| . |
| . |
| kigo |
| HAIKU KIGO Poetic Seasonal Expressions (Haiku Kigo) Nyumon Saijiki, Editor and Translator William J. Higginson Haiku bungakkan [electronic resource] etext library University of Virginia |
SPRING
春 はる haru Spring
時候 じこう jikō The Season
旧正月 きゅうしょうがつ kyūshōgatsu （きうしやうぐわつ）, Lunar New
Year [="Chinese New Year"] 旧正 きゅうしょう kyūshō Lunar New Year
寒明 かんあけ kan'ake the cold breaks
寒明ける かんあける kan akeru the cold breaks
寒の明 かんのあけ kan no ake a break in the cold risshun1
立春 りっしゅん risshun beginning of spring [one of the 24 Seasonal
Essences (fortnightly periods); about 4 Feb]
春立つ はるたつ haru tatsu spring begins
春来る はるくる haru kuru spring comes This is one of the Twenty-Four
Seasonal Essences into which the year is divided, according to the sun's
position with respect to the earth. Spring begins on the day when the
sun's celestial longitude is 315 degrees. This is the midpoint between the
winter solstice and the vernal equinox, and a seasonal division in the
traditional Chinese solar calendar. (See the note on the Twenty-Four
Seasonal Essences.) In addition to having to think about agriculture
during this period of roughly two weeks called "the beginning of spring",
one notices the lengthening hours of daylight, though it is still cold. Aside
from the calendar saying it is spring, we recall the signs of spring even
more than we notice sensations. Since the beginning of spring nearly
coincided with New Year's Day in the old lunar calendar, people used to
compose on such topics as "this spring morning" (今朝の春【けさのはる】
kesa no haru) and "this spring day" (今日の春【きょうのはる】 kyo no
haru). Now such topics are used exclusively on New Year's Day in the
Gregorian calendar. In that calendar, the beginning of spring falls on the
day after "the seasonal divide" (節分【せつぶん】 setsubun), thus about
the 4th or 5th of February.
春立ちてまだ九日の野山かな 芭蕉 haru tachite mada kokonoka no
noyama kana spring begins and still these fields and mountains of the
ninth day . . . Basho
門々の下駄の泥より春立ちぬ 一茶 kadokado no geta no doro yori haru
tachinu from the mud of geta going gate-to-gate spring begins Issa
["Geta" are traditional wooden sandals worn outdoors.]
立春の雑草園の草ごよみ 山口青邨 risshun no zassen no kusa-goyomi the
beginning of spring by the weed-garden's plant calendar Yamaguchi
Seison
立春の月の早くもあがりけり 安住敦 risshun no tsuki no hayaku mo
agarikeri the beginning-of-spring moon--how quickly it came up Azumi
Atsushi
立春の米こぼれをり葛西橋 石田波郷 risshun no kome koboreori kasaibashi
the beginning-of-spring rice has spilled over . . . Kasai Bridge Ishida
Hakyoo This verse was written in the first year after the end of the
Pacific War. A knowledge of the Kasai area of Tokyo gives it deep
meaning. (The Edo River empties into Tokyo Bay at Kasai, on the border
of Chiba Prefecture. The area is now a bird sanctuary.) On his way across
the bridge, the poet suddenly saw a few pure white grains of rice there;
in them, he felt the day as the beginning of spring and then perhaps
understood the hope rising in his heart. (In February 1946, rice--all food--
was scarce.)
冴返る さえかえる sae-kaeru （さえかへる）, cold returns / (it is) cold
and clear
余寒 よかん yokan remaining cold
残る寒さ のこるさむさ nokoru samusa lingering cold harumeku3
harumeku1
春めく はるめく haru meku signs of spring / it looks like spring
如月 きさらぎ 衣更着 kisaragi Second (lunar) Month [means something
like "Regeneration Month", roughly equivalent to Gregorian March]
啓蟄 けいちつ keichitsu insects appear / insects astir / bugs come out
[literally, "end of insect hibernation", one of the 24 Seasonal Essences,
about 5 March]
彼岸 ひがん higan Higan / equinoctial week [literally, "that shore"--i.e., of
Buddhist paradise; the week of which the (spring) equinox is the center;
see
秋彼岸 akihigan] 弥生 やよい yayoi （やよひ）, Third (Lunar) Month
[literally, "Increasing Growth"; approximately April]
春日 はるひ haruhi a day in spring / spring day / spring sun [either or both
meanings simultaneously, depending on context]
春の日 はるのひ haru no hi spring day / spring sun
春日 しゅんじつ shunjitsu spring day / spring sun
春日影 はるひかげ haru hikage spring sunlight/sunshine
春暁 しゅんぎょう shungyō （しゅんげう）, spring dawn
春の暁 はるのあかつき haru no akatsuki spring dawn
春の曙 はるのあけぼの haru no akebono spring daybreak
春の宵 はるのよい haru no yoi （はるのよひ）, an evening in spring
春宵 しゅんしょう shunshō spring evening
宵の春 よいのはる yoi no haru (this) evening's spring
麗か うららか uraraka bright (and clear) / splendid [of weather]
うらら urara bright (and clear) / splendid
長閑 のどか nodoka calm/tranquil/serene [of weather]
のどけし nodokeshi calm/tranquil/serene hinaga1
日永 ひなが hinaga day(s) lengthening
永き日 ながきひ nagaki hi long day(s) From the vernal equinox (春分【しゅ
んぶん】 shunbun) little by little the days grow longer. Strictly speaking,
the days are longest at the summer solstice, but the seasonal topic "days
lengthening" belongs to spring. Not in the language of science, but in
the language of poetry the days growing longer seems to convey a
feeling of spring tranquillity. "Slow days" (遅日【ちじつ】 chijitsu) gives
the same meaning of slow, lengthening spring days; further, "dusk is
lingering" (暮遅し【くれおそし】 kure ososhi) has the feeling of the day's
strength in the lingering twilight.
がつくりと暇になる日の永さかな 嵐雪 gakkuri to hima ni naru hi no
nagasa kana discouraged by free time on a day this long Ransetsu
永き日の口明け通る烏かな 一茶 nagaki hi no kuchiake tru karasu kana long
days' opening . . . this crow passes through Issa
のぞき見ては塀穴ふさぐ日永かな 杉田久女 nozoki mite wa heiana fusagu
nagaki hi kana as I take a peek the hole in the wall closes-- this long day
Sugita Hisajo
永き日やみな憂ひもつ患者の目 古賀まり子 nagaki hi ya mina urei motsu
kanja no me long days . . . all filled with their sorrows the patients' eyes
Koga Mariko
永き日のにはとり柵を越えにけり 芝不器男 nagaki hi no niwatori saku o
koenikeri a long day the rooster has gone over the fence Shiba Fukio This
is a peaceful scene of spring tranquillity in a village. Most people fully enjoy
quiet spring days in that leisurely world where time ebbs and flows.
Trying to catch a boisterous rooster only deepens the quiet.
花冷え はなびえ hanabie (cherry) blossom chill [chilly late spring weather]
蛙の目借時 かわずのめかりどき kawazu no me karidoki （かはづのめかり
どき）, time when frogs borrow (human) eyes [an old saying for the
drowsiness of late spring]
目借時 めかりどき me karidoki time of borrowed eyes
八十八夜 はちじゅうはちや hachi-jū-hachi-ya （はちじふはちや）, eighty-
eighth night [from risshun 立春【りっしゅん】, i.e., the end of spring]
暮の春 くれのはる kure no haru the end of spring
暮春 ぼしゅん boshun spring's end
春暮るる はるくるる haru kururu spring ends / spring comes to a close.
春の果 はるのはて haru no hate the end of spring
春惜しむ はるおしむ haru oshimu （はるをしむ）, (to) lament spring
[that is, spring's passing]
惜春 せきしゅん sekishun lamenting spring
天文 てんぶん tenbun The Heavens
春の月 はるのつき haru no tsuki moon in spring
春月 しゅんげつ shungetsu spring moon oboro3 oboro2
朧 おぼろ oboro misty (night) / hazy (night) [see "On Haze, Mist, Fog"]
草朧 くさおぼろ kusa oboro misty grass (at night) / hazy grass (at night)
月朧 つきおぼろ tsuki oboro misty moon / hazy moon Oboro refers to
something indistinct, vague, unclear, but in haikai it means a misty or hazy
spring night. Such terms as "hazy grass" and "hazy moon" are also used.
Especially, like the pleasing impression of moonlight touching pampas grass
silk, that distant brightness in the night yields a refined enjoyment.
大原や蝶の出て舞う朧月 丈草 hara ya ch no dete mau oborozuki Broad
Plains . . . a butterfly flutters out under a hazy moon Js ["Broad Plains" is
hara, north of Kyoto; nearby, the Empress Dowager Kenreimon'in spent
her last years in a secluded nunnery, after the fall of the Taira and the
death of her infant son, the Emperor Antoku.]
袴包みて使に渡す朧かな 長谷川かな女 hakama tsutsumite tsukai ni watasu
oboro kana swathed in hakama he passes by on an errand-- these mists
Hasegawa Kanajo [Hakama are full trousers, part of men's traditional
formal attire.]
引いてやる子の手のぬくき朧かな 中村汀女 hiite yaru ko no te no nukuki
oboro kana how warm the hand of the child I pull along-- these mists
Nakamura Teijo
辛崎の松は花より朧にて 芭蕉 karasaki no matsu wa hana yori oboro nite
Karasaki's pine fainter than the blossoms muted in mist Bash This verse
tells of looking out at the Pine of Karasaki in the distance over the waters
of Lake Biwa. The particle nite brings the poem to an end with a light
touch, yielding a lingering charm; though cherry blossoms are not
immediately apparent, adding "fainter than the blossoms" paints the
scene with a misty glaze.
春の星 はるのほし haru no hoshi stars in spring
春星 しゅんせい shunsei spring stars harukaze1
春風 はるかぜ harukaze spring breeze / spring wind
春の風 はるのかぜ harunokaze spring breeze / spring wind
東風 こち kochi east wind
強東風 つよごち tsuyogochi strong east wind.
朝東風 あさごち asagochi morning east wind
夕東風 ゆうごち yūgochi evening east wind
貝寄風 かいよせ kaiyose shell-drawing wind [a west wind of late March or
early April]
貝寄 かいよせ kaiyose shell-drawing wind
涅槃西風 ねはんにし nehan-nishi Nirvana West Wind [during the time of
the Nirvana Festival
涅槃会 nehan'e, which see]
彼岸西風 ひがんにし higan-nishi Higan West Wind [during Higan 彼岸,
which see] 風光る かぜひかる haze hikaru the wind shines
春塵 しゅんじん shunjin （しゅんぢん）, spring dust (in the air)
春埃 はるぼこり harubokori spring dust
春の塵 はるのちり haru no chiri dust of spring
霾 つちふる tsuchifuru falling dust / dirt rain
春雨 はるさめ harusame spring rain
春の雨 はるのあめ haru no ame rains of spring
春の雪 はるのゆき haru no yuki spring snow
春雪 しゅんせつ shunsetsu spring snow 淡雪
あわゆき awayuki light snow
斑雪 はだれゆき hadareyuki （はだらゆき）, patchy snow
はだら hadara patchy snow
はだれ hadare patchy snow
はだれ野 はだれの hadareno snow-dappled field(s)
別れ霜 わかれじも wakarejimo parting frost [i.e., the last]
忘れ霜 わすれじも wasurejimo last frost [literally, "forgotten frost"]
霜の名残 しものなごり shimo no nagori traces of frost
晩霜 ばんそう bansō end of frost
春の雷 はるのらい haru no rai thunder in spring
春雷 しゅんらい shun'rai spring thunder kasumi6 kasumi3 kasumi2
霞 かすみ kasumi (spring) mist [frequently translated "haze"; see note
"On Haze, Mist, Fog"]
朝霞 あさがすみ asagasumi morning mist
夕霞 ゆうがすみ yūgasumi evening mist
遠霞 とおがすみ tōgasumi distant mist This refers to being unable to see
things in the distance because they are obscured by a somewhat cloudy
atmosphere. This is not a meteorologist's technical term, but indicates
mist made up of fine droplets of water floating in the air. The
phenomenon is common in autumn, with "fog" (霧【きり】 kiri) being
the established autumn kidai; however, when we say "mist" (霞【かす
み】 kasumi), that is the term for spring. It seems that water vapor rising
in warm air, making all of nature look blurred and calm, permeates things
with the tranquillity of spring. In addition to "morning mist", "evening
mist", and "distant mist", poets use such phrases as "the grass is misty"
(草霞む【くさかすむ】 kusa kasumu) and "the bell is mist-muffled" (鐘霞む
【かねかすむ】 kane kasumu). However, when the same phenomenon
occurs at night, it is called "misty" (朧【おぼろ】 oboro, which see above).
指南車を胡地に引去る霞かな 蕪村 shinansha o kochi ni hikisaru kasumi
kana a guided coach withdrawn into an old place-- this mistiness Buson [A
"guided coach" (shinansha, literally "points-south vehicle") is a coach with
a compass built in to guide the driver; it suggests olden times.]
来て見れば霞の松に日暮れたり 暁台 kite mireba kasumi no matsu ni hi
kuretari when I come to look: the misty pine the sun is setting in Gyodai
夕がすみ灯台ともること早し 高濱年尾 ygasumi tdai tomoru koto hayashi
evening mist the lighthouse lights up a bit early Takahama Toshio
肉白き病体に世もかすみたる 飯田龍太 niku shiroki bytai ni yo mo
kasumitaru flesh white in my sick body too the world is misty Iida Ryuta
馬借りてかはるがはるに霞みけり 蓼太 uma karite kawarugawaru ni
kasumikeri taking turns on a borrowed horse mist-shrouded Ryta The
preface to the poem is "traveling"「行旅」. Some people take turns
riding a single borrowed horse. Not overly concerned with getting to
their destination quickly, the two or three companions are leisurely
enjoying the spring scene. Going ahead, the one on the horse sits in the
thin mist.
陽炎 かげろう kagerō （かげろふ）, heat shimmer [visual distortion in the
air over a heated surface; sometimes misleadingly translated "heat waves"]
糸遊 いとゆう itoyū gossamer / spider silk [literally "thread play"; there is
some confusion over this kigo, as these two very different phenomena
were apparently once thought to be similar or related; itoyū refers to the
silk of balloon spiders, most common in autumn, where some authorities
place this as a separate kidai]
花曇 はなぐもり hanagumori (cherry) blossom haze [hazy weather,
especially in the vicinity of cherry blossoms, in late spring]
鳥曇 とりぐもり torigumori bird haze [hazy weather in mid spring, when
migrating birds are flying]
鰊曇 にしんぐもり nishingumori herring clouds [metaphorical; see nishin,
herring]
地理 ちり chiri The Earth
山笑ふ やまわらう yama warau hills/mountains smile/laugh [metaphorical: i.
e., are covered with budding and/or blossoming trees]
笑う山 わらうやま warau yama （わらふやま）, smiling/laughing
hills/mountains
水温む みずぬるむ mizu nurumu （みづぬるむ）, waters warm up
温む水 ぬるむみず nurumu mizu warmer waters
春の海 はるのうみ haru no umi spring sea
haruta3 haruta1 春田 はるた haru ta spring paddy field(s)
春の田 はるのた haru no ta rice paddies in spring This refers to rice
paddies in the spring, before the seedlings have been planted. Over the
surface of some paddies, "vetch" (紫雲英【げんげ】 genge) will be
blooming, and others will be roughly plowed. Later, as paddies are
prepared for plowing, the ridges repaired between them, the paddies
raked, and so on, the paddies become busy with farm workers. As wet
paddies, they will shine brilliantly. But when one speaks of "spring
paddies" there are hardly any people out there; everywhere feelings of
loneliness and silence remain. (As the first example below makes clear,
simply naming the spring paddies of a significant place--or one's native
place--becomes a moving paean to spring melancholy.)
みちのくの伊達の郡の春田かな 富安風生 michinoku no date no koori no
haruta kana ah--the spring paddies of Date country in Michinoku Tomiyasu
Fusei [Michinoku is the old name for the northeastern provinces of
Honshu, in which the region around Sendai was the fief of the powerful
Date family.]
野の虹と春田の虹と空に合ふ 水原秋櫻子 no no niji to haruta no niji to
sora ni au the rainbow of the moor and the rainbow of the spring paddies
meet in the sky Mizuhara Shuoshi
許されし水狂奔す春の田を 相馬遷子 yurusareshi mizu kyhon su haru no ta
o released the water rushes wildly into the spring paddies Souma Senshi
湿り香の大陽を置き春田鋤く 佐藤鬼房 shimeri ka no taiy o oki haruta suku
ignoring the sun's damp aroma--I spade the spring paddy Sat Onifusa
大仏へ抜ける裏道春田かな 久本十美二 daibutsu e nukeru uramichi haruta
kana on the back roads leading to the Great Buddha-- these spring
paddies Hisamoto Tomiji
能登の海春田昃れば照りにけり 清崎敏朗 noto no umi haruta kagereba
terinikeri the sea at Noto as the spring paddies darkened began to shine
Kiyozaki Toshio Now darkened under snow clouds, in Noto too spring has
come. That said, the wind is still cold, and usually when one thinks of
brightness, it grows cloudy. But, as the fields of "One Thousand Paddies"
grew dark, over the sea the sun brightened. Here and there, plowmen in
the paddy fields take notice. (Noto is a large peninsula on Honshu's north
coast, in the Sea of Japan.)
