOSHI is an important technique for making strong rice body that can withstand typhoons.
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July
2023/07/29 Earth is damp, air is humid
Around July 28th to August 1st, 2023, it is SUMMER-TAISHO- 35th KOU (microseason) “Earth is damp, air is humid”. It’s the middle of TAISHO (greater heat). The heat and humidity reached their peak.
I visited “URIWARI SHIMIZU” in search of coolness, about 1.5 km west of ZENKOJI Temple. The name “URIWARI” comes from the fact that the melon (URI) soaked in this fresh water (SHIMIZU) was cold enough to crack. The URIWARI SHIMIZU was used as drinking water by local residents and travelers when the old KINASA-KOGAKUSHI approach to the shrine was in high demand.
Just like another world here.
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2023/07/24 Paulownia buds
Finally, we have entered the hottest season of the year, TAISHO (greater heat).
Around July 23rd to 27th, 2023, it is SUMMER-TAISHO- 34th KOU (microseason) “Paulownia buds”. The plant bears flower buds during TAISHO that bloom next spring. Therefore, paulownia may have been chosen as the representative season word for the hottest season.
SAKAE Village, SHIMOMINOCHI-Gun, Nagano Prefecture, located at the northernmost tip of the HOHUSHIN resion, is the production area of HOKUETSU paulownia. And in 1983, SAKAE Village’s paulownia wooden clogs (GETA in Japanese) were designated as a traditional craft of NAGANO Prefecture. In addition, TSUNAN-Machi, NAKAUONUMA-Gun, NIIGATA Prefecture, next to SAKAE Village (that is, relatives in the HOKUSHIN area) is one of the major paulownia production areas in Japan as known TSUNAN-paulownia.
Both are Japan’s leading heavy snowfall areas. The deep snow, that accumulates on average 2m or more, must nurture the beautiful grain of the paulownia trees that Japanese like……
As a side note: Paulownia is used as a crest to symbolize a Japanese government agency.
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2023/07/19 Hawks learn to fly
Around July 18th to 22nd, 2023, it is SUMMER-SHOSHO- 33rd KOU (microseason) “Hawks learn to fly”. A baby hawk starts practicing flying.
Hawks are rarely seen around here, but kites are common flying in a circle.
Children born this year are learning how to fly, how to swim, how to get food, and other living skills before leaving their parents. Are frogs and tadpoles also taught how to escape from being eaten by hawks and swallows?
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2023/07/13 First lotus blooms
Around July 12th to 17th, 2023, it is SUMMER-SHOSHO- 32nd KOU (microseason) “First lotus blooms”. It’s time for the lotus flowers (HASU) to bloom.
There is a pond at the entrance of DAIKANJIN-ZENKOJI Temple. Beautiful lotus flowers bloom in the pond again this year. This is OHGA HASU. Also called ancient lotus. Dr. Ichiro Ohga discovered lotus seeds that bloomed about 2000 years ago, and he succeeded in making it bloom. Descendants of the lotus are very prosperous at the 1400-year-old ZENKOJI Temple.
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2023/07/07 Warm winds blow
Around July 7th- 11th, it is SUMMER-SHOUSHO-31st KOU “Warm wind blow”. SHOUSHO means “Lessor heat” that is one of 24 SEKKI (Major divisions of the season). “Warm wind” here means that soft and exhilarating wind blows from the south.
This short sentence tells us that the wind in Edo at this time of the year was the south wind. Then, what was the wind direction of the the old NAGANO named SHINANO?
I compared weather conditions of NAGANO City as SHINANO and CHIYODA Ward in Tokyo as EDO during July of 2018-2022. The average wind direction in NAGANO City is West-SouthWest and South or South-SouthEast in CHIYODA Award.
SHICHIJYUUNIKOU uses the word of the lessor heat and the warm wind. But do you know the NAGANO’s highest temperature today? It was 35.7 ℃ !!!!!
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2023/07/03 Crow-dipper sprouts
Around July 2nd-6th, it is SUMMER-GESHI-30th KOU “Crow-dipper sprouts”. Crow-dipper (Pinellia temata) is HNAGE in Japanese.
In the past, HANGE has long been one of the standard agricultural plants for farmers to finish planting rice by the time of the “Crow-dipper sprouts”, but I couldn’t find it around here though. By the way, rice planting is almost finished here by mid-June. (see 6/12, 26th KOU).