春泥 しゅんでい shundei spring mud
春の泥 はるのどろ haru no doro mud of spring zansetsu2 zansetsu1
残雪 ざんせつ zansetsu remaining snow
残る雪 のこるゆき nokoru yuki lingering snow
雪残る ゆきのこる yuki nokoru snow lingers
雪の名残 ゆきのなごり yuki no nagori traces of snow This is the snow left
when spring has come. It means the snow that originally fell and piled up
all winter long and remains here and there after spring has finally come
and it begins to melt. In addition, though there are not many places with
lots of snow, there are places where snow fell and stayed at the end of
winter. Downtown, snow disapears quickly, but in back of homes and the
shade of bushes, on shaded mountainsides and under trees, and also
along distant mountain ranges, lingering snow glitters. When snow melts
off in spring, a "snow crevice" may hold snow in a crack, and continue to
drip after other places are dry.
雪残る頂一つ国境 正岡子規 yuki nokoru itadaki hitotsu kunizakai snow
lingers on a single summit: the boundary Masaoka Shiki
一枚の餅のごとくに雪残る 川端茅舎 ichimai no mochi no gotoku ni yuki
nokoru just like a single rice cake snow remains Kawabata Bousha
残雪やごうごうと吹く松の風 村上鬼城 zansetsu ya gougou to fuku matsu
no kaze remaining snow . . . roaring through the pines the wind Murakami
Kijo
滝みだれ大残雪にひびき落つ 水原秋櫻子 taki midare daizansetsu ni hibiki
otsu tumbling cascade in the large remaining snowbank an echo falls
Mizuhara Shuoshi
残雪光袋に透いて菓子の影 中村草田男 zansetsukou fukuro ni suite kashi
no kage light of remaining snow in a translucent bag shadows of pastry
Nakamura Kusatao
残雪の尾根星ぞらの若々し 千代田葛彦 zansetsu no one hoshizora no
wakawakashi remaining snow on the ridge the starry sky looks so fresh
Chiyoda Kuzuhiko There is a ridge of remaining snow on the high
mountains, and beyond that the broad starry sky is another sign of
spring; they create the feeling of moisture here and there. The
expression "looks so fresh" (wakawakashi) shows how the arrival of spring
gladdens the heart.
雪解 ゆきどけ yukidoke snowmelt
雪解 ゆきげ yukige snowmelt
雪解水 ゆきげみず yukige mizu snow meltwater
雪解川 ゆきげがわ yukigegawa snowmelt river
雪解野 ゆきげの yukigeno snowmelt meadow(s)/field(s)
雪解風 ゆきげかぜ yukige kaze snowmelt breeze/wind
雪解雫 ゆきげしずく yukige shizuku snowmelt droplets
雪解光 ゆきげこう yukige-kō snowmelt radiance
雪しろ ゆきしろ 雪代 yukishiro snowmelt runoff
雪汁 ゆきじる yukijiru slush [literally "snow soup"]
雪濁り ゆきにごり yuki nigori snowmelt-muddy [bodies of water]
雪しろ水 ゆきしろみず yukishiro mizu snowmelt runoff water
薄氷 うすらい usurai （うすらひ）, thin ice
薄氷 うすごうり usugōri thin ice
春の氷 はるのこうり haru no kōri spring ice
流氷 りゅうひょう ryūhyō （りうひょう） ice floe(s)
氷流るる こおりながるる kōri nagaruru （りうひょう）, ice flows
生活 せいかつ seikatsu Daily Life
花衣 はなごろも hanagoromo flower(-viewing) clothes
花見衣 はなみごろも hanamigoromo flower-viewing clothes
noyaku8 noyaku6 noyaku4 noyaku3 野焼く のやく no yaku (to) burn field
(s)
野焼 のやき noyaki field-burning
花菜漬 はななづけ hanana-zuke pickled rape greens / pickled mustard
greens
菜の花漬 なのはなづけ na-no-hana-zuke pickled rape greens / pickled
mustard greens
木の芽和 きのめあえ ki-no-me-ae （きのめあへ）, Japanese-pepper bud
salad / prickly-ash bud salad [山椒 sanshō, Zanthoxylum piperitum; to
avoid confusion with this spicy plant, colloquial ki-no-me for "tree buds" is
avoided in haikai]
目刺 めざし mezashi dried sardines [strung on a stick through the eyes]
目刺鰯 めざしいわし mezashi dried sardines
ほおざし hōzashi dried sardines
草餅 くさもち kusamochi mugwort mochi
蓬餅 よもぎもち yomogimochi mugwort mochi
菜飯 なめし nameshi (cooked) rice with mustard greens [see 菜の花 na
no hana]
春炬燵 はるごたつ harugotatsu spring kotatsu [which see]
炉塞 ろふさぎ ro-fusagi closing the hearth
炉を塞ぐ ろをふさぐ ro o fusagu (to) close the hearth
炉の名残 ろのなごり ro no nagori farewell to the hearth [a tea ceremony
before closing the hearth]
炬燵塞ぐ こたつふさぐ kotatsu fusagu (to) close the kotatsu [which see]
北窓開く きたまどひらく kita mado hiraku (to) open north window(s)
麦踏 むぎふみ mugi-fumi barley-treading
麦を踏む むぎをふむ mugi o fumu (to) tread on barley
耕 たがやし tagayashi plow/plough
耕人 こうじん kōjin plowman/ploughman
耕馬 こうば kōba plow/plough horse
耕午 こうぎゅう kōgyū plow/plough/draft/draught ox
春耕 しゅんこう shunkō spring plowing/ploughing
畦塗 あぜぬり azenuri ridge-plastering [between rice paddies]
くわぬり kuwanuri （畔塗）, embankment-plastering [between paddies]
塗畦 ぬりあぜ nuriaze plastered ridge(s) [between paddies]
種蒔 たねまき tanemaki seed-planting
播種 ばしゅ bashu planting seed(s)
物種蒔く ものだねまく monodane maku (to) plant various seeds
[connotation: "to plant life"; most authorities place this as a separate kidai
in mid spring]
種下 たねおろし tane oroshi seed-planting
籾蒔く もみまく momi maku (to) plant rice
花種蒔く はなだねまく hanadane maku (to) plant flower seeds With rice
culture at the core of Japan's agriculture, "seed-planting" refers to
planting seed rice in "nursery beds" where it will grow into seedlings. On
the other hand, the term may also refer to planting the seeds of
vegetables and flowering plants. Farmers plant the rice seeds in nursery
beds after "seed-selection" (removing inferior seeds) and "seed-soaking"
(to encourage germination). They work with a hopeful feeling.
Depending on the natural features and climate of the locale, seed-
planting takes place between Higan (彼岸【ひがん】, the week of the
vernal equinox) and the "Eighty-Eighth Night" (八十八夜【はちじゅうはち
や】 hachijhachiya, from the beginning of spring; the second or third of
May). The shape of "remaining snow" (残雪【ざんせつ】 zansetsu) on a
nearby mountain, the blooming of "kobus magnolia" (辛夷【こぶし】
kobushi), and similar seasonal phenomena help determine planting time.
種蒔もよしや十日の雨ののち 蕪村 tanemaki mo yoshi ya tka no ame no
nochi the seed planting so good--after ten days' rain Buson
この寒さ心得てをり籾おろし 阿波野青畝 kono samusa kokoroete ori momi
orishi this coldness he knows it well sowing rice Awano Seiho
種蒔けば天をかぎりの夕焼ぞ 大野林火 tani makeba ten o kagiri no yyake
zo they plant seeds-- to the limits of the sky this sunset glow Ohno Rinka
種蒔いて黒土にいのち弾む日よ 三谷昭 tane maite kurotsuchi ni inochi
hasumu hi yo sowing seeds life in the black earth the springing sun Mitani
Akira
蒔き終へてなほ叩きけり種袋 米戸豊春 makioete naotatakikeri tanebukuro
the sowing done now it gets repaired: the seed bag Yonedo Hōshun
種まきし上にこまかな夜気が乗る 平畑静塔 tane makishi ue ni komaka na
yaki ga noru seeds planted a thin evening chill rises over them Hirahata
Seitou This morning, rice was planted in the nursery beds. From then to
now, seed bag after seed bag, the rice was planted grain-by-grain. Each
grain will make a world. Even at night, the rice grains can be clearly seen.
Somehow, they seem already beginning to grow.
苗木市 なえぎいち naegi-ichi （なへぎいち）, sapling market
植木市 うえきいち ueki-ichi potted-plant market
剪定 せんてい sentei pruning
根分 ねわけ ne-wake root-dividing / separating seedlings
桑解く くわとく kuwa toku （くはとく）, (to) untie mulbery (trees)
[wrapped for winter]
蚕飼 こがい kogai （こがひ）, raising silkworms / sericulture
養蚕 ようさん yōsan sericulture / raising silkworms
種紙 たねがみ tanegami （蚕卵紙）, silkworm egg paper
掃立 はきたて hakitate brushing silkworms [from egg paper]
蚕籠 こかご kokago silkworm cage
飼屋 かいや kaiya silkworm shed
蚕棚 かいこだな kaikodana silkworm rack
蚕室 さんしつ sanshitsu silkworm room
蚕飼時 こがいどき kogaidoki silkworm-raising time
茶摘 ちゃつみ chatsumi tea picking
一番茶 いちばんちゃ ichibancha first-grade tea [first picking]
茶摘女 ちゃつみめ chatsumime tea-picker [female]
茶摘唄 ちゃつみうた chatsumi-uta tea-picking song
茶山 ちゃやま chayama tea-hill/mountain
茶畑 ちゃばたけ chabatake tea field(s)
茶摘籠 ちゃつみかご chatsumikago tea-picking basket
shiohi3 shiohi1 潮干 しおひ shiohi （しほひ）, low tide
干潟 ひがた higata tideland
潮干狩 しおひがり shiohigari beachcombing / low-tide (shell) gathering
Around the third day of the third month in the lunar calendar, we have
the middle of the spring tides--or "the great tide" (大潮【おおしお】
shio). Then the ebb and flow of the tides are extreme, and the low-tide
flats extend toward the offing; one can walk far out on the tideland; this
is what makes "low tide" a spring topic. The weather is warm, and whole
families take boxed lunches and go out on the tidal flats "beachcombing"
to gather clams, littlenecks, and the like. In many built-up areas pollution
has made it impossible to go shellfish gathering, so people from in town
go out to the seashores and beaches to enjoy this day on "beach visits"
or out in boats to "view the tides". （Note that in classically arranged
saijiki, the first three kigo here would be listed under "The Earth", but
the others would be listed under "Daily Life" or human activities.)
上り帆の淡路はなれぬ潮干哉 去来 nobori ho no awaji hanarenu shiohi
kana raised sails coming out from Awaji Island-- this low tide Kyorai [Awaji
is a large scenic island between Osaka (old Naniwa) and Shikoku, famous
for spectacular tidal phenomena in the surrounding waters.]
潮干潟誰もひとりの影を掘る 山口草堂 shiohigata taremo hitori no kage o
horu low-tide flats each one digs up her own shadow Yamaguchi Sadou
あすもある干潟と思ひゆきてみず 山口波津女 asu mo aru higata to omoi
yukite mizu there's always tomorrow thinking of the tide-flats and not
going Yamaguchi Hatsujo
さりげなくひとと競へり潮干狩 黒坂紫陽子 sarige naku hito to kisoeri
shiohigari so casually in competition with each other: shellfish gathering
Kurosaka Shiyoshi
潮干狩みちきし潮に貝を洗ふ 西池涼雨 shiohigari michikishi shio ni kai no
arau beachcombing-- as the tide comes full it washes shells Nishiike Ryou
あらはれし干潟に人はや遊ぶ 清崎敏郎 arawareshi higata ni hito haya-
asobu on the tideflats just now in view people quickly play Kiyosaki Toshio
Just that way, when the tide is rising people run about picking up things
as if they were completely crazy. Waiting impatiently, people begin to
amuse themselves here and there. When the flats come into view, there
is a transformation as people quickly spread out, looking like so many
flounders revealed on the tideflats.
遠足 えんそく ensoku （ゑんそく）, (spring) outing [includes hiking,
picnicking, outdoor games; a typical spring field trip for schoolchildren]
踏青 とうせい tōsei （たふせい）, treading the turf/greensward
青踏む あおきふむ aoki fumu (to) tread the turf/greensward
花見 はなみ hanami (cherry) blossom viewing
桜狩 さくらがり sakuragari cherry (blossom) hunting
観桜 かんおう kan'ou viewing cherry (blossoms)
fusen2 風船 ふうせん fūsen balloon
紙風船 かみふうせん kamifūsen paper balloon
ゴム風船 ごむふうせん gomufūsen rubber balloon
風船玉 ふうせんだま fūsendama balloon sphere
風船売 ふうせんうり fūsen-uri balloon seller/vendor
風車 かざぐるま kazaguruma pinwheel
風車売 かざぐるまうり kazaguruma-uri pinwheel seller/vendor
石鹸玉 しゃぼんだま shabondama soap bubbles
鞦韆 しゅうせん shūsen swing
ぶらんこ buranko swing
ふらここ furakoko swing ふらんと furanto swing
半仙戯 はんせんぎ hansengi swing
朝寝 あさね asane sleeping late / sleeping in [in the morning]
春愁 しゅんしゅう shunshū （しゅんしう）, spring melancholy
春かなし はるかなし harukanashi spring sadness
試験 しけん shiken examination(s)
大試験 だいしけん daishiken major examination(s)
入学試験 にゅうがくしけん nyūgaku shiken entrance examination(s)
受験 じゅけん juken taking an examination
学年試験 がくねんしけん gakunen shiken year-end examination(s)
及第 きゅうだい kyūdai pass (an examination)
落第 らくだい rakudai fail (an examination)
卒業 そつぎょう sotsugyō （そつげふ）, graduation [the Japanese
academic year typically starts in April and ends the following March, when
graduations take place at all levels]
卒業式 そつぎょうしき sotsugyō-shiki graduation ceremony/ceremonies
卒業歌 そつぎょうか sotsugyōka graduation song
入学 にゅうがく nyūgaku （にふがく）, entering school [applies to
students entering their first years in new schools at the beginning of the
school year, about 1 April]
新入生 しんにゅうせい shinnyūsei freshman / first-year student
入学児 にゅうがくじ nyūgakuji new schoolchild
進学 しんがく shingaku advancing in one's studies [to the next level of
school, i.e., to high school, to college]
一年生 いちねんせい ichinensei first year student / freshman
春闘 しゅんとう shuntō spring offensive [of Japanese labor unions; note:
homonym of
春濤【しゅんとう】 shuntō, spring waves--see
春の海【はるのうみ】 haru no umi]
行事 ぎょうじ gyōji Observances
初午 はつうま hatsu-uma First Horse [the first Day of the Horse in the
lunar New Year, a shrine festival, about 12 February]
午祭 うままつり uma matsuri Horse Festival
一の午 いちのうま ichi no uma First Horse
稲荷祭 いなりまつり inari matsuri Inari Festival [festival of the rice-bearer
and fox spirits, held on the first Day of the Horse]
針供養 はりくよう hari kuyō （はりくやう）, Needle Memorial Day [8 Feb;
people give thanks to blunted and rusted needles for their service]
針祭る はりまつる hari matsuru (to) celebrate needles
針納め はりおさめ hari osame needle offering hina3 hina1
雛 ひな hina （ひいな）, (ceremonial) doll(s) [specifically, dolls
representing the Heian court, typically displayed in homes with female
children during the "Doll Festival", 3 March (formerly observed on the
third day of third lunar month, late spring)]
雛祭 ひなまつり hina matsuri Doll Festival
雛遊 ひなあそび hina-asobi doll amusement [playful ceremonies performed
in front of the doll display by young girls]
雛の日 ひなのひ hina no hi dolls' day
初雛 はつひな hatsu hina first doll(s)
内裏雛 だいりびな dairibina dolls of emperor and empress
立雛 たちびな tachibina standing doll(s)
紙雛 かみびな kamibina paper doll(s)
雛飾る ひなかざる hina kazaru (to) decorate with dolls [i.e., set up doll
display]
雛道具 ひなどうぐ hina dōgu doll furniture/accessories
雛菓子 ひながし hinagashi doll pastry
雛あられ ひなあられ hina arare doll snow-pellets [miniature confections
for hina asobi; see translator's note at 霰 arare]
雛段 ひなだん hinadan dolls' step-stand / doll display stand
雛の灯 ひなのひ hina no hi dolls' lantern(s)
雛の客 ひなのきゃく hina no kyaku doll-guest(s) / dolls' guest(s)
雛の宴 ひなのえん hina no en dolls' party/banquet
雛の宿 ひなのやど hina no yado dolls' inn/lodging
雛の家 ひなのいえ hina no ie dolls' house On this day in ancient times, at
the Imperial Court they would hold parties, make offerings, and they
would stroke their bodies with dolls, then float the dolls in water to clean
off impurities; thus the holiday was observed. This, dolls turning into pets,
became dedicated to the home, and in turn dolls became an amusement
for aristocratic children and women, and in this connection the "doll
festival" became an annual holiday. In the Edo Period (1601-1867) the
doll festival came to be popular among the common people and was
widely observed; this involved two or three pairs of paper dolls, but in the
mid-Edo Period, dolls splendidly adorned with beautiful cloths representing
the emperor and empress, such as those used now, came into use. At
the celebration of the first Doll Festival after a girl is born, girls are
gathered for a party with the delightful dolls. That evening, as the Doll
Festival ends, people often finish the observance with a "dolls' send-off",
setting paper dolls afloat on rivers or seas. These customs remain from
the ancient observances of purification rites protecting one from
misfortune. The Doll Festival is one of the "Five Festivals" (五節句【ごせっ
く】gosekku), which also include "People's Day" (人日【じんじつ】
jinjitsu, 7th of the first month), "Iris Festival" 端午【たんご】 tango, 5th
of the fifth month), "Weaver and Cowherd Festival" (七夕【たなばた】
tanabata, 7th of the seventh month) and "Crysanthemum Festival" (重陽
【ちょうよう】 chyo, 9th of the ninth month). (Formerly, these were all
lunar calendar dates, but now many of these festivals have moved to the
numerically corresponding dates in the Gregorian Calendar, though the
Weaver and Cowherd Festival and the Chrysanthemum Festival are still
observed according to the lunar calendar in some regions.)
綿とりてぬびまさりけり雛の顔 其角 wata torite nubimasarikeri hina no
kao from pulling the cotton it got lengthened the doll's face Kikaku
桃ありてますます白し雛の顔 太祇 momo arite masumasu shiroshi hina no
kao with peach blossoms more and more white the dolls' faces Taigi
天平のをとめぞ立てる雛かな 水原秋櫻子 tenpy no otome zo tateru hiina
kana she places a Tenpyo Era maiden-- this doll Mizuhara Shuoshi [In the
Tempyo Era (710-794 CE) the imperial court was mainly at Nara; typical
dolls of the Festival represent members of the Heian Era court at Kyoto
(794-1185).]
老いてこそなほなつかしや雛飾る 及川貞 oite koso nao natsukashi ya hina
kazaru surely old and even more dear . . . setting up the dolls Oikawa Tei
草の戸も住み替はる代ぞ雛の家 芭蕉 kusa no to mo sumikawaru yo zo hina
no ie even a grass door sees a change of residents-- a house of dolls
Basho Even to this person retired from the world and living in a thatched
cottage, the time to leave his dwelling has come. The new residents
include a wife and child, and it is just time to display the Doll Festival dolls.
(This is the first poem in Basho's travel diary, Narrow Roads of the Interior
(おくの細道 Oku no hosomichi), one of the great works of Japanese
literature.)
四月馬鹿 しがつばか shigatsu baka （しぐわつばか）, April fool / April
Fool's Day
万愚節 ばんぐせつ bangusetsu April Fool's Day エイプリル・フール
eipuriru fūru April fool
都踊 みやこおどり miyako-odori （みやこをどり, Miyako Dance [Kyoto,
during April]
春祭 はるまつり haru matsuri spring festival [refers to any of a number of
spring shrine festivals]
涅槃 ねはん nehan Nirvana [refers to Buddha's entry into nirvana,
traditionally lunar second month, fifteenth (full moon) day; now often
celebrated around 15 March]
涅槃会 ねはんえ nehan'e Nirvana Festival
涅槃像 ねはんぞう nehanzō Nirvana Portrait (of the Buddha) [may be
two- or three-dimensional; see next]
涅槃絵 ねはんえ nehan'e Nirvana Picture [depicts reclining Buddha and
disciples gathered around as he enters nirvana]
涅槃図 ねはんず nehanzu Nirvana Figure [same as previous]
涅槃寺 ねはんでら nehandera Nirvana Temple
寝釈迦 ねしゃか neshaka Sleeping Shaka [i.e., Shakamuni Buddha]
御水取 おみずとり お水取 o-mizutori （おみづとり）, drawing holy water
[from the well at Tōdaiji, Nara, 12 March; not to be confused with 水鳥
mizutori, waterfowl
二月堂の行 にがつどうのおこない nigatsudō no okonai Ceremony at
Nigatsu Hall
修二会 しゅにえ shuni-e monks' training [at Tōdaiji, 1-14 March]
お松明 おたいまつ o-taimatsu pine torch [used in the ceremony]
彼岸会 ひがんえ higan'e Higan services [Buddhists services held during
彼岸 Higan, equinoctial week, which see]
彼岸詣 ひがんもうで higanmōde Higan temple visit / Higan pilgrimage
彼岸団子 ひがんだんご higan dango Higan dumpling
遍路 へんろ henro pilgrim
遍路宿 へんろやど henroyado pilgrim inn
遍路笠 へんろかさ henrokasa pilgrim hat [a conical straw hat]
遍路道 へんろみち henromichi pilgrimage road / pilgrimage route
遍路杖 へんろつえ henrotsue pilgrim's staff / pilgrim's walking stick This
refers to going on pilgrimage to the Eighty-Eight Holy Places of Shikoku.
The pilgrimage is based on a preaching tour made long ago, by Kb Daishi
(弘法大師, or 空海 K北ai, 774-825), going from temple to temple around
the ancient provinces of Shikoku, for a total of over 1100 kilometers (700
miles) in 40 days, beginning in the third lunar month. Wearing white
garments and sedge hats, carrying "diamond staves" (referring to the
Diamond Sutra), boxes of votive cards, rosaries, bells, and the like, and
singing "pilgrim songs" (詠歌【えいか】 eika) and chanting, the pilgrims
make their rounds. They are welcomed by villagers en route, who offer
them free lodging for a night. It is a journey of faith, with an element of
pleasure-seeking. At just that time, cherry blossoms, mustard flowers,
vetch, dandelions, and similar flowers are blooming, and the pilgrim path is
beautifully colored. Since the whole pilgrimage route is so long,
sometimes people go for only a section in one of the four old provinces
of Awa (阿波), Tosa (土佐), Iyo (伊予), or Sanuki (讃岐).
道のべに阿波の遍路の墓あはれ 高濱虚子 michinobe ni awa no henro no
haka aware at the roadside how touching the grave of a pilgrim in Awa
Takahama Kyoshi
年寄りの足の確かや夕遍路 高野素十 toshiyori no ashi no tashika ya yhenro
definitely these are elderly feet . . . pilgrim at evening Takano Sujuu
はゝそはの母と歩むや遍路来る 中村草田男 hahasohano haha to ayumu ya
henro kuru hanging onto mother walking with mother . . . the pilgrim
comes Nakamura Kusatao
竜舌蘭に遍路の影の折れ折れて 橋本多佳子 ryzetsuran ni henro no kage
no ore-orete in a century plant pilgrims' shadows rip-rippling Hashimoto
Takako
へんろ宿あの世の父母の宿のごと 大野林火 henroyado ano yo no fubo no
yado no goto this pilgrim inn like that inn in the other world of father and
mother Ohno Rinka
かなしみはしんじつ白し夕遍路 野見山朱鳥 kanashimi wa shinjitsu shiroshi
yhenro sadness: the white sincerity of pilgrims at evening Nomiyama
Asuka Pilgrims float along in their white clothing in the dim twilight.
Watching these evening pilgrims, one thinks of the sadness they carry.
Their white shapes symbolize this sadness. (Note: Pilgrims' white garmets
come down to their knees, below which they wear black or dark-colored
pants or leggings. This gives them an etherial appearance at nightfall.)
花祭 はなまつり hanamatsuri Buddha's Birthday Festival [April 8; literally,
"Blossom Festival"]
潅仏会 かんぶつえ Buddha's Birthday Celebration
仏生会 ぶっしょうえ Buddha's Birthday Celebration
復活祭 ふっかつさい fukkatsusai （ふくくわつさい）, Easter [more
literally, "Resurrection Day"] イースター iisutā Easter
西行忌 さいぎょうき saigyō-ki Saigyō's Memorial Day / Saigyō's (Death)
Anniversary [lunar 2nd month 16th day (1190); celebrating one of the
greatest waka poets of the 12th century]
円位忌 えんいき en'i-ki En'i's Memorial Day [Saigyō's religious name]
山家忌 さんかき sanka-ki Mountain Home Memorial Day [after the title of
his personal waka collection, Sankashū]
利休忌 りきゅうき rikyū-ki （りきうき）, Rikyū's Memorial Day / Rikyū's
(Death) Anniversary [second lunar month 28th day; celebrating the first
great master of the Japanese Way of Tea, Sen no Rikyū 千利休【せんのり
きゅう】(1522-1591)]
虚子忌 きょしき kyoshiki Kyoshi's Memorial Day / Kyoshi's (Death)
Anniversary [8 April; celebrating the dominant master of 20th century
haiku, Takahama Kyoshi 高濱虚子【たかはまきょし】(1874-1959)]
椿寿忌 ちんじゅき chinjuki Camellia Life Anniversary [named for Kyoshi's
favorite camellias at Jufuku Temple 寿福寺【じゅふくじ】, where he is
buried
啄木忌 たくぼくき takubokuki Takuboku's Memorial Day / Takuboku's
(Death) Anniversary [13 April; celebrating one of the first great modern
tanka poets, Ishikawa Takuboku 石川啄木【いしかわたくぼく】(1886-
1912)]
梅若忌 うめわかき umewakaki Umewaka Memorial Day [15 April; in
memory of a defunct school of Noh Drama]
動物 どうぶつ dōbutsu Animals
仔馬 こうま kouma foal
馬の仔 うまのこ uma no ko foal / baby horse.
馬の仔生まる うまのこうまる uma no ko umaru a foal is born
孕馬 はらみうま harami-uma pregnant mare nekonokoi3 nekonokoi2
猫の恋 ねこのこい neko no koi （ねこのこひ）, cats' love [refers to their
raucous courting]
恋猫 こいねこ koi neko amorous cat
浮かれ猫 うかれねこ ukare neko philandering cat
猫さかる ねこさかる neko sakaru cats mate
猫の妻 ねこのつま neko no tsuma a cat's (female) mate [note also 猫の夫
【ねこのつま】 neko no tsuma, a cat's (male) mate] Cats come into heat
about four times a year, most frequently in spring. At rutting season, cats
cry with a voice like a baby's yowl, courting together in groups. Day and
night it seems they contend madly, their painful cries going on and on.
After endless days of carrying on, they return home wounded and dirty,
in pitiful shape. This is a seasonal topic characteristic of haiku, established
in Bashō's day.
恋猫のかへる野の星沼の星 橋本多佳子 koineko no kaeru no no hoshi
numa no hoshi the amorous cat returns--the starry field the starry marsh
Hashimoto Takako
山国の闇すさまじや猫の恋 原石鼎 yamaguni no yami susamaji ya neko no
koi fierce darkness of the mountain country . . . cats in love Hara Sekitei
恋猫やからくれなゐの紐をひき 松本たかし koineko ya karakurenai no
himo o hiki the amorous cat . . . pulled along a dark red cord Matsumoto
Takashi
はるかなる地上を駆けぬ猫の恋 石田波郷 haruka naru chij o kakenu neko
no koi distant sound runs over the ground the cats' love Ishida Hakyou
恋猫の恋する猫で押し通す 永田耕衣 koineko no koi suru neko de oshitsu
an amorous cat's love for its lover-cat persists to the end Nagata Kōe
恋猫の身も世もあらず啼きにけり 安住敦 koineko no mi mo yo mo arazu
nakinikeri the amorous cat without body or world has become yowl Azumi
Atsushi "Without body or world" expresses the situation when it is
impossible to think of one's self or the world around one. An amorous cat
is not concerned about its appearance, forgets time and place, and
earnestly cries continually; thus the metaphor "without body or world" is
skillfully employed.
蛇穴を出づ へびあなをいづ hebi ana o izu snakes come out of (their) holes
蛇出づ へびいづ hebi izu snakes come out
蝌蚪 かと kato （くわと）, tadpole(s)
蝌蚪 かえるこ kaeruko tadpole(s)
おたまじゃくし（御玉杓子） otamajakushi tadpole(s)
蛙の子 かえるのこ kaerunoko baby frog(s)
蛙生る かえるうまる kaeru umaru frog(s) is/are born
kawazu5 kawazu4 kawazu3 kawazu2 蛙 かわず kawazu （かはづ）, frog
(s) [note that this is a literary word]
かえる kaeru frog(s) [the common word]
初蛙 はつかわず hatsukawazu first frog(s) [usually refers to hearing one or
more]
遠蛙 とおかわず tōkawazu distant frog(s)
昼蛙 ひるかわず hirukawazu midday frog(s) / frog(s) at midday
夕蛙 ゆうかわず yūkawazu evening frog(s)
鶯 うぐいす uguisu bush warbler [Cettia diphone; sometimes translated as
"nightingale" (Luscinia megarhynchos), since it is a small songbird and
occupies a position in Japanese literature similar to that of the nightingale
in European literature]
春告鳥 はるつげどり haru-tsugedori sign-of-spring bird
匂鳥 においどり nioidori fragrant bird
初鶯 はつうぐいす hatsu uguisu first bush warbler
雉 きじ kiji pheasant [the common pheasant, Phasianus colchicus]
雉子 きじ kiji pheasant
きぎす きぎす kigisu pheasant
hibari3 hibari1 雲雀 ひばり hibari skylark [Alauda arvensis]
揚雲雀 あげひばり age-hibari ascending skylark
落雲雀 おちひばり ochi-hibari descending skylark
夕雲雀 ゆうひばり yū-hibari evening skylark
雲雀籠 ひばりかご hibari kago skylark cage
練雲雀 ねりひばり neri-hibari trained skylark
燕 つばめ tsubame barn swallow(s) [Hirundo rustica]
乙鳥 つばめ tsubame barn swallow(s)
つばくろ tsubakuro barn swallow(s) つばくらめ tsubakurame barn swallow
(s)
初燕 はつつばめ hatsu-tsubame first barn swallow(s)
飛燕 ひえん hien swallow(s) in flight
鳥帰る とりかえる tori kaeru （とりかへる）, birds go back [often
misleadingly translated "birds return"; refers to those which go back to
their (northern/mountain) nesting grounds in the spring, leaving
(central/lowland) Japan]
小鳥帰る ことりかえる kotori kaeru little birds go back
小鳥引く ことりひく kotori hiku little birds depart
引鳥 ひくとり hiku tori departing birds
囀 さえずり saezuri （さへづり）, twittering/chirping [of small birds]
囀る さえずる saezuru twitter/chirp
鳥囀る とりさえずる tori saezuru birds twitter/chirp
雀の子 すずめのこ suzume no ko baby sparrow(s)
子雀 こすずめ kosuzume baby sparrow(s)
春の雀 はるのすずめ haru no suzume sparrows of spring / sparrows in
spring
黄雀 きすずめ kisuzume yellow sparrow / young sparrow [refers to color
at the sides of the young sparrow's beak]
親雀 おやすずめ oyasuzume parent sparrow(s)
巣立鳥 すだちどり sudachidori fledgeling
巣立 すだち sudachi leaving the nest
親鳥 おやどり oyadori parent bird(s)
子鳥 ことり kotori baby bird
鳥巣立つ すだつ tori sudatsu a bird leaves the nest
桜鯛 さくらだい sakuradai （さくらだひ）, red sea bream [Sparus species
and sometimes also applied to "red snapper" Lutianus species; literally,
"cherry sea bream", perhaps in part because they are prominent at the
time of blossoming cherries, as well as their color]
花見鯛 はなみだい hanamidai red sea bream [literally, "blossom-viewing
sea bream"]
鰊 にしん nishin herring
白魚 しらうお shirauo （しらうを）, whitebait / icefish [Salanx microdon]
しらお しらお shirao whitebait
白魚網 しらおあみ shirao-ami whitebait net
白魚舟 しらおぶね shiraobune whitebait boat
白魚汁 しらおじる shiraojiru whitebait soup
白魚火 しらおび shiraobi whitebait fire
若鮎 わかあゆ waka-ayu young sweetfish ["trout" is sometimes used as a
translation for this similarly delicate and much prized fresh-water fish,
Plecoglossus altivelia]
小鮎 こあゆ ko-ayu small sweetfish
上り鮎 のぼりあゆ nobori-ayu climbing sweetfish
鮎の子 あゆのこ ayu no ko baby sweetfish
花烏賊 はないか hanaika (cherry) blossom cuttlefish / (cherry) blossom
squid
桜烏賊 さくらいか sakuraika cherry (blossom) squid / cherry (blossom)
cuttlefish
飯蛸 いいだこ iidako （いひだこ）, webfoot octopus [literally, "cooked-
rice octopus"; Octopus ocellatus]
望潮魚 いいだこ iidako （いひだこ）, webfoot octopus [literally, "full-
moon tide-fish"]
蛤 はまぐり hamaguri cherrystone clam
桜貝 さくらがい sakuragai cherry (petal) shell(s) [small seashells that very
much resemble cherry petals]
花貝 はながい hanagai (cherry) blossom shell(s)
紅貝 べにがい benigai pink shells
蜆 しじみ shijimi Asiatic clam [a freshwater clam, Corbicula fluminea]
蜆貝 しじみがい shijimigai clamshell
蜆舟 しじみぶね shijimibune clam boat
蜆取 しじみとり shijimi-tori clamming
蜆売 しじみうり shijimi-uri clam selling
蜆掻 しじみかき shijimi kaki clam rake
田螺 たにし tanishi mud-snail(s)/paddy-snail(s)
田螺取 たにしとり tanishi-tori gathering mud-snail(s)
田螺鳴く たにしなく tanishi naku mud-snails cry [a fanciful image] cho3
cho1
蝶 ちょう chō （てふ）, butterfly [the spring butterfly image is typically a
cabbage white, white members of the family Pieridae; see also "summer
butterfly", etc.]