In many areas of Japan, traditional customs remain such that during the period of HANGE, people take a rest as a taboo or a festival with eating a specific food.
In OGAWA Village, NAGANO Prefecture, there is a folklore, saying “Once upon a time, a man named “HANGEN” went to mow grass. On his way home carrying the mowed grass on his back, for some reason, fire came out from his eyes. And a forest fire broke out. Since then, the villagers sowed millet seeds in the burnt ruins and harvested them. So by this time of “Crow-dipper sprouts”, they had to finish the sowing. And after the sowing, they took a day off from work and ate potato soup.” (Tadashi Kuraishi, Characteristics of Inland Culture as Seen from the Distribution of Folklore, Nairiku Bunka Kenkyu, Vol. 1, pp 61-79 (2001), in Japanese. I think this folklore has a meaning to heal the body tired from harsh farm work. Incidentally, sun-dried HANGE is used as a compounding agent in Chinese medicine.
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June
2023/06/28 Irises bloom
Around June 27th-July 1st, it is SUMMER-GESHI-29th KOU “Irises bloom”.
I finally found Irises named HANASHOBU (Japanese iris). Only in one place, though. Here, they started blooming at the end of May. The best time to see them is m(Japanese iris)id-June, and have finished blooming by today (June 28). It’s about a month earlier than the SHICHIJYUUNIKOU (microseasons).
In EDO period, the cultivation of Japanese irises (HANASHOUBU) was thriving and it was also depicted in UKIYOE prints. One of them is “AYAME NI KIRIGIRISU” by HOKUSAI. AYAME is iris and KIRIGIRISU is Japanese katydid (or cricket). Among the AYAME (maybe HANASHOUBU) leaves, the hidden KIRIGIRISU can be seen. The luxury flowers with the vivid Indigo blur with the simple straight leaves make you feel the momentary silence when the wind stops, and also make you feel the atmosphere of early summer.
There is an art museum “HOKUSAI-KAN” in OBUSE town, NAGANO Prefecture. You can see various original paintings by HOKUSAI.
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2023/06/21 Self-heal withers
Today (June 21st) is GESHI (the summer solstice). It’s the longest day of the year. Sunshine hours in NAGANO City are expected to be 14 hours and 40 minutes. There is a grass that is said to “wither” at this time of year when the sunshine is full.
Around June 21st-26th, it is SUMMER-GESHI-28th KOU “Self-heal withers”.
UTSYBOGUSA (self-heal) is known as a grass that dies in the midsummer, because its purple flowers turn brown in the summer and looks dead.
Sun-dried UTSUBOGUSA is called KAGOSOU, and it has been used as a crude drug in traditional Chinese medicine for a long time. And even in Japan. There are other grasses whose flowers wither in the summer, but it may be that UTSUBOGUSA have come to be taken up in the SHICHIJYUUNI-KOU (72 microseasons) as something useful in our life.
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2023/06/20 Plums turn yellow
The Japan Meteorological Agency announced on June 8, 2023 “it seems the KANTO-KOSHINETSU region have entered TSUYU (the rainy season)”. SHINSHU is a part of KOSHINETSU region. The origin of the word TSUYU is not known exactly, but there is a theory that it comes from “the rain that falls when plums ripen”.
Around June 16th-20th, it is SUMMER-BOUSHU-27th KOU “Plums turn yellow”. Yellow is a sign of the harvest.
UME (plum fruit) is an essential fruit for Japanese cuisine, UMEBOSHI (pickled plums) is a typical example. Ripe UME are used for UMEBOSHI. After being salted with red perilla, it is dried and softened.
There is the local specialty in SHINSHU called KARIKARI-UMEZUKE (crunchy pickled plums). For KARIKARI-UMEZUKE, hard green UME are used, and is not dried, so you can enjoy the crunchy texture.
Chop it into slightly larger pieces and mix it with rice to make “KARIKARI-UMEZUKE ONIGIRI (rice ball)”. There is no doubt that you will be captivated by its refreshing salty sourness making feel the arrival of summer.
If you have a sweet tooth, you can sweeten it by adding sugar instead of salt. It pairs well with green tea.