蝶々 ちょうちょう chōchō butterfly
初蝶 はつちょう hatsuchō first butterfly
黄蝶 きちょう kichō yellow butterfly [sulphur]
胡蝶 こちょう kochō sulphur butterfly [literally, "foreign butterfly"]
蚕 かいこ kaiko （かひこ）, silkworm
春蚕 はるご harugo spring silkworm
捨蚕 すてご sutego discarded silkworm / abandoned silkworm
毛蚕 けご kego silkworm hatchling(s)
桑子 くわご kuwago mulbery child [i.e., silkworm]
病蚕 びょうご byōgo sick silkworm
植物 しょくぶつ shokubutsu Plants
ume2 梅 うめ ume （sometimes むめ mume）, plum (blossoms)
[technically, the "Japanese apricot", Prunus mume; but this has almost
always been translated "plum" for literary purposes]
春告草 はるつげぐさ haru-tsugegusa sign-of-spring-plant
椿 つばき tsubaki camellia(s)
大椿 おおつばき ōtsubaki large camellia(s)
落椿 おちつばき ochi-tsubaki falling camellias
夕椿 ゆうつばき yūtsubaki evening camellia(s) hana3 hana2 hana1
花 はな hana (cherry) blossoms [in haiku and haikai the simple word hana
花 refers to cherry blossoms, as do all kigo listed here; but note that in
Manyōshū and some other early poetry hana was understood as referring
to ume 梅【うめ】plum blossoms, an early spring topic]
花影 かえい blossom shade
花の雨 はなのあめ blossom rain [i.e., rain falling on cherry blossoms, or at
cherry blossom time]
花の山 はなのやま hana no yama blossoming mountains/hills
花便り はなだより hanadayori blossom news / tidings of blossoms
[whether carried in person or by media]
花の昼 はなのひる hana no hiru blossoms at midday
花の雲 はなのくも hana no kumo clouds of blossoms / blossom clouds
[figurative]
花盛り はなざかり hanazakari blossoms in full bloom / blossoms at their
peak
花埃 はなぼこり hanabokori blossom dust / blossom pollen
花の宿 はなのやど hana no yado blossom inn [i.e., an inn where people
go to see the cherry blossoms in the region; an inn nestled among
blossoming cherry trees]
落花 らっか rakka （らくくわ）, falling (cherry) blossoms
散る桜 ちるさくら chiru sakura falling cherry (blossoms)
花吹雪 はなふぶき hanafubuki (cherry) blossom blizzard [figurative]
飛花 ひか hika flying blossoms
花散る はなちる hana chiru blossoms fall
花屑 はなくず hana kuzu blossom litter
花の塵 はなのちり hana no chiri blossom dust/dirt
牡丹の芽 ぼたんのめ botan no me tree-peony buds [Paeonia suffruticosa]
辛夷 こぶし kobushi kobus magnolia (blossoms) [Magnolia kobus; see also
木蓮【もくれん】 mokuren]
沈丁花 じんちょうげ jinchōge （ぢんちやうげ）, daphne (blossoms)
[Daphne odora]
沈丁 じんちょう jinchō daphne R
連翹 れんぎょう rengyō （れんげう）, forsythia [Forsythia suspensa]
馬酔木 あしび ashibi Japanese andromeda (blossoms) [Pieris japonica]
躑躅 つつじ tsutsuji azalea(s)
木蘭 もくれん mokuren magnolia (blossoms) / lily magnolia (blossoms)
[the most commonly cultivated magnolia, the purple-blossomed Magnolia
liliflora]
木蓮 もくれん mokuren magnolia (blossoms) / lily magnolia (blossoms)
紫木蘭 しもくれん shimokuren magnolia (blossoms) / lily magnolia
(blossoms)
白蘭 はくれん hakuren white magnolia (blossoms) [Magnolia denudata]
藤 ふじ fuji （ふぢ）, wisteria
藤の花 ふじのはな fuji no hana wisteria blossoms
山吹 やまぶき yamabuki yellow rose / wild yellow rose [literally, "mountain
breath"; Kerria japonica]
桃の花 もものはな momo no hana peach blossoms [Prunus persica]
梨の花 なしのはな nashi no hana pear blossoms [Pyrus species.]
杏の花 あんずのはな anzu no hana apricot blossoms [Prunus ansu]
花杏 はなあんず hana-anzu apricot blossom(s)
夏蜜柑 なつみかん natsumikan bitter summer mikan / citron [i.e., bitter
mandarin orange; some authorities place this in early summer]
木の芽 このめ ko-no-me buds of trees
芽立 めだち medachi (trees) begin to bud / (trees) budding
芽吹く めぶく mebuku (trees) come into bud
木の芽張る このめはる ko-no-me haru tree buds swell
芽組む めぐむ megumu (tree) buds sprout / (trees) bud
柳 やなぎ yanagi willow(s) / weeping willow(s)
松の花 まつのはな matsu no hana pine flowers
松花粉 まつかふん matsu kafun pine pollen
猫柳 ねこやなぎ neko-yanagi pussy-willow(s) [Salix gracilistyla]
川柳 かわやなぎ kawayanagi river willow(s) [Salix gilgiana]
竹の秋 たけのあき take no aki bamboo's autumn [from the yellow color of
new growth in spring]
竹秋 ちくしゅう chikushū bamboo autumn
黄水仙 きずいせん kizuisen （きずゐせん）, jonquil(s) [Narcissus jonquilla]
チューリップ chūrippu tulip(s) シクラメン shikuramen cyclamen [the
typical Japanese variety is orange-flame colored]
篝火花 かがりびばな kagaribibana cyclamen [literally, "bonfire flower"] na-
no-hana1 na-no-hana2
菜の花 なのはな na-no-hana rape flowers / mustard flowers [technically,
Brassica rapa, the plant from which canola oil derives; one may prefer to
translate with the closely related "mustard" in English; the image is of a
field covered with the yellow flowers]
花菜 はなな hanana rape flowers / mustard flowers
菜種の花 なたねのはな natane no hana rapeseed flowers
油菜 あぶらな aburana oilseed (flowers)
菜種菜 なたねな natanena rapeseed greens
豆の花 まめのはな mame no hana bean flowers
豌豆の花 えんどうのはな endō no hana green pea flowers
蚕豆の花 そらまめのはな soramame no hana broad bean flowers / horse
bean flowers
茎立 くくたち kukutachi sprouting stalk(s)
茎立 くきだち kukidachi sprouting stalk(s)
菠薐草 ほうれんそう hōrensō （はうれんさう）, spinach [its growing
leaves]
独活 うど udo udo [a wild asparagus-like plant, Aralia cordata, sometimes
cultivated and noted for its edible young shoots]
山独活 やまうど yamaudo mountain udo [a wild variety, noted for its
pungency]
深山独活 みやまうど miyama-udo high-mountain udo [Aralia glabra, rare]
芽独活 めうど meudo sprouting udo / udo shoots
山葵 わさび wasabi wasabi [Japanese horseradish, Wasabia japonica]
青麦 あおむぎ aomugi （あをむぎ）, green barley
麦青む むぎあおむ mugi aomu barley turns green
下萌 したもえ shitamoe sprouts/shoots
草萌 くさもえ kusamoe plant sprouts/shoots
畦青む あぜあおむ aze aomu paddy-ridges turn green [in some instances,
"green up" might be used for aomu]
土手青む どてあおむ dote aomu embankments turn green / embankment
turns green
ものの芽 もののめ mono no me some buds/sprouts
物芽 ものめ monome (various) buds/sprouts
若草 わかくさ wakakusa young grass(es) [Note that the word kusa 草【く
さ】in Japanese is not limited to grasses, but includes forbs (wildflowers
and herbs) as well]
嫩草 わかくさ wakakusa young grass(es)
初草 はつくさ hatsukusa first grass(es)
新草 にいくさ niikusa new grass(es)
草若し くさわかし kusa wakashi the grass is young
菫 すみれ sumire violet(s) [Viola mandshurica]
花菫 はなすみれ hanasumire violet flower(s)
紫雲英 げんげ genge vetch/astragalus [Astragalus sinicus]
五形花 げげばな gegebana vetch/astragalus flowers
蓮華草 れんげそう rengesō vetch/astragalus
薺の花 なずなのはな nazuna no hana （なづなのはな）, shepherd's purse
in bloom / shepherd's purse flower(s) [Capsella bursa-pastoris]
三味線草 しゃみせんぐさ shamisengusa shepherd's purse [literally,
"shamisen plant", from the fruit's shape]
ぺんぺん草 ぺんぺんぐさ penpengusa shepherd's purse
花薺 はななずな hana nazuna shepherd's purse flowers
蒲公英 たんぽぽ tanpopo dandelion(s) [Taraxacum spp.]
鼓草 つづみぐさ tsuzumigusa dandelion(s)
藤菜 ふじな fujina dandelion(s)
土筆 つくし tsukushi horsetail shoot(s) [the reproductive shoots of
Equisetum arvense]
つくしんぼ tsukushinbo horsetail shoot(s)
虎杖 いたどり itadori giant knotweed [Polygonum cuspidatum; noted for
its fresh maroon leaves; distinguish
虎杖の花 itadori no hana, giant knotweed flowers (white), late summer]
薇 ぜんまい zenmai royal fern(s) [Osmunda regalis]
芹 せり seri parsley [Oenanthe javanica]
田芹 たぜり tazeri paddy parsley [location; not a different species]
根芹 ねぜり nezeri parsley root
芹摘む せりつむ seri tsumu (to) pluck parsley
いぬふぐり（犬ふぐり） inu-fuguri speedwell/veronica [might be
translated "mongrel speedwell"; Veronica didyma, low-growing, four-
petalled pale pink to lavender flowers]
蕗の薹 ふきのとう fuki no tō （ふきのたう）, butterbur stalk(s)
[Petasites japonicus; similar to asparagus]
春の蕗 はるのふき haru no fuki spring butterbur
蓬 よもぎ yomogi mugwort / wormwood / sage [Artemisia vulgaris var.
indica; used to flavor mochi, soba]
艾草 がいそう gaisō moxa [the same plant, also pronounced
もぐさ mogusa; used in Chinese medicine]
餅草 もちぐさ mochigusa mochi-plant [colloquial]
水草生ふ みずくさおう mizukusa ou （みづくさおふ）, waterweeds grow
水草生う みくさおう mikusa ou waterweeds grow
藻草生う もぐさおう mogusa ou duckweed grows
蘆の角 あしのつの ashi no tsuno horns of reeds / sprouts of reeds [the
first is a literal translation of the metaphorical expression]
蘆の芽 あしのめ ashi no me sprouts of reeds
薊 あざみ azami thistle
若布 わかめ wakame wakame [a kelp, Undaria pinnatifida]
和布 わかめ wakame wakame
にぎめ にぎめ nigime wakame
若布刈舟 めかりぶね mekaribune wakame-cutting/harvesting boat
海苔 のり nori nori / laver / purple laver / sea lettuce [Porphyra tenera]
干海苔 ほしのり hoshinori dried nori
海苔舟 のりぶね noribune nori boat
海苔採 のりとり nori-tori nori-gathering
海苔干す のりほす nori hosu (to) dry nori
SUMMER
夏 なつ natsu Summer
時候 じこう jikō The Season
立夏 りっか rikka beginning of summer / first day of summer
夏立つ なつたつ natsu tatsu summer begins
夏に入る なつにいる natsu ni iru entering summer
夏来たる なつきたる natsu kitaru summer has come / summer arrives
薄暑 はくしょ hakusho slight heat [literally "thin heat"]
麦の秋 むぎのあき mugi no aki barley's autumn
麦秋 ばくじゅう bakujū barley autumn
むぎあき mugiaki barley autumn
皐月 さつき satsuki Fifth (lunar) Month [approximately June, Gregorian;
note: in haikai, in compounds this prounciation is often given to 五月,
referring to events that normally take place in June, as in 五月雨【さつき
あめ】 satsukiame (= samidare), midsummer rain, while in others 五月【ご
がつ】 gogatsu retains its modern pronunciation and meaning, May,
Gregorian; see note on months]
nyubai7 nyubai6 nyubai5 nyubai1 入梅 にゅうばい nyūbai （にふばい）,
beginning the rainy season
梅雨入 ついり tsuiri beginning the rainy season
梅雨に入る つゆにいる tsuyu ni iru entering the rainy season mijikayo2
mijikayo1
短夜 みじかよ mijikayo short night(s)
明易し あけやすし akeyasushi early dawn [literally something like "dawn
comes readily"]
暑し あつし atsushi hot
暑 しょ sho (summer) heat
暑気 しょき shoki hot weather
suzushi6 suzushi4 suzushi2 suzushi1 涼し すずし suzushi cool
朝涼 あさすず asasuzu morning cool
夕涼 ゆうすず yūsuzu evening cool
晩涼 ばんりょう banryō cool at day's end
夜涼 やりょう yaryō cool of the night
涼風 りょうふう ryōfū cool breeze / refreshing breeze
涼風 すずかぜ suzukaze cool breeze / refreshing breeze
秋近し あきちかし aki chikashi autumn is near / nearly autumn
秋隣 あきとなり aki tonari autumn next / autumn soon
夜の秋 よるのあき yoru no aki autumnal night
天文 てんもん tenmon The Heavens
kumonomine3 kumonomine1 雲の峰 くものみね kumo no mine peaks of
clouds
入道雲 にゅうどうぐも nyūdōgumo huge cloud-column(s) / cumulo-
nimbus cloud(s) [literally "monk clouds" or "clouds entering the way"]
峰雲 みねぐも minegumo cloud peaks
夏の月 なつのつき natsu no tsuki summer moon
月涼し つきすずし tsuki suzushi the moon is cool / cool moon
薫風 くんぷう kunpū fragrant breeze / balmy breeze
風薫る かぜかおる kaze kaoru the breeze is fragrant
卯の花腐し うのはなくたし u-no-hana kutashi mid-summer rain [literally
"deutzia flowers have rotted"; figurative for
五月雨【さみだれ】 samidare, fifth-(lunar)-month rain]
tsuyu2 tsuyu1 梅雨 つゆ tsuyu rainy season
梅雨 ばいう baiu rainy season [literally "plum rain"]
夕立 ゆうだち yūdachi （ゆふだち）, sudden (summer) shower [literally
"evening shower"]
ゆだち yudachi sudden shower
よだち yodachi sudden shower
白立 ゆうだち yūdachi white shower
niji4 niji1 虹 にじ niji rainbow
朝虹 あさにじ asa niji morning rainbow
夕虹 ゆうにじ yuu niji evening rainbow
円虹 まるにじ maruniji full rainbow
kaminari2 雷 かみなり kaminari thunder [note apparent derivation of
native Japanese word: 神鳴【かみなり】 kaminari, the roar of the gods]
雷 らい rai thunder
いかづち ikazuchi thunder
はたた神 はたたがみ hatatagami noisy gods
雷光 らいこう raikō thunder-flash [often casually translated "lightning",
but note 稲妻【いなづま】 inazuma, "lightning", in autumn]
雷鳴 らいめい raimei thunder-clap
雷雨 らいう raiu thunderstorm
日雷 ひかみなり hikaminari clear-sky thunder [literally something like
"thunder in the sun"]
遠雷 えんらい enrai distant thunder
五月闇 さつきやみ satsuki yami midsummer darkness [literally "fifth-(lunar)-
month darkness", i.e., June darkness; caused by the rainy season; see
note on names of months]
夕焼 ゆうやけ yūyake （ゆふやけ）, afterglow ゆやけ yuyake afterglow
片蔭 かたかげ katakage shady side [as of a street, building, etc.]
片かげり かたかげり katakageri shady side
地理 ちり The Earth
夏の山 なつのやま natsu no yama summer mountain(s)
夏山 なつやま natsu yama summer mountain(s)
夏嶺 なつね natsune summer peak(s)
青嶺 あおね aone green peak(s)
出水 でみず demizu （でみづ）, flood
梅雨出水 つゆでみず tsuyu demizu rainy-season flood
夏出水 なつでみず natsu demizu summer flood
卯波 うなみ unami billowing waves
卯月波 うづきなみ uzukinami billowing waves [literally "waves of the
month of the hare", for the time they occur--early summer (May)]
aota2 aota1 青田 あおた aota （あをた）, green (rice) paddy/paddies
青田風 あおたかぜ aota kaze green (rice) paddy breeze(s)
青田波 あおたなみ aota nami green (rice) paddy waves
青田時 あおたどき aotadoki time of green (rice) paddy/paddies
青田道 あおたみち aota michi green (rice) paddy path(s)
izumi3 泉 いずみ izumi （いづみ）, wellspring [best not translated as just
"spring", to avoid confusion with the season]
taki5 taki4 taki3 滝 たき taki waterfall / cascade / rapids
瀑布 ばくふ bakufu waterfall / cataract
飛瀑 ひばく hibaku waterfall / cataract
滝壷 たきつぼ taki-tsubo waterfall basin
滝道 たきみち taki-michi waterfall path
滝見 たきみ taki-mi waterfall-viewing
滝見茶屋 たきみちゃや taki-mi chaya waterfall-viewing tea house
滝行者 たきぎょうじゃ taki gyōja waterfall ascetic
滝垢離 たきごり takigori waterfall purification (of a person)
滝浴 たきあび taki-abi waterfall bath / waterfall shower
滝しぶき たきしぶき taki shibuki waterfall spray
滝風 たきかぜ taki kaze waterfall breeze
生活 せいかつ seikatsu Daily Life
更衣 ころもがえ koromogae （ころもがへ）, changing (to summer)
clothes
衣更う ころもかう koromo kau (to) change (to summer) clothes yukata1
浴衣 ゆかた yukata summer kimono / yukata
古浴衣 ふるゆかた furuyukata old yukata
貸浴衣 かしゆかた kashi-yukata loan-yukata / borrowed yukata [as at a
hotel, spa, etc.]
菖蒲湯 しょうぶゆ shōbuyu （しやうぶゆ）, iris bath / sweet-flag bath [a
hot bath with Acorus calamus]
菖蒲風呂 しょうぶぶろ iris bath / sweet-flag bath
筍飯 たけのこめし takenoko meshi bamboo-shoot rice [cooked rice with
bamboo shoots] tango4 tango3 粽 ちまき】（茅巻） chimaki, leaf-
wrapped (rice) dumpling [associated with 端午【たんご tango Boys' Day]
笹粽 ささちまき sasa chimaki bamboo-leaf-wrapped dumpling
粽結ふ ちまきゆふ chimaki yuu (to) make/prepare chimaki dumplings
新茶 しんちゃ shincha new tea
走り茶 はしりちゃ hashiricha first tea
茶詰 ちゃづめ chazume pressed tea
虫干 むしぼし mushiboshi airing out [books, clothing, etc., after the rainy
season]
虫払 むしばらい mushibarai clearing out insects
風入れ かざいれ kaza-ire airing out
土用干 どようぼし doyōboshi dog-day airing
曝書 ばくしょ bakusho airing books
taue2 taue1 田植 たうえ taue （たうゑ）, rice planting
田を植う たをうう ta o uu (to) plant rice
田植歌 たうえうた taue-uta rice-planting song
田植笠 たうえがさ tauegasa rice-planting hat
草取 くさとり kusatori weeding
草むしり くさむしり kusa-mushiri weed-plucking / weeding
除草 じょそう josō removing weeds / weeding
藻刈 もかり mokari harvesting/gathering/cutting waterweed
藻刈舟 もかりぶね mokaribune waterweed (-gathering) boat
藻刈竿 もかりざお mokarizao waterweed pole
藻刈鎌 もかりがま mokarigama waterweed sickle
袋掛 ふくろかけ fukuro-kake bag-wrapping (fruit) [on the tree; the act of
wrapping fruit to protect against insects, birds, etc.]
誘蛾燈 ゆうがとう yūgatō （いうがとう）, insect light-trap / moth lantern
繭 まゆ mayu silkworm cocoon
繭簿 まぶし mabushi (silkworm) cocoon tray(s)
上蔟 あがり agari（じょうぞく）, gathering (silkworm) cocoons
繭掻 まゆかき mayukaki silkworm comb
新繭 しんまゆ shinmayu new (silkworm) cocoon(s)
白繭 しらまゆ shiramayu（しろまゆ）, white (silkworm) cocoon(s)
玉繭 たままゆ tamamayu jewel-like (silkworm) cocoon(s) [that is, "very
fine cocoon(s)"]
生繭 なままゆ namamayu immature (silkworm) cocoon(s)
繭買 まゆかい mayukai buying (silkworm) cocoon(s)
ukai7 ukai6 鵜飼 うかい ukai （うかひ）, cormorant fishing
鵜遣 うづかい uzukai cormorant fishing
鵜匠 うしょう ushō cormorant handler / cormorant fisherman/woman
鵜舟 うぶね ubune cormorant (fishing) boat
鵜篝 うかがり ukagari cormorant (fishing) fire-basket
鵜縄 うなわ unawa cormorant rope
鵜籠 うかご ukago cormorant cage
荒鵜 あらう ara-u wild cormorant
夜釣 よづり yozuri night fishing
納涼 すずみ suzumi cooling off [of people, usually after sundown on a hot
day, outdoors]
のうりょう（納涼） nōryō cooling off
涼む すずむ suzumu (to) cool off
涼み舟 すずみぶね suzumibune boat for cooling off
朝涼み あさすずみ asasuzumi cooling off at morning
夕涼み ゆうすずみ yūsuzumi cooling off at evening
夜涼み よすずみ yosuzumi cooling off at night
門涼み かどすずみ kadosuzumi cooling off at the gate
橋涼み はしすずみ hashisuzumi cooling off on the bridge
縁涼み えんすずみ ensuzumi cooling off on the porch/verandah
下涼み したすずみ shitasuzumi cooling off downstairs
花火 はなび hanabi fireworks
打揚花火 うちあげはなび uchiage-hanabi skyrocket(s) / aerial firework(s)
仕掛花火 しかけはなび shikake-hanabi set piece(s) [fireworks attached to
a frame standing on the ground, to form a design when lit]
線香花火 せんこうはなび senkō-hanabi scented fireworks [literally
"incense fireworks"]
遠花火 とおはなび tōhanabi far/distant fireworks
昼花火 ひるはなび hiru hanabi midday/daytime fireworks
草笛 くさぶえ kusabue grass whistle
行事 ぎょうじ gyōji Observances
母の日 ははのひ haha no hi Mother's Day [2nd Sunday in May]
端午 たんご tango Boys' Day [5 May]
五月の節句 ごがつのせっく May Festival [=Boys' Festival]
重五 ちょうご chōgo Fifth-Day (Festival) [literally something like "Big Fifth"]
菖蒲の節句 しょうぶのせっく shōbu no sekku Iris Festival
菖蒲の日 しょうぶのひ shōbu no hi Iris Day
安居 あんご ango (summer) seclusion [Bhuddist monks' period of staying
in temple or hermitage, traditionally from the middle of lunar fourth
month through middle of seventh month]
夏安居 げあんご geango summer seclusion
夏行 げぎょう gegyō summer seclusion [literally, "summer practices"]
夏籠 げごもり gegomori summer confinement
雨安居 うあんご u-ango rainy seclusion [relates to 梅雨【つゆ】 tsuyu,
rainy season]
一夏 いちげ ichige all summer / whole summer / summer-long (seclusion)
幟 のぼり nobori (carp) banner/streamer [decoration for Boys' Day]
五月幟 さつきのぼり （皐月幟） satsuki nobori, fifth (lunar) month
banner/streamer
鯉幟 こいのぼり koi nobori carp banner/streamer
座敷幟 ざしきのぼり zashiki nobori living-room banner/streamer
初幟 はつのぼり hatsu nobori first (carp) banner/streamer [that is,
celebrating the first-born son] matsuri7 matsuri6 matsuri4
祭 まつり matsuri festival [any one of numerous summer festivals at
different times]
夏祭 なつまつり natsu matsuri summer festival
祭囃子 まつりばやし matsuribayashi festival orchestra
祭笛 まつりぶえ matsuribue festival flute(s)
祭太鼓 まつりだいこ matsuridaiko festival drum(s)
祭髪 まつりがみ matsurigami festival coiffure/hairdo
祭笠 まつりがさ matsurigasa festival hat
祭提灯 まつりぢょうちん matsurijōchin festival lantern [portable]
祭宿 まつりやど matsuri yado festival inn
御旅所 おたびしょ otabisho portable shrine
夜宮 よみや yomiya festival eve
祭前 まつりまえ matsuri mae pre-festival [preparations]
祭後 まつりあと matsuri ato post-festival
祇園祭 ぎおんまつり gion matsuri Gion Festival [Kyoto, 17-24 July]
河童忌 かっぱき kappa-ki Akutagawa's (Death) Anniversary [24 July;
celebrating Akutagawa Ryūnosuke (1892-1927); named after his last
novel, Kappa (Water Sprite)]
我鬼忌 がきき gakiki Akutagawa's (Death) Anniversary [based on his haikai
pen name]
龍之介忌 りゅうのすけき ryumacr;nosuke-ki Akutagawa's (Death)
Anniversary
動物 どうぶつ dōbutsu Animals
青蛙 あおがえる aogaeru （あおがへる）, green frog [hyla species]
雨蛙 あまがえる amagaeru tree frog [literally "rain frog"]
夏蛙 なつがえる natsugaeru summer frog [note that "frog" by itself, 蛙
【かわず】 kawazu, is a spring seasonal topic]
蟇 ひきがえる hikigaeru （ひきがへる）, toad [Bufo vulgaris]
蟾 ひき hiki toad
蟾蜍 ひきがえる hikigaeru toad
蝦蟇 がま gama toad
河鹿 かじか kajika river frog / singing frog [Polypedates buergeri, noted
for beautiful singing]
河鹿蛙 かじかがえる kajikagaeru river frog
河鹿笛 かじかぶえ kajikabue river frog's flute [metaphorical for its singing]
hototogisu1
時鳥 ほととぎす hototogisu little cuckoo [kanji literally "bird of time"]
子規 ほととぎす hototogisu little cuckoo [kanji suggest the cuckoo's habit
of laying eggs in other bird's nests]
不如帰 ほととぎす hototogisu little cuckoo [kanji suggest homelessness]
杜鵑 ほととぎす hototogisu little cuckoo [kanji literally "woods cuckoo"]
蜀魂 ほととぎす hototogisu little cuckoo [kanji literally "spirit of Szechuan"]
浮巣 うきす ukisu floating nest [most often associated with the little
grebe, though may include the nests of other waterfowl]
鳰の浮巣 におのうきす nio no ukisu grebe's floating nest
鳰の巣 におのす nio no su grebe's nest nest
通し鴨 とうしがも tōgamo （とほしがも）, sojourner duck(s)
濁り鮒 にごりぶな nigoribuna muddy carp [muddy from swimming up river
to spawn]
濁りを掬う にごりをすくう nigori o sukuu (to) scoop up muddy (carp)
[with a net]
ayu3 鮎 あゆ ayu ayu / sweetfish [Plecoglossus altivelia; sometimes
translated "trout", as both fish are small, freshwater delicacies]
年魚 ねんぎょ nengyo ayu / sweetfish [literally "annual fish"]
香魚 こうぎょ kōgyo ayu / sweetfish [literally "fragrant fish"]
山女 やまめ yamame cherry salmon [literally "mountain maiden";
Oncorhynchus masou]
山女魚 やまめうお yamameuo cherry salmon
山女釣 やまめつり yamame-tsuri fishing for yamame
熱帯魚 ねったいぎょ nettaigyo tropical fish
天使魚 てんしぎょ tenshigyo angelfish
闘魚 とうぎょ tōgyo fighting fish
鰹 かつお katsuo （かつを）, bonito
松漁 かつお katsuo bonito [kanji literally "pine fish"]
堅漁 かつお katsuo bonito [kanji literally "firm fish"]
鰹釣 かつおづり katsuozuri fishing for bonito
鰹船 かつおぶね katsuobune bonito-fishing boat
飛魚 とびうお tobiuo （とびうを）, flying fish とびお tobio flying fish
つばめ魚 つばめうお tsubameuo swallow-fish [after the bird, 燕【つば
め】 tsubame, swallow]
とびの魚 とびのうお tobi no uo flying fish
蟹 かに kani crab [note: these are all small crabs, generally not eaten]
山蟹 やまがに yamagani mountain crab [a Potamon species]
川蟹 かわがに kawagani river crab
沢蟹 さわがに （澤蟹） sawagani, swamp crab [Potamon dehaani]
浜蟹 はまがに hamagani shore crab
砂蟹 すながに sunagani sand crab [a salt-water crab, Ocypoda stimsoni;
not a mole crab, which is
砂堀蟹【すなほりがに】 sunahorigani--the creature most commonly called
"sand crab" on both coasts of the U.S. and not generally found in saijiki,
though appropriate to summer]
弁慶蟹 べんけいがに benkeigani Benkei crab [a salt-water crab, named
after the legendary hero]
磯蟹 いそがに isogani rock crab
蛾 が ga moth
火取虫 ひとりむし hitorimushi light-drawn insect [i.e., moth]
灯虫 ひむし himushi lamp insect [moth]。
火入虫 ひいりむし hiirimushi fire-entering insect [moth] hotaru1
蛍 ほたる hotaru firefly/fireflies
蛍火 ほたるび hotarubi firefly glow
源氏蛍 げんじぼたる genjibotaru Genji firefly [Luciola vitticollis; the name
recalls 『源氏物語』Genji Monogatari and the Minamoto Clan]
平家蛍 平家ほたる heikebotaru Heike firefly [the name recalls 『平家物
語』 Heike Monogatari] and the Taira Clan]
蛍合戦 ほたるがっせん hotarugassen firefly contest [the image of many
fireflies flying together looking for mates]
鼓虫 まいまい maimai （まひまひ）, whirligig beetle(s) [family Gyrinidae]
水澄 みずすまし mizusumashi whirligig beetle(s)
水馬 あめんぼう amenbō water strider(s) [family Gerridae],
水馬 みずすまし mizusumashi water strider(s) [note that kanji are
required to avoid confusion with previous kidai]
蝉 せみ semi cicada / locust
初蝉 はつぜみ hatsuzemi first cicada
蝉時雨 せみしぐれ semishigure cicada shower / cicada chorus
油蝉 あぶらぜみ aburazemi oil cicada [Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata]
みんみん蝉 みんみんぜみ minminzemi robust cicada / min-min cicada
[Oncotympana maculaticollis]
唖蝉 おしぜみ oshizemi voice-less cicada [that is, a female cicada]
にいにい蝉 にいにいぜみ niiniizemi nii-nii cicada [Platypleura kaempferri]
熊蝉 くまぜみ kumazemi bear cicada [Cryptotympana japonensis, a
particularly broad-backed, black cicada]
蚊 か ka mosquito(es)
蚊柱 かばしら kabashira column of mosquitoes / swarm of mosquitoes
藪蚊 やぶか yabuka striped mosquito [aedes mosquito; literally "country
mosquito" or "thicket mosquito"]
蚊を打つ かをうつ ka o utsu (to) swat a mosquito
蟻 あり ari ant
山蟻 やまあり yama-ari mountain ant
蟻塚 ありづか arizuka anthill
蟻の塔 ありのとう ari no tō ant tower
蟻の道 ありのみち ari no michi ant trail / ant column
蝸牛 かたつむり katatsumuri snail / land snail
でで虫 ででむし dedemushi snail
でんでん虫 でんでんむし dendenmushi snail
蚯蚓 みみず mimizu earthworm
蚯蚓出づ みみずいづ mimizu izu earthworms come out
植物 しょくぶつ shokubutsu Plants
余花 よか yoka （よくわ）, lingering (cherry) blossoms
葉桜 はざくら 葉櫻 hazakura leafy cherry (tree/trees)
botan6 botan7 botan5 牡丹 ぼたん botan tree peony [Paeonia
suffruticosa; see also 芍薬【しゃくやく】 shakuyaku, peony]
牡丹 ぼうたん bōtan tree peony
白牡丹 はくぼたん hakubotan white tree peony
緋牡丹 ひぼたん hibotan scarlet tree peony
牡丹園 ぼたんえん botan en tree tree peony garden
紫陽花 あじさい ajisai （あぢさゐ）, hydrangea (blossoms) [Hydrangea
macrophylla]
七変化 しちへんげ shichi henge seven goblins [figurative for hydrangea]
四葩 よひら yohira four-petal / hydrangea
手毬花 てまりばな temaribana Japanese snowball [literally "hand-ball
blossom(s)"; Viburnum plicatum]
梔子の花 くちなしのはな kuchinashi no hana gardenia / Cape jasmine
[Gardenia jasminoides]
蜜柑の花 みかんのはな mikan no hana mikan blossom(s) / mandarin
orange blossom(s)
花蜜柑 はなみかん hanamikan mikan blossom(s) / flowering mikan
栗の花 くりのはな kuri no hana chestnut blossoms [Castanea crenata]
青梅 あおうめ aoume green plum [the fruit]
梅の実 うめのみ ume no mi fruit of the plum
実梅 みうめ miume plum fruit
さくらんぼ sakuranbo cherries/cherry
桜桃の実 おうとうのみ ōtō no mi fruit of the cherry
桜桃 おうとう ōtō cherries/cherry
ゆすらうめ yusuraume mountain cherry / Nanking cherry [the fruit of
Prunus tomentosa]
英桃 ゆすらうめ yusuraume mountain cherry
山桜桃 ゆすら yusura mountain cherry
枇杷 びわ biwa （びは）, loquat [the fruit of Eriobotrya japonica]
若葉 わかば wakaba young leaves/ new leaves / fresh verdure
山若葉 やまわかば yama wakaba young leaves in the mountains
里若葉 さとわかば sato wakaba young leaves in the village [connotes
young leaves at one's home town]
谷若葉 たにわかば tani wakaba young leaves in the valley
庭若葉 にわわかば niwa wakaba young leaves in the garden
若葉雨 わかばあめ wakaba ame rain in the young leaves / rain at the time
of young leaves
若葉風 わかばかぜ wakaba kaze wind in the young leaves
万緑 ばんりょく banryoku myriad green leaves [literally "myriad green"]