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2023/06/14 Rotten grass becomes fireflies
Around June 11th-15th, it is SUMMER-BOUSHU-26th KOU “Rotten grass becomes fireflies”. It’s time for fireflies to fly around. But why does rotten grass turn into fireflies?
Fireflies (HOTARU) have other names such as “Rotten grass”, “Withered grass”, and “Disguised grass”. It is thought that they represent the pupas of fireflies that grow in the soil and crawl out of the damp and rotten grass during the rainy season.
We Japanese have a culture of enjoying watching glowing fireflies flying around. It is quite fantastic to see the faint light swaying over the rice fields that rice planting has just finished, especially in the HOKUSHIN region.
Do you have fireflies in your country? Have you ever seen them?
- takeing images using my old i-phone was so hard….
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2023/06/09 Praying mantises hatch
The new major 24 SEKKI, BOUSHU, has started. It is the time to sow the seeds of the awned grain. Especially in Japan, it means the time to sow rice seeds and grow seedlings. Farmers are busy with rice planting as soon as the harvesting of wheat (SHICHIJYUNI-KOU, 24th KOU, Wheat ripens and is harvested) is over.
Around June 6th-10th, it is SUMMER-BOUSHU-25th KOU “Praying mantises hatch”. It’s time when the baby praying mantises are born.
Actually, I found baby mantises on April 25th. It’s about a month and a half earlier than the 25th-KOU. Egg sacs were laid on a stem of chrysanthemum in the kitchen garden.
I didn’t see them after that, but on May 31st, “the only one” mantis was found on a spearmint leaf. Where did all those babies go?
A mantis was also found in SETAGAYA Ward, TOKYO, on an eggplant leaf growing in a planter (from S.S). Both mantises are almost the same size, so it seems that the mantis in Tokyo was also born in late April or so.
SHICHIJYUU-NIKOU micro seasons, the seasons in the HOKUSHIN region, and the seasons in TOKYO, the phenomenon/status sometimes is the same and sometimes different even if the days on a calendar are the same. This is the wonder of nature and that makes relationship of our life with nature so fun.
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2023/06/05 Chilled noodles
From the middle of May to today (June 5th), NAGANO City has had more and more hot days, with temperatures above 30°C for two days and above 25°C for eight days.
It’s time to enjoy chilled noodles.
I remember that until a few years ago, it was all about “HIYASHI-CHUKA (chilled Chinese noodles)”, but recently it seems that there are various flavors of noodles in general.
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2023/06/02 Wheat ripens and is harvested
Around June 1st-5th, it is SUMMER-SHOUMAN-24th KOU (microseason) “Wheat ripens and is harvested”. It means that the seeds of winter-wheat sown in autumn have reached the harvest time with golden fruits.
SHINSHU is famous for SOBA (buckwheat noodle), UDON (wheat noodles) is also popular. In HOKUSHIN region, wheat is thriving around the CHIKUMA River from NAGANO City to CHIKUMA City. “OSHIBORI UDON ” is a standard dish, which is eaten by mixing SHINSHU MISO with the juice of grated radish.
Wheat flour is also used in local dishes such as OYAKI (dumplings stuffed with various vegetables) and NIRA-SENBEI (wheat flour and Chinese chive kneaded and fried thinly in a frying pan).
The yellowish green-brown color is of the wheat variety “Yume Seiki”. The harvest time is mid to late June.
A rice field spreads out in front of the wheat field. Ploughing and irrigating the rice field have already done, it’ s waiting for planting rice-seedlings. A farmer I met told me that he used to be very busy with the harvesting and the planting at the same time.
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May
2023/05/31 Safflowers bloom
Around May 26th-31st, it is SUMMER-SHOUMAN-23rd KOU (microseason) “Safflowers bloom”.
Safflowers (BENIBANA) are a very important plant when talking about Japanese traditional culture. They have long been cultivated as a raw material for dyes for BENI (lipsticks) and KIMONO (Japanese traditional outfit).
Unfortunately, they are rarely seen in the HOKUSHIN region.
I decided to grow it there, and sowed the seeds on May 16th. According to the description on the seed-bag, safflowers bloom from July to August in cold districts like HOKUSHIN region. Let’s wait for a while looking forward to it.