柿若葉 かきわかば kakiwakaba young/new persimmon leaves
u-no-hana6 u-no-hana3 u-no-hana2 卯の花 うのはな u-no-hana deutzia
flowers [Deutzia crenata]
卯木の花 うつぎのはな utsugi-no-hana deutzia flowers
野茨 のいばら noibara wild rose(s) [Rosa multiflora]
茨の花 いばらのはな ibara no hana wild rose blossoms
花うばら はなうばら hanaubara wild rose blossom(s) / flowering wild roses
桐の花 きりのはな kiri no hana paulownia blossoms [Paulownia tomentosa]
朴の花 ほおのはな hō no hana （ほほのはな）, magnolia blossom(s)
[Magnolia hypoleuca]
椎の花 しいのはな shii no hana （しひのはな）, pasania blossoms
[Castanopsis cuspidata, a hardwood tree related to the oaks]
桑の実 くわのみ kuwa no mi （くはのみ）, mulberries
桑苺 くわいちご kuwaichigo mulberries
竹落葉 たけおちば take-ochiba fallen bamboo leaves
kakitsubata3 kakitsubata1 燕子花 かきつばた kakitsubata blue flag [Iris
laevigata]
杜若 かきつばた kakitsubata blue flag
花菖蒲 はなしょうぶ hanashōbu iris / blue flag / white flag [Iris ensata]
芍薬 しゃくやく shakuyaku peony [Paeonia lactiflora]
葵 あおい aoi （あおひ）, hollyhock / althea [Alcea rosea; not to be
confused with 木槿【むくげ】 mukuge, rose of Sharon / shrub althea,
Hybiscus syriacus], and autumn kidai
罌粟の花 けしのはな keshi no hana poppy/poppies [Papaver somniferum,
typically red or white blossoms]
芥子の花 けしのはな keshi no hana poppy/poppies
撫子 なでしこ nadeshiko fringed pinks [Dianthus superbus]
常夏 とこなつ tokonatsu endless summer [literal] {B00}To include in
entry on this one: In most of Japan, this flower begins blooming in July,
and therefore it is included in summer in most modern saijiki. However, it
blooms well into autumn, and is one among 秋の七草 ななくさ aki no
nana kusa the seven autumn flowers; therefore some authorities place it
in autumn
瓜の花 うりのはな uri no hana melon flower(s)
夕顔 ゆうがお yūgao （ゆふがほ）, moon flower(s) [literally "evening face
(s)"; name of a chapter in the Tale of Genji]
蕗 ふき fuki butterbur [Petasites japonica]
蕗の葉 ふきのは fuki no ha butterbur leaves/leaf
蕗畑 ふきばたけ fukibatake butterbur field
伽羅蕗 きゃらぶき kyarabuki aloes-wood butterbur [figurative; a dish of
butterbur leaves boiled in soy sauce]
紫蘇 しそ shiso beefsteak plant / perilla [noted for its foliage; Perilla
frutescens]
青紫蘇 あおしそ aoshiso green beefsteak plant / green perilla
麦 むぎ mugi barley
麦の穂 むぎのほ mugi no ho barley in ear
穂麦 ほむぎ homugi barley ear
夏草 なつくさ natsu kusa （なつぐさ）, summer grass(es) (and
wildflowers) [note that the Japanese is not restricted to grasses, though
usually translated as if it were]
河骨 こうほね kōhone （かうほね）, water lily/lilies / spatterdock [literally
"river bones", but found in ponds and lakes as well; yellow-flowered;
Nuphar species]
川骨 かわほね kawahone water lily/lilies / spatterdock
鈴蘭 すずらん suzuran lily of the valley [literally "bell lily"; Convallaria
kesskei]
君影草 きみかげそう lily of the valley kimikagesomacr;, [literally "your-
shadow plant"]
十薬 じゅうやく jūyaku（じふやく）, dokudami flower(s) [small, white
flowers of a Chinese medicinal herb, Houttuynia cordata]
どくだみ dokudami dokudami どくだみの花 どくだみの花 dokudami no
hana dokudami flower(s)
藻の花 ものはな mo no hana waterweed flowers
花藻 はなも hanamo waterweed flowers / flowering waterweed ukikusa3
ukikusa1
萍 うきくさ ukikusa duckweed [family Lemnaceae]
黴 かび kabi mold/mildew
黴の宿 かびのやど kabi no yado mildewed inn/lodging
黴の香 かびのか kabi no ka scent of mildew
AUTUMN
秋 あき aki Autumn
時候 じこう jikō The Season
立秋 りっしゅう risshū （りつしう）, beginning (of) autumn
秋立つ あきたつ aki tatsu autumn begins
秋に入る あきにいる aki ni iru (we) enter autumn / autumn comes in/on
秋来る あきくる aki kuru autumn comes
残暑 ざんしょ zansho remaining/lingering heat
残る暑さ のこるあつさ nokoru atsusa left-over heat
秋暑し あきあつし aki atsushi autumn (is) hot
秋暑 しゅうしょ shūsho autumn heat
新涼 しんりょう shinryō （しんりやう）, new coolness
秋涼 しゅうりょう shinryō autumn coolness
秋涼し あきすずし aki suzushi autumn is cool
二百十日 にひゃくとおか nihyakutōka （にひゃくとをか）, 210th day
[from 立春【りっしゅん】 the first day of spring]
厄日 やくび yakubi bad luck day / disaster day [related to frequency of
野分【のわき】 nowaki, equinoctial storms, at this time of year]
秋彼岸 あきひがん akihigan Autumn Higan / autumn equinoctial week
[the week of which the autumn equinox is the center; see 彼岸 【ひが
ん】 higan in Spring] akinokure6 akinokure3 akinokure1
秋の暮 あきのくれ aki no kure autumn dusk / autumn twilight [this form
also means "the close/end of autumn"]
秋の夕 あきのゆう aki no yū autumn evening "Autumn dusk" or "autumn
evening twilight" (秋の夕暮【あきのゆうぐれ】aki no yugure) has been a
favored topic of Japanese poets since it was singled out for comparison
with "spring dawn" (春の曙【はるのあけぼの】haru no akebono) by Sei
Shnagon in her classic The Pillow Book (『枕草子』, c. 1001). Indeed it
has figured much more frequently in waka and haiku than spring dawn,
and is the focal image of a number of acclaimed verses. With the coming
of autumn, the days grow shorter and, as the expression "well-bucket
nightfall" (釣瓶落とし【つるべおとし】tsurube-otoshi) suggests, the sun
seems to sink quickly from the twilight sky. In Sei Shnagon's words, "one
gives a start at the sound of the wind and the cries of insects." These
images became closely associated with autumn dusk and its power to
evoke a sense of the passing of time and the evanescence of life.
Perhaps this is why so many poets have left verses in which autumn dusk
becomes the occasion for autobiographical reflections. A related
expression, "the end of autumn" or "twilight of autumn" (暮の秋【くれの
あき】kure no aki), refers to the end of the whole season rather than of
an autumn day, and has not been as popular in haiku as the
corresponding expressions for "the end of spring" (暮の春【くれのはる】
kure no haru and 暮春【ぼしゅん】boshun).
この道や行く人なしに秋の暮 芭蕉 kono michi ya yuku hito nashi ni aki no
kure this road . . . with no one going by autumn dusk Basho
秋の暮大魚の骨を海が引 西東三鬼 aki no kure taigyo no hone o umi ga
hiku autumn dusk: the bones of a large fish pulled by the sea Saito Sanki
触れるもの皆実をこぼし秋の暮 桜井霧峰人 fureru mono mina mi o koboshi
aki no kure everything I touch spills fruit to the ground autumn dusk
Sakurai Muhjin
干し魚の歯に刺されたる秋の暮 鍵和田秞子 hoshi uo no ha ni sasaretaru
aki no kure pierced by the tooth of a dried fish autumn dusk Kagiwada
Yuko
我が肩に蜘蛛の糸張る秋の暮 富田木歩 waga kata ni kumo no ito haru aki
no kure on my shoulder a spider's thread sticks autumn dusk Tomita
Moppo This author, because of his bad legs and inability to walk as a child,
and through having a weak constitution, had to endure going through
life as if sleeping. The poem, with the preface "Sick in Bed" (病臥),
expresses the thought of being resigned to his fate upon seeing a spider
draw its silk across his shoulder.
夜長 よなが yonaga long night(s)
長き夜 ながきよ nagaki yo long night(s) Properly speaking, the longest
night is that of the winter solstice (around 21 December by the
Gregorian calendar), but "long night(s)" as an autumn topic is based less
on the calendar than on poetic sensibility: the contrast with summer's
brief nights. At night-work or reading a book in the pleasant climate of
autumn, one keenly feels the lengthening nights. Just as "long day(s)" (日
永【ひなが】 hinaga) is by convention a spring topic, "short night(s)" (短
夜【みじかよ】 mijikayo) a summer topic, and "short day(s)" (短日【たん
じつ】 tanjitsu) a winter topic, so "long nights" is firmly associated with
autumn.
山鳥の枝ふみかゆる夜長かな 蕪村 yamadori no eda fumikayuru yonaga
kana a copper pheasant's feet fidget on the branch-- this long night
Buson
一燈を残し夜長の仕事終ふ 高濱年尾 itt o nokoshi yonaga no shigoto ou
leaving one lamp lit I end the work of a long night Takahama Toshio
よそに鳴る夜長の時計数へけり 杉田久女 yoso ni naru yonaga no tokei
kazoekeri distant strikings of a clock in the long night-- I counted each
Sugita Hisajo
夜長人たのしみて書く手紙かな 楠目橙黄子 くすめ とうこうし
yonagabito tanoshimite kaku tegami kana this letter of one who enjoyed
writing the whole long night Kusume Toukoushi
北山の夜の長さを杉育つ 細見綾子 kitayama no yoru no nagasa o sugi
sodatsu northern mountains the length of the nights raises the cedars
Hosomi Ayako
狂女なりしを召使はれて夜長し 平畑静塔 kyoujo narishi o
meshitsukawarete yoru nagashi once a madwoman now made an
orderly-- long nights Hirahata Seito The author is a psychiatrist. This verse
may refer to a woman who, after being treated in a hospital for mental
illness, was employed by the same institution to run errands. The poet
seems to be thinking of the woman, having spent her youth thus
confined, now growing older within the same surroundings. The topic
"long nights" is deeply resonant.
星月夜 ほしづきよ hoshizukiyo starlit night [concept seems to be "stars-
for-moon night"] sawayaka3
爽やか さわやか sawayaka fresh / refreshing / crisp [of weather]
さやけし sayakeshi bright and fresh / refreshing / crisp This refers to the
crisp, cool days of autumn. As the season turns and the air becomes
clear, everything becomes more distinctly visible. The relatively lower
humidity during the day is refreshing, too. The term "clear coolness"
refers especially to the lower temperatures of such days.
爽やかに山近寄せよ遠眼鏡 日野草城 ひの そうじょう sawayaka ni yama
chikayose yo tmegane through crisp air it brings the mountains near: the
telescope Hino Soujou
夢のあと追うて晴なり爽やかに 阿部みどり女 yume no ato oute hare nari
sawayaka ni chasing remnants of a dream--the sky clears and becomes
crisp Abe Midorijo
さやけくて妻とも知らずすれちがふ 西垣脩 sayakekute tsuma to mo
shirazu surechigau so bright and fresh even my wife's unknown-- passing
each other Nishigaki Osamu
昆布一丈爽やかに漁婦たもとなし 古舘曹人 konbu ichij sawayaka ni gyofu
tamoto nashi ten feet of kelp-- in the freshness the fisherwoman has no
sleeves Furutachi Sōjin
さわやかにおのが濁りをぬけし鯉 皆吉爽雨 みなよし そうう sawayaka ni
ono ga nigori o nukeshi koi in the coolness a carp frees himself from
muddied water Minayoshi Souu Startled by something, a carp swirls
around and is covered in the muddied water it raises. But a moment
later, the carp moves quietly on and the mud settles back to the bottom
of the pool. The sense of autumn's freshness is enhanced.
冷やか ひややか hiyayaka chilly / cool [of weather]
秋冷 しゅうれい shūrei autumn chill
冷ゆる ひゆる hiyuru (to be) chilly
夜寒 よさむ yosamu night chill
宵寒 よいさむ yoisamu evening chill
akifukashi4 akifukashi10 秋深し あきふかし aki fukashi autumn (is) deep
深秋 しんしゅう shinshū deep autumn
秋さぶ あきさぶ （秋寂ぶ）aki sabu, autumn gets lonely [etymologically
"autumn rusts", but long poetical use has altered the meaning; still, some
hint of color comes through]
秋闌ける あきたける aki takeru autumn (is) advanced [alternate
orthography and pronunciation: 秋闌くる【あきたくる】 aki takuru] This
topic refers to that time in late autumn when the colors of the season
are everywhere apparent, "winter is near" (冬近し【ふゆちかし】 fuyu
chikashi), and all of the natural world is imbued with a sense of
evanescence. The three months of autumn are sometimes referred to in
haikai as "early autumn" (初秋【しょしゅう】 shoshuu), "mid autumn" (仲
秋【ちゅうしゅう】 chuushuu), and "late autumn" (晩秋【ばんしゅう】
bansh). (Approximately August, September, October; see the note on
the calendar.) Mid autumn has something of the beginning of the feeling
of the "fullness of autumn", and the term "deep autumn" signifies nearly
the end of the season. (See the related entry "autumn dusk" (秋の暮【あ
きのくれ】 aki no kure.)
秋深き隣は何をする人ぞ 芭蕉 aki fukaki tonari wa nani o suru hito zo
autumn deep the neighbor-what is it he does? Bashō
秋深しふき井に動く星の数 幸田露伴 aki fukashi fuki-i ni ugoku hoshi no
kazu deep autumn-- moving in the deep well countless stars Koda Rohan
秋深きことにこと寄せ話すかな 星野立子 aki fukaki koto ni koto yose
hanasu kana autumn deepens that gives us something to talk about
Hoshino Tatsuko
画家去りて白樺のこる秋深し 大島民郎 gaka sarite shirakaba nokoru aki
fukashi an artist departs the white birches remain deep autumn Oshima
Tamiro
秋深し奥に問ひつつ小商ひ 鍵和田子 かぎわだ ゆうこ aki fukashi oku ni
toitsutsu koakinai autumn is deep . . . in the interior a tradesman asks on
and on Kagiwada Yuuko
彼一語我一語秋深みかも 高濱虚子 kare ichigo ware ichigo aki fukami kamo
his one word my one word--must be the depths of autumn Takahama
Kyoshi This verse is perhaps referring to a close friendship in which the
exchange of a single word is enough to satisfy the heart-felt need for
talk. The subject of this terse conversation may have been the
deepening of autumn, or the sense that the ageing of the year is
symbolic of the speaker's own predicament. There may also be an echo
of a famous poem by Kyoshi's master, Masaoka Shiki (正岡子規): 行く我に
とゞまる汝に秋二つ yuku ware ni todomaru nare ni aki futatsu for me
going for you staying here two autumns 九月尽 くがつじん kugatsujin
（くぐわつじん）, end of the ninth (lunar) month [that is, early
November Gregorian; however, in some recent haiku it seems to mean
"end of September", contrary to the original feeling of "the end of
autumn"]
天文 てんもん tenmon The Heavens
秋の声 あきのこえ aki no koe （あきのこゑ）, voices of autumn
[particularly at night: wind in trees, plants; patter of leaves, rain; insect
cries; and so on]
秋声 しゅうせい shūsei autumnal voices
秋韻 しゅういん shūin autumnal tone [musical sense] In older poetic
traditions the sounds of the wind or of "fulling blocks" (砧【きぬた】
kinuta) were preferred images for this topic, but the reverberations of all
sounds seem to be enhanced by the crisp, still air of autumn, and the
topic takes that enhanced sense as a sign of autumn's arrival. Perhaps
because the air is clear, even distant sounds become audible, and these
may remind the listener of the approaching end of the year. This is true
particularly at night, with wind in trees, plants; patter of leaves, rain;
insect cries; and so on.