** Safflower is already blooming in Yokohama (from Y. S.).
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2023/05/22 Sikworms start feasting on mulberry leaves
Around May 21st-25th, it is SUMMER-SHOUMAN-22nd KOU (microseason) “Silkworms start feasting on mulberry leaves”. SHOUMAN is one of the 24 SEKKI (Major division), and is the season in which all things gradually grow and begin to fill the heavens and earth. Mulberry leaves at this time (SHOMAN) are soft, so the silkworms must be eating them deliciously.
In the MASHIMA district of NAGANO City, there is the “GENPACHI-KUWA (or GUWA) ”, which NAGANO City designated as a natural monument in 1962. The high of the tree is more than 15m and the circumference is more than 4m, I suppose. GENPACH is the name who planted the KUWA (mulberry).
In the era when the textile industry was thriving, the HOKUSHIN region was covered with mulberry fields, which were food for silkworms. Fiber materials have been replaced by chemical materials, and mulberry fields are rarely seen today. On the other hand, mulberry fruit seems to be gaining popularity as a berry.
GENPACHI-KUWA is a male plant that produces male flowers. You can’t get mulberry fruits, sorry.
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2023/05/21 TAKENOKOJIRU (Bamboo shoot MISO soup)
The time has come for soul food in the HOKUSHIN region of SHINSHU. It’s TAKENOKOJIRU, where TAKENOKO is a bamboo-shoot and JIRU (or SHIRU) is soup.
TAKENOKOJIRU is a miso soup made by simmering young shoots of NEMAGARI bamboo and canned mackerel together.
It seems that canned mackerel is added to TAKENOKOJIRU only in the HOKUSHIN region of NAGANO Prefecture and the JOETSU region of NIIGATA Prefecture. Dried herring was originally used, but as canned mackerel became popular in the 1950s, it became popular as a substitute. There are various theories, although.
The HAIKU by KOBAYASHI ISSA
“Midst wheat harvest scenes:
With a child on her back,
She sells sardines”
(K. Yaba, J. Norton, and B. Mori, FIVE FEET OF SNOW, Shinano Mainichi Shinbunsha, 2022.)
tells us that since the EDO period, marine products have been imported from the coastal area of JOETSU where she came to the HOKUSHIN (the mountainous area).
From sardines and dried herring to canned mackerel, TAKENOKOJIRU is packed with all the history of culture and life.
By the way, the midst wheat harvest season is the end of SHOMAN that is one of the 24 SEKKI (A year divided into 24 major seasons). And SHOMAN starts today.
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2023/05/17 Babboo shoots sprout
Around May 16th-20th, it is SUMMER-RIKKA-21st KOU (microseason) “Bamboo shoots sprout”.
Bamboo shoots are a popular food in Japan. MOSOCHIKU is a widely known variety. Here in the HOKUSHIN region, we are looking forward to having the bamboo shoots called HACHIKU, which can only be harvested at this time of year.
Seasoned rice, miso soup, simmered dishes, tempura, and any other dishes that use bamboo shoots are delicious.
After HACHIKU ends, NEMAGARIDAKE comes out next.
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2023/05/12 Earthwarms surface
Around May 11th-15th, it is SUMMER-RIKKA-20th KOU (microseason) “Worms surface”. RIKKA (the beginning of summer), it’s getting warmer and warmer. This is the season when worms crawled out the soil.
Birds such as sparrows and crows follow me as I plow my small kitchen garden. Apparently, they find and catch worms and insects in the soil I dig.
Earthwarm, it’s a great name! As its name suggests, they have played a much more important role in the ecosystem of the earth.
The famous naturalist Charls Darwin described in his book The formation of vegetable mould through the action of worms (1881) as “The plough is one of the most ancient and most valuable of man’s inventions; but long before he existed before the land was in fact regularly ploughed, and still continues to be thus ploughed by earthworms. It may be doubted whether there are many other animals which have played so important a part in the history of the world, as have these lowly organized creatures”.
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2023/05/10 YUKIGATA II
YUKIGATA; YUKI is snow and GATA is shape or figure.
As the snow covering the surface of the mountain begins to melt, the contrast between the white of the snow and the blue-black of the surface creates a unique pattern. It looks like the shape of humans, animals, or farm tools.
The change in the shape was a good guide for agricultural work in the old days when there were no weather forecasts.