灯を消して夜を深うしぬ秋の声 村上鬼城 hi o keshite yo o fukoushinu aki
no koe I snuff out the lamp and night has deepened-- voices of autumn
Murakami Kijo
寺掃けば日に日にふかし秋の声 中川宋淵 tera hakeba hi ni hi ni fukashi aki
no koe sweeping the temple-- day by day deeper voices of autumn
Nakagawa Soen
秋声は何れの窓に多からむ 相生垣瓜人 shusei wa izure no mado ni karamu
autumnal voices in which of the windows are there more? Aioi Gakikajin
草の穂のゆるるともなし秋の声 村上牧秋子 kusa no ho no yururu mo nashi
aki no koe the ripe grasses are not even swayed-- voices of autumn
Murakami Bosshūshi
大瀑布ひとすぢ秋の声を添ふ 篠田悌二郎 daibakufu hitosuji aki no koe o
sou a great waterfall its steady roar joined by autumn's voices Shinoda
Teijiro Surrounded by the roaring sound of a great waterfall, even so he
heard the sounds of autumn. In the roaring sound of a waterfall that
never lets up, when autumn came he could still discern its accompanying
voices.
秋高し あきたかし aki takashi autumn (is) spacious [of the skies; literally
"autumn is high", but referring to skies, not equal to the English idiom
"high autumn"]
天高し てんたかし ten takashi skies (are) spacious / spacious skies [literally
"heavens are high"]
iwashigumo2 iwashigumo1 鰯雲 いわしぐも iwashigumo mackerel clouds /
cirro-cumulus [literally "sardine clouds"]
鱗雲 うろこぐも urokogumo fish-scale clouds
鯖雲 さばぐも sabagumo mackerel clouds [literal] When small slivers of
these clouds form their characteristic spotted patterns in pale-blue skies,
many are inspired to think autumn has indeed arrived. Their shape
suggests wavelets or the pattern of scales on a fish, especially a
mackerel. When such clouds appear it is the season for large catches of
sardines, hence the name "sardine clouds". Technically, such clouds are
usually cirro-cumulus, but similar patterns may be seen among alto-
cumulus clouds, and the distinction is not firm.
朝戸繰るこちらのかはも鰯雲 中村草田男 asato kuru kochira no kawa mo
iwashigumo I open the morning door here on this side too mackerel
clouds Nakamura Kusatao
鰯雲旅を忘れしにはあらず 橋本多佳子 iwashigumo tabi o wasureshi ni wa
arazu mackerel clouds-- not that I've forgotten my journey Hashimoto
Takako
妻たちの旅はじめてのいわし雲 和知喜八 tsumatachi no tabi hajimete no
iwashigumo the wives off on a trip--their first mackerel clouds Wachi
Kihachi
ボート来て崩るる影や鰯雲 飯田和子 bto kite kuzururu kageya iwashigumo
a boat comes and shatters the reflection . . . mackerel clouds Iida Kazuko
教室は教師の砦いわし雲 樋笠文 kyshitsu wa kyshi no toride iwashigumo
the classroom a teacher's fortress-- mackerel clouds Hikasa Fumi
鰯雲日かげは水の音迅く 飯田龍太 iwashigumo hikage wa mizu no oto
hayaku the mackerel clouds' shadows--water's sound quick Iida Ryuuta A
scene in a mountain village. Shadows of the sun lengthen as autumn
deepens, and the air begins to get chilly. With autumn's arrival, water
stored up is allowed to run off. The speeding water, under the spreading
mackerel clouds, suggests the advance of the seasons.
tsuki2 月 つき tsuki moon
秋の月 あきのつき aki no tsuki autumn moon
夕月 ゆうづき yūzuki evening moon
宵月 よいづき yoizuki evening moon
弦月 げんげつ gengetsu half/quarter moon [literally "bow-string moon", i.
e. a moon shaped like a strung bow with its string]
弓張月 ゆみはりづき yumiharizuki half/quarter moon [literally "bow-
stretched moon"]
初月 はつづき first (visible) moon [of the eighth lunar month,
approximately September]
二日月 ふつかづき futsukazuki second-day moon / second-day crescent
[of the eighth lunar month]
三日月 みかづき mikazuki（みっかづき）, third-day moon / crescent moon
[of the eighth lunar month]
新月 しんげつ shingetsu new moon / new crescent moon ["new moon"
in its astronomical sense, i.e., "no moon", is a modern development, and
shingetsu is sometimes used in this sense in modern haiku; however,
"new crescent moon" is probably the most common understanding,
referring to the first appearance of the moon in the eighth lunar month.]
Since ancient times, the natural phenomena favored above all by
Japanese poets have been the triplet "snow, moon, blossoms" (that is,
cherry blossoms). The moon appears in all four seasons, of course, but in
both classical poetry and haikai it has been firmly associated with autumn,
so that unless otherwise specified, "the moon" means the autumn moon.
One reason for this is that as blossoms is the pre-eminent image of spring
and snow is that of winter, the moon came to connote autumn. No less
important a reason, surely, is that the moon seems to shine with a special
clarity in the months of autumn. Many haikai expressions for varied
aspects of the moon have become topics for this season. In particular,
from the beginning of the eighth lunar month (mid autumn; about
September), we have special names for the first several nights' moons.
月はやしこずゑ雨を持ちながら 芭蕉 tsuki hayashi kozue ame o
mochinagara the moon goes quickly while the grove's branchtips hold the
rain Bashō
声かれて猿の歯白し峰の月 其角 koe karete saru no ha shiroshi mine no
tsuki its voice hoarse a monkey's teeth are white-- moon on the peak
Kikaku
月天心貧しき町を通りけり 蕪村 tsuki tenshin mazushiki machi o trikeri the
moon at zenith I passed on through a poor town Buson
月光にいのち死にゆくひとゝ寝る 橋本多佳子 gekko ni inochi shi ni yuku
hito to neru in the moonlight I sleep with one who goes from life into
death Hashimoto Takako
きのふより濃き月光の障子なる 篠原梵 kin yori koki gekk no shji naru more
intense than last night-moonlight through the shoji [Shoji are the
papered lattices that shade windows in traditional Japanese architecture.]
Shinohara Bon
月明し家を定めしばかりにて 百合山羽公 tsuki akashi ie o tadameshi bakari
nite the moon brightly shines on the house just chosen Yuriyama Ukō
The poet seems to be having second thoughts about a house he has
just chosen to live in. Seeing the moon rise over the roof, he is struck by
the brilliance of its light, and wonders if he made the right choice.
名月 めいげつ meigetsu harvest moon [literally "famous moon"; all these
kigo refer to the full moon of the eighth lunar month, usually in
September]
明月 めいげつ meigetsu bright moon
望月 もちづき mochizuki auspicious moon / full moon
満月 まんげつ mangetsu full moon [literal]
今日の月 きょうのつき kyō no tsuki today's moon
月今宵 つきこよい tsuki koyoi the moon this evening
芋名月 いもめいげつ imo meigetsu taro-famous moon [refers to practice
of serving taro (a tuber similar to potato) on this night]
無月 むげつ mugetsu invisible moon / unseen moon [refers to the full
moon of the eighth lunar month, usually in September, being invisible
because of clouds, weather, and so on] amanogawa1
天の川 あまのがわ amanogawa （あまのがは）, Milky Way
銀河 ぎんが ginga Silver River / the galaxy [figurative for the Milky Way]
銀漢 ぎんかん ginkan Silver River [literally "Silver Han" = 銀河【ぎんが】
ginga, above] On clear nights, the Milky Way--the galaxy which contains
our solar system--may look like a band of thin cloud, or a belt of glittering
silver sand in the sky. It is especially striking and beautiful when viewed
on clear autumn nights. There are so many kinds of gorgeous stars in the
universe's galactic system; scientifically explained, seen by someone with
an unobstructed view, this ring of the universe looks belt-shaped. But
whoever looks up at this night sky is ushered into a legendary dream-
world like that of Tanabata.
荒海や佐渡に横たふ天の川 芭蕉 araumi ya sado ni yokotou amanogawa
rough sea . . . stretching to Sado Island the Milky Way Basho
更け行くや水田の上の天の川 惟然 fuke yuku ya mizuta no ue no
amanogawa it grows late . . . over wet paddy-fields the Milky Way Izen
天の川水車は水をあげてこぼす 川崎展宏 amanogawa suisha wa mizu o
agete kobosu the Milky Way-- a waterwheel brings up water and spills it
Kawasaki Tenko
うすうすとしかもさだかに天の川 清崎敏郎 usu-usu to shika mo sadaka ni
amanogawa faintly faintly and even so-clearly the Milky Way Kiyozaki Toshio
米提げてもどる独りの天の川 竹下しずの女 kome sagete modoru hitori no
amanogawa carrying rice I return-alone the Milky Way Takeshita Shizunojo
Widowed, single-handedly raising her children, the author's life of
desperation finds expression here. It is the loneliness of one coming
home alone with the rice needed for life. Even so, beyond the limits of
this aloneness there is the Milky Way.
流星 りゅうせい ryūsei （りうせい）, meteor(s) / shooting star(s) / falling
star(s)
流れ星 ながれぼし flowing star(s) [literal]
星飛ぶ ほしとぶ hoshi tobu a meteor flies / meteors fly [literally "a star
flies / stars fly"]
夜這星 よばいぼし yobaiboshi night-crawling star(s) / night-trailing star(s)
[both literal]
秋風 あきかぜ akikaze autumn breeze / autumn wind [carries with it the
sound of rustling leaves]
秋風 しゅうふう shūfū autumn breeze / autumn wind
秋の風 あきのかぜ aki no kaze autumn breeze / autumn wind
野分 のわき nowaki equinoctial storm / line storm [literally "field-divider";
apparently an old name for "typhoon", in haikai understood to emphasize
the wind, as opposed to typhoons in which rain is most prominent]
野わけ のわけ nowake equinoctial storm / line storm
台風 たいふう 颱風 taifū typhoon [note: typhoons (Pacific) are essentially
the same as hurricanes (Atlantic), developing from tropical storms in their
respective oceans]
台風圏 たいふうけん taifūken typhoon area/range
台風裡 たいふうり taifū-ri back of (a/the) typhoon
台風眼 たいふうのめ taifū no me eye of (a/the) typhoon
芋嵐 いもあらし imo-arashi taro-storm / taro-tempest [wind strong
enough to batter the leaves of a taro plant]
秋の雨 あきのあめ aki no ame autumn rain
秋雨 あきさめ akisame autumn rain
inazuma5 稲妻 いなずま inazuma （いなづま）, heat lightning / lightning
[literally "rice lightning"; in a clear sky, without thunder or rain]
稲光 いなびかり inabikari lightning flash This refers to lightning flashing
across the clear night sky without rain or thunder, often seen in distant
skies on autumn nights. The name inazuma, literally "rice's mate", derives
from the folk belief that this kind of lightning causes rice grain to ripen.
いなづまや堅田泊りの宵の空 蕪村 inazuma ya katada-domari no yoi no
sora lightning . . . while staying in Katada this night sky Buson
稲妻のゆたかなる夜も寝べきころ 中村汀女 inazuma no yutaka naru yo mo
nebeki koro a night rich in lightning even when it's time to sleep
Nakamura Teijo
稲妻や夜も語りゐる葦と沼 木下夕爾 inazuma ya yo mo katari iru ashi to
numa lightning the night too is talking reeds and marshes Kinoshita Yuuji
稲妻の斬りさいなめる真夜の岳 福田蓼汀 inazuma no kirisainameru mayo
no take lightning slashes and taunts the midnight cliff Fukuda Rytei
稲妻はかかはりもなし字を習ふ 及川貞 inazuma wa kakawari mo nashi ji o
narau of the lightning I take no notice--practicing/ my brush writing
Oikawa Tei
いなびかり北よりすれば北を見る 橋本多佳子 inabikari kita yori sureba kita
o miru when lightning flashes from the north I look north Hashimoto
Takako This gives the idea of looking for a moment in the direction
where a sudden lightning flash has gone. Beyond the fact that this
direction happens to be north, north also brings in the feeling of the
desolation of cold ground, deepening the idea of this lightning.
霧 きり kiri autumn mist / fog [see note "On Haze, Mist, Fog"]
狭霧 さぎり sagiri thin fog / thin autumn mist
霧襖 きりふすま kirifusuma（きりぶすま）, wall of fog/mist [literally "fog
fusuma", sliding door of fog]
tsuyu2 露 つゆ tsuyu dew [avoid confusion with homonym
梅雨【つゆ】 tsuyu, rainy season, in summer]
白露 はくろ hakuro white dew
露の玉 つゆのたま tsuyu no tama dew drop
露けし つゆけし tsuyukeshi heavy with dew / dew-laden [carries classical
overtone of tearfulness]
露しぐれ つゆしぐれ tsuyu shigure dew shower
地理 ちり chiri The Earth
hanano1 花野 はなの hanano flowery field(s) / flowery moor(s) / flower-
field(s)
花野原 はなのはら hananohara flowery field(s) flowery moor(s) / flower-
field(s)
花野道 はなのみち hananomichi flower-field path
花野風 はなのかぜ flower-field wind/breeze(s) This refers to fields bright
with blossoms of autumn flowers. As the season reaches its peak, a wide
variety of wild plants flowers or ripens into seed, to be tossed in the
autumn winds. Broad expanses of fields at the feet of mountains may
turn bright with color when the autumn flowers are in bloom. Wildflowers
have a distinctive beauty unlike that of cultivated flowers -- and a slightly
desolate quality that appears when they are briefly at their peak and
about to fall. The seasonal word hanano, associated with autumn, was
already in use by medieval waka and linked verse poets. It has long been
a favorite of haikai poets, as well.
松葉掻く人かすかなる花野かな 信徳 matsuba kaku hito kasukanaru
hanano kana someone rakes pine needles faintly those flower-fields
Shintoku
天渺々笑ひたくなりし花野かな 渡辺水巴 ten byby waraitaku narishi
hanano kana the sky boundless I wanted to laugh: these flower-fields
Watanabe Suiha
友情をこゝろに午後の花野径 飯田蛇笏 yj o kokoro ni gogo no
hananomichi friendship on my mind this afternoon flower-field path Iida
Dakotsu
癒えて帰る馬車に花野の天丸く 米田一穂 iete kaeru basha ni hanano no
ten maruku cured and returning by carriage--the flower-field sky is round
Yoneda Kazuho
花野やはらか移動文庫の車輪過ぎ >平畑静塔 hanano yawaraka idbunko no
sharin sugi the flower-field soft the bookmobile's wheels roll on Hirahata
Seit The force of the modifier "soft" (yawaraka) is just right for the
setting of a flowery field. The wheels of the mobile library may creak as it
rolls slowly along. The weight of the vehicle underscores the beauty of
the field's blossoms.
akinota2 秋の田 あきのた aki no ta autumn rice paddies
水澄む みずすむ mizu sumu （みづすむ）, water clears / waters clear
秋の海 あきのうみ aki no umi autumn sea
秋の波 あきのなみ aki no nami autumn waves
秋の浜 あきのはま aki no hama autumn seashore
不知火 しらぬい shiranui（しらぬひ）, phosphorescent light /
noctilucence [on the sea]
竜灯 りゅうとう ryūtō phosphorescent light / noctilucence [literally
"dragon light"]
生活 せいかつ seikatsu Daily Life
衣被 きぬかつぎ kinukatsugi taros boiled in their skins
新米 しんまい shinmai new rice [the first rice of the new crop]
今年米 ことしまい kotoshimai this year's rice
早稲の飯 わせのめし wase no meshi early rice [the food]
夜食 やしょく yashoku supper / evening meal [implies meal-break during
夜なべ【よなべ】 yonabe, nightwork]
新酒 しんしゅ shinshu new saké [the first saké brewed from this year's
rice crop]
新走 あらばしり arabashiri new run (of saké) / first (saké) run [of the
new rice crop]
今年酒 ことしざけ kotoshizake this year's saké
早稲酒 わせざけ wasezake early-rice saké
燈火親し とうかしたし tōka shitashi （とうくわしたし）, lamplight (is)
intimate/familiar
燈下親し とうかしたし tōka shitashi lamplight (is) intimate/familiar
[includes the notion of "under" the lamp]
kakashi7 kakashi6 kakashi1 案山子 かかし kakashi scarecrow かかし kakashi
scarecrow The scarecrow in Japan is traditionally a figure made of bamboo
and straw, crowned with a rainhat woven of straw or reeds, and armed
with a bow and arrow. Each farming family devises its own scarecrows to
stand guard over fields and paddies of ripening grain. Typically the mouth
is painted as a distinct frown, and they are dressed in worn-out clothing.