YUKIGATAs appeared on the surface of Mt. JIIGATAKE and of Mt. KASHIMA-YARIGATAKE (a part of Northern Japan Alps). It’s been quite warm this spring, so I thought they would disappear, but surprisingly they remained (If you look them carefully, they all look a little fatter than on the same day last year).
Rice planting seems to be a little delayed.
Are there any YUKIGATA in your area?
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2023/05/06 Frogs start singing
In the lunisolar calendar, summer started. Today is RIKKA (beginning of summer).
The maximum temperature in Nagano City was 27.5° C today and 30.5° C yesterday. It was a perfect day for the beginning of summer, but reaching 30°C is too early. It seems that it is about 1 month to 1.5 months earlier than usual.
May 6th – 10th, 2023 is Summer-RIKKA-19th KOU “Frogs start singing”. Japanese tree frogs start singing when rice fields are filled with water.
There is still no water in the rice fields in the HOKUSHIN region, though.
A singing voice was heard in the swamp of the riverbed. Sounds like a Schlegel’s tree frog, doesn’t it ?
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2023/05/02 Pnoies (BOTAN) bloom
Around April 30th-May 5th, it is Spring-KOKUU-18th KOU (microseason) “Peonies bloom”. Peony flowers start blooming in late spring (SEIMEI/KOKUU) and can be seen until early summer (RIKKA/SHOMAN/BOUSHU).
Peonies have been cherished as a symbolic flower in China’s long history. They are widely known to Chinese people all over the country because they grow everywhere in the vast country. That’s why peonies were picked one of the flowers to tell microcseason “SHICHIJYUUNIKOU”.
The thick and plump appearance is also very popular among Japanese people. By the way, “BOTAN” is a seasonal-word (KIGO) for summer used in HAIKU (the shortest form of poetry). On the SHICHIJYUUNIKOU calendar, summer will come in the next KOU as “RIKKA (beginning of summer)”, actually.
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April
2023/04/29 Last frost, rice seedlings grow
Around April 25th-29th, it is Spring-KOKUU-17th KOU (microseason) “Last frost, rice seedlings grow”. It means that the frost has finally stopped and the rice seedlings are growing quickly.
The minimum temperatures in Nagano City during 17th KOU are 1.1°C 25th, 6.4°C/26th, 5.5°C/27th, 5.9°C/28th, and 10°C on the 29th (forecast).
No worry about late frost any more? Wow, everyone has their own ways.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, Nagano City’s standard for announcing frost warnings is “minimum temperature of 2°C or less”. It usually corresponds to the microseason from “SEIMEI -13th KOU” to ”KOKUU-18th KOU/ RIKKA-19th KOU”.
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2023/04/24 First reeds sprout
Around April 20th-24th, it is Spring-KOKUU-16th KOU (microseason) “First reeds sprout”.
The major 24-divison season, SEKKI, has changed from SEIMEI to KOKUU.
KOKU means cereal grains and U means rain. The warm spring rain showers plants gently, encouraging them to grow rapidly. Not only the reeds sprout for the first time, but also various plants sprout, then the brown fields are dyed into green.
However, in the HOKUSHIN region here, the weather continues without rain. A dry weather advisory is being issued for the region in the past few days. Today is the last day of “First reeds sprout”, but it looks like it won’t rain again today.
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2023/04/23 Athletes run through the late spring, the 25th NAGANO Marathon
Since the NAGANO Marathon this year was held a week later than usual and it was quite warm in April, seed pods of canola flowers along the embankment are swelling. peach blossoms are over, and apple blossoms are a little past their full bloom. The mountains of the Japan Alps are also conspicuous in blue and ultramarine. It’s the season of “end of spring” rather than “full spring”.
Colorful wear of the runners paint the end of spring in SHINSHU.
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2023/04/15 First rainbows
Around April 15th to 19th, 2023, it is Spring-SEIMEI- 15th KOU (microseason) “First rainbows”. It represents the time when the rainbow begins to appear after the spring rain. As spring progresses, humidity rises and it becomes easier to rain , actually next microseason is “grain rains”.
It’s been raining in spring since this morning. In the afternoon, the sun was shining a bit, so I looked up at the sky. Hmm… can’t see a rainbow. Things don’t turn out the way I expected. :’‑(
Well, it’s OK. Looking forward to seeing them soon. No rain, no rainbows！
On the ground, a puddle with SAKURA petals.
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2023/04/12 Wild geese fly north
Around April 10th to 14th, 2023, it is Spring-SEIMEI- 14th KOU (microseason) “Wild geese fly north”. When wallows return to Japan, wild winter birds such as wild geese fly north.
Swans are representative of migratory birds which can migrate hundreds of miles to their wintering sites. In AZUMINO City, NAGANO Prefecture, there are two wintering sites; GOHODEN-YUSUICHI and HAKUCHOU-KO (HAKUCHOU means swan).
According to the website of ” Alps Hakuchou no Kai”, October 14th, 2022: Early in the morning, an adult swan flew to the GOHODEN-YUSUICHI. March 1st, 2023: Most of them are heading north. Marh 29th, Only two swans left, and on 30th North-return was completed.
Much earlier than the statement of “SHICHIJYUUNIKOU”, isn’t it. There were many warm days in February and March this year compared to usual, so?
No swans around Nagano City, but common teals can be seen in the Sai River. They are winter migratory birds and stay from October to April in Japan.
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2023/04/07 Swallowes return
After SHUNBUN (Spring equinox), it became SEIMEI (Pure and clear) which means the transition to the new season when the flowers of plants and trees are in full bloom.
Around April 5th to 9th, 2023, Spring-SEIMEI-13th KOU (microseason) “Swallows return”. Swallows spend winter in the warm countries of Southeast Asia. And this time of year, they return to Japan to escape the heat. They raise their children and stay until the end of summer.
In Japan, swallows have long been considered auspicious birds.
Kobayashi Issa who is known for his haiku poems wrote as
“Day when the swallows come back
Marked lucky
For starting MISO stock”
(K. Yaba, J. Norton, and B. Mori, FIVE FEET OF SNOW, Shinano Mainichi Shinbunsha, 2022.)
* MISO is one of the most essential ingredients in Japanese cuisine. In the past, it was a staple in every household and made by themselves.
Have you seen swallows already?
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2023/04/03 Spring thunder
According to “SHICHIJYUU-IKOU”, March 30th – April 4th, 2023 is the period of “Spring thunder”. It’s distant thunder, a little softer than the sounds of summer one.
Over the past week, the weather in Nagano City has been fine and there are no signs of the thunder.
The silhouette of the Northern Japan Alps appeared on the afterglow of sunset. It will be fine tomorrow as well.
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2023/04/01 First peach blossoms, 21 days late
April from today. Peach trees have blossomed.
In fact, according to the “SHICHIJYUU-NIKOU”, March 11th to 15th, 2023 is considered to be around the time when peach first blooms.
The blossoms in the HOKUSHIN region were about a month late, but they were in time for the “HINAMATSURI” of the lunar calendar. HINAMATSURI is a festival for girls to pray for a healthy growth and is also known as the Peach Festival.
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March
2023/03/27 First cherry blossoms
News of cherry (SOMEIYOSHINO-sakura) blossoms has arrived from all over Japan. The first cherry blossom forecast date in NAGANO City is March 30th and the full bloom forecast date is April 5. Let’s look forward to it.
I found cherry blossoms in full bloom (some of them with leaves already). It is JUGATSU-z(s)akura.
According to the web, it blooms in autumn and was named JUGATSU (October) -sakura. And also in spring. 1/3 of the buds blossom in autumn and winter, and the remaining 2/3 in spring.
In Chikuma City (a city in the south of Nagano City), the Apricot Festival has started today. A little earlier than the cherry blossom festival.
In the HOKUSHIN region, apricot-cherry -peach blossom relay continues.
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2023/03/22 Sparrows start nest
Yesterday was the Spring Equinox day, day and night have the same length.
The warmth has become full-fledged, and small flowers such as birdeye speedwell, thyme-leaf sandwort, red dead-nettle, and common henbit. The chirping of small birds has become popular.
March 21 – 25 is Sparrows start to nest. Not only sparrows, but also small birds enter the breeding season.
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2023/03/16 Caterpillars become butterflies
March 16 – 20, 2023 is the time when the pupae that have survived the harsh winter emerge and become beautiful butterflies.
From a few days ago, they have begun to fly over the spring field.
First look of the year: The Asian comma (left), the eastern pale clouded yellow (right).