Sometimes their appearance is perversely amusing. The word kakashi was
once pronounced kagashi--something foul-smelling--and referred to burnt
hides or rotten fish heads, the odor of which was counted upon to keep
pests away. Related haikai words include "bird-clappers" and "bird-
scarers", devices designed to scare off birds and animals by making noise.
御所柿にたのまれ貌のかがしかな 蕪村 goshogaki ni tanomaregao no
kagashi kana commissioned by the imperial persimmons--the face of this
scarecrow Buson [One almost cannot help hearing an "as if" at the
beginning of this poem, though it is quite possible that Buson travelled by
a persimmon grove maintained on behalf of the Imperial Household,
which even adds to the humor. Persimmons are notoriously bitter until
fully ripe.]
案山子にもうしろ向かれし栖かな 一茶 kagashi ni mo ushiro mukareshi
sumika kana to the scarecrow-- something nests turning its backside Issa
夕空のなごみわたれる案山子かな 富安風生 yzora no nagomi watareru
kagashi kana the calm of the evening sky wafts over this scarecrow
Tomiyasu Fuusei
みちのくのつたなきさがの案山子かな 山口青邨 michinoku no tsutanaki
saga no kagashi kana this north-country crudely drooping scarecrow
Yamaguchi Seison
倒れたる案山子の顔の上に天 西東三鬼 taoretaru kagashi no kao no ue ni
ten above the face of a fallen scarecrow-- the Heavens Saitou Sanki
某は案山子にて候雀どの 夏目漱石 soregashi kagashi ni te soro suzume
dono That person is The Scarecrow to you Mr. Passing Sparrow! Natsume
Souseki The author of this verse must have encountered a scarecrow
with a humorous aspect, and adopted its manner of intimidating a
sparrow to create this farcical haiku. The familiar image of Sseki as the
austere novelist is offset by a poem showing him in another light.
inekari2 inekari1 稲刈 いねかり inekari rice reaping / rice harvesting
稲車 いなぐるま inaguruma rice cart/truck
稲舟 いなぶね inabune rice boat Rice is harvested in Japan between late
August and mid-November, depending on the latitude. The urgency of
the work of harvesting differs from that of transplanting rice seedlings. At
the end of the many steps of planting seeds, plowing, gathering and
replanting seedlings, and weeding, the paddy fields full of golden ears of
grain are eventually ready to be harvested. This is hard labor, but is also
satisfying work. After draining the paddies, a day of fine weather is
chosen, then the harvest begins and continues until everyone is faint
from work. Such a scene typifies rural life in Japan in the fall. As it begins
to get dark, wagons loaded with freshly cut rice roll down country roads,
offering evidence that the year's harvest has been successful. In recent
years, both harvest and transport of rice have become mechanized, but
older haiku season words such as "rice cart" and "rice boat" are hard to
relinquish. Bundles of freshly cut rice ears are laid on "rice racks" to dry,
after which the threshing will begin.
たそがれて馬おとなしや稲を積む 原石鼎 tasogarete uma otonashi ya ine
o tsumu twilight coming on the horse waits docilely . . . they load the
rice Hara Sekitei
稲刈って飛鳥の道のさびしさよ 日野草城 ine katte asuka no michi no
sabishisa yo rice harvested the road to Asuka so forlorn Hino Sojo
稲刈のいつもうしろに湖の蒼 河野南畦 inekari no itsumo ushiro ni umi no
ao rice harvesting and always at their backs the blue of the lake Kawano
Nankei
稲刈りの夫婦稲刈りつつ離る 岩根甲 inekari no ffu inekaritsutsu hanaru
rice harvesting the husband and wife keep harvesting and separating
Iwane Masaru
庭に来てつひに崩れし稲車 青木就一郎 niwa ni kite tsui ni kuzureshi
inaguruma finally reaching the farmyard it collapses: the rice cart Aoki
Juichiro
稲刈ってだんだんひろきうしろかな 松尾睦月 ine katte dandan hiroki
ushiro kana rice harvesting step by step it widens-- this space behind
Matsuo Mutsuski This "step by step" expresses the slow but steady
harvesting of ears of rice, the cleared area expanding outward behind the
harvesters. Aware of their progress, they are reluctant to take a break,
and press on.
藁塚 わらづか warazuka rice-straw stack(s) [bundled and stacked rice
straw, similar to Western "haystacks", but generally smaller, more
numerous]
にお nio （にほ） (rice) straw-pile
藁にお わらにお （藁堆／藁鳰）waranio, rice-straw pile
夜なべ よなべ 夜業 yonabe nightwork [not that this is the only time of
year when people work at night, but that one is most conscious of it at
this time]
夜業 やぎょう yagyō nightwork
夜仕事 よしごと yoshigoto nightwork
竹伐る たけきる take kiru (to) fell bamboo
大根蒔く だいこんまく daikon maku (to) sow daikon (seeds) [Raphanus
sativus variety hortensis, the Japanese white radish]
だいこんまく daiko maku (to) sow daikon (seeds)
大豆 だいず daizu （だいづ）, soybean(s) / soya bean(s) [fruit of Glycine
max, an important commercial crop, at harvest time]
豆 まめ mame soybean(s) [while generic for "bean" in common speech,
specific to soybean in haikai]
畦豆 あぜまめ azemame paddy-ridge bean(s)
大豆引く だいずひく daizu hiku harvesting soybeans [literally "pulling
soybeans"]
蘆刈 あしかり ashikari reed-cutting
刈蘆 かりあし kariashi cut reeds
秋思 しゅうし shūshi （しうし）, autumnal feelings / autumn sadness
運動会 うんどうかい undōkai （うんどうくわい）, athletic meet / field day
夜学 やがく yagaku night school
夜学生 やがくせい yagakusei night-school student
夜学子 やがくし yagakushi night-school child [that is, a young person
going to night school]
行事 ぎょうじ gyōji Observances
重陽 ちょうよう chōyō （ちょうやう）, Chrysanthemum Festival [literally
"repeated sun"; approximately mid October]
重九 ちょうきゅう chōkyū Chrysanthemum Festival [literally "repeated
nines", referring to the traditional date, the 9th day of the 9th lunar
month]
菊の節句 きくのせっく kiku no sekku Chrysanthemum Festival [literal] This
festival is celebrated on the 9th day of the ninth lunar month and is one
of the five sekku, or "seasonal festivals" (see the entry for 雛【ひな】
hina, (ceremonial) doll(s), in Spring for a list of the five festivals). It is
called "Repeated Nines" or "Repeated Sun" because the number nine,
associated with the sun in Chinese astrology, is repeated in the lunar
calendar date. The topic of many classical Chinese poems, this was an
important annual observance in ancient China, observed by going to the
top of a mountain and drinking rice wine infused with the petals of
chrysanthemum flowers, thought to ward off evil and promote longevity.
Imported to Japan, it was established as a rite of the imperial court,
celebrated by the composition of poetry and song and a banquet at
which participants drank Chrysanthemum sake. In recent times, the
festival is no longer widely observed in Japan.
草の戸や日暮てくれし菊の酒 芭蕉 kusa no to ya higurete kureshi kiku no
sake at the grass door . . . dusk comes with a gift of chrysanthemum sak
Bash [The "grass door" is synecdoche for a thatch-roofed cottage,
humble circumstances in contrast to the old court rite of drinking
chrysanthemum-flavored wine. This sak was brought by one of Bash's
disciples, Otokuni (乙州).]
重陽の山里にして不二立てり 水原秋櫻子 chōyō no yamazato ni shite fuji
tateri Repeated Sun at a mountain village: Fuji stands peerless Mizuhara
Shūōshi
重陽や椀の蒔絵のことごとし 長谷川かな女 chōyō ya wan no makie no
kotogotoshi Chrysanthemum Festival . . . the lacquerware of the cups a
bit much Hasegawa Kanajo
重陽の干して貧しき山の幸 高田秋仁 chōyō no hoshite mazushiki yama no
sachi Chrysanthemum Festival's dried up and impoverished mountain
blessing Takada Shjin
籾蔵の戸が開いてゐる重九かな 宮岡計次 momigura no to ga aite iru chku
kana the seed-rice storehouse door is open this Double Nine Miyaoka Keiji
重陽の雨が叩けり真葛原 有働亨 chy chōyō no ame ga tatakeri
makuzuhara "Double-Sun" rain-battered: the field of kudzu Ud Tru As if in
spite of the auspicious date, September 9th, a fierce rain falls on a field
full of kudzu (arrowroot) vines, battering its leaves. Since the leaves of
the kudzu are large and wide, the noise is audible, and the word
"batters" appropriate. The scene suggests the decline of interest in the
festival in recent years.
終戦記念日 しゅうせんきねんび shūsenkinenbi War's End Memorial Day
[15 August (1945); commemorates the end of WWII]
終戦日 しゅうせんび shūsenbi War's End Day
敗戦忌 はいせんき haisenki defeat anniversary
敗戦日 はいせんび haisenbi defeat day
敬老の日 けいろうのひ keirō no hi （けいらうのひ）, Senior Citizens Day
[15 September]
老人の日 ろうじんのひ rōjin no hi Venerables Day
年寄の日 としよりのひ toshiyori no hi Day of the Elderly
赤い羽根 あかいはね akai hane Red Feather [Community Chest donar
symbol]
愛の羽根 あいのはね ai no hane Auspicious Feather / Love Feather
七夕 たなばた tanabata Tanabata / Festival of the Weaver [literally
"seventh evening", referring to the traditional date, the 7th day of the
7th lunar month; about mid August, but now celebrated 7 July some
places, 7 August others]
七夕祭 たなばたまつり tanabata matsuri Tanabata Festival / Festival of
the Weaver
星祭 ほしまつり hoshi matsuri Star Festival
星迎 ほしむかえ hoshimukae star greeting / greeting stars
星合 ほしあい hoshiai star meeting / meeting stars
星今宵 ほしこよい hoshi koyoi the stars this evening
七夕竹 たなばただけ tanabatadake Tanabata bamboo [from which a card
with a poem or other inscription on it is hung]
七夕流し たなばたながし tanabata nagashi Tanabata send-off [objects
such as Tanabata inscriptions thrown into a river or sea at the end of the
festival]
盂蘭盆 うらぼん urabon Bon Festival / Lantern Festival / Festival of the
Dead [13-16 August]
盂蘭盆会 うらぼんえ urabon'e Bon Festival / Lantern Festival / Festival of
the Dead
盆 ぼん bon Bon Festival / Obon
墓参 はかまいり hakamairi （はかまゐり）, grave visit / visiting graves [in
preparation for Bon Festival]
墓参 ぼさん bosan grave visit
展墓 てんぼ tenbo visiting grave(s) [includes notion of cleaning up]
掃苔 そうたい sōtai brushing moss [off the grave or gravestone]
墓洗う はかあらう haka arau (to) wash/clean the grave/gravestone
流燈 りゅうとう ryūtō （りうとう）, floating lantern [in connection with
Bon Festival]
燈籠流し とうろうながし tōrō nagashi floating lanterns send-off
精霊流し しょうりょうながし shōryō nagashi spirits send-off
踊 おどり odori (Bon Festival) dance/dancing [note that while this is the
common word for dancing, in haikai it always means dancing at Obon
unless otherwise specified]
盆踊 ぼんおどり bon odori Bon Festival dance/dancing
踊子 おどりこ odoriko dancing woman / dancing girl
踊の輪 おどりのわ odori no wa ring/circle of dancers
踊唄 おどりうた odori uta dancing song
踊櫓 おどりやぐら odori yagura (Bon Festival) dance stand [elevated
platform with musicians and singers around which people dance in a ring]
子規忌 しきき shiki-ki Shiki's (Death) Anniversary / Shiki's Memorial Day [19
September, in honor of 正岡子規【まさおか・しき】 Masaoka Shiki (1867-
1902), modern haiku and tanka poet, essayist, critic]
糸瓜忌 へちまき hechima-ki Sponge-gourd Anniversary [after the 糸瓜【へ
ちま】 hechima sponge-gourd plant, used as medicine against phlegm for
his tuberculosis, featured in many of his haiku]
獺祭忌 だっさいき dassai-ki Otter Festival Anniversary [after Shiki's
important newspaper column 「獺祭書屋俳話【だっさいしょおくはい
わ】」 dassai sho-oku haiwa, "Haiku Talks from the Otter's Den"]
動物 どうぶつ dōbutsu Animals shika3 shika1 鹿 しか shika deer [Cervus
nippon, usually for the cries of the male in rut]
牡鹿 おじか （小鹿） ojika, stag / male deer
小男鹿 さおじか saojika stag / male deer
鹿の声 しかのこえ shika no koe deer's voice / deer cries
妻恋う鹿 つまこうしか tsuma kou shika mating deer
鹿笛 しかぶえ shikabue deer flute / deer call [mimics sound of a deer
calling]
馬肥ゆる うまこゆる uma koyuru horses fatten / horse grows fat
秋の駒 あきのこま aki no koma autumn colt / autumn pony / autumn
horse
蛇穴に入る へびあなにいる hebi ana ni iru snakes hole up / snakes go into
their holes [to hibernate]
穴まどい あなまどい ana madoi hole confusion / hole-less (snake) [a
snake not in its hole]
秋の蛇 あきのへび aki no hebi autumn snake [that is, one outside its
hole] wataridori1
渡鳥 わたりどり wataridori migratory birds / birds of passage
鳥渡る とりわたる tori wataru birds migrate
小鳥来る ことりくる kotori kuru little birds come [such birds as siskins,
thrushes, waxwings, and redstarts, migrating north to south or mountains
to plains; some authorities cite as mid-autumn, but varies according to
species and region] This is an autumn topic in haikai, referring to birds
which fly southward in the fall, including wild geese, ducks, thrushes,
siskins, mountain finches and others. These birds fly in flocks when
migrating. If the flocks resemble clouds in motion, they are called "bird-
clouds". If the sound of their wings evokes the wind, the phrase "bird-
wind" may be used by the haikai poet. Birds which fly to Japan in autumn
are primarily species which spend the summer in Siberia, where they
breed, and fly south via China's northeast en route to Japan. Many such
species remain in Japan for the winter, living in forests or in coastal areas
until spring, when they return north. Some birds, including species of
snipes and plovers, stop only briefly in Japan before migrating further
south for the winter.
雀らも真似してとぶや渡り鳥 一茶 suzumera mo maneshite tobu ya
wataridori even the sparrows fly in imitation . . . migrating birds Issa
渡鳥仰ぎ仰いでよろめきぬ 松本たかし wataridori aogi aoide yoromeginu
migrating birds-- staring and staring I totter along Matsumoto Takashi
鳥わたるこきこきこきと罐切れば 秋元不死男 tori wataru kokikokikoki to
kan kireba birds migrating sound "koki-koki-koki" as I open a can Akimoto
Fujio
人はみな旅せむ心鳥渡る 石田波郷 いしだ はきょう hito wa mina
tabisemu kokoro tori wataru people all think of travelling-- birds migrating
Ishida Hakyoo
渡り鳥伸び縮まりつ中空に 田中鬼骨 wataridori nobichijimaritsu nakazora ni
migrating birds spread out and bunch up in mid-sky Tanaka Kikotsu
渡り鳥みるみるわれの小さくなり 上田五千石 wataridori mirumiru ware no
chisaku nari migrating birds-- while watching them I grow smaller Ueda
Gosengoku It is the migrating birds which seem to grow smaller as they
fly further away, but the poet can't avoid the illusion that it is he himself
who is shrinking. The phrase mirumiru, literally "before my very eyes" or
"as I watch", conveys precisely the dynamic sense of the birds flying out
of sight.
燕帰る つばめかえる tsubame kaeru （つばめかへる）, swallows go back
[to the south]
帰燕 きえん kien migrating swallows [to the south]
去ぬ燕 いぬつばめ inu tsubame departing swallows
秋燕 しゅうえん shūen autumn swallows
残る燕 のこるつばめ nokoru tsubame remaining swallows
鵙 もず mozu shrike [Lanius species]
百舌鳥 もず mozu shrike [kanji literally "hundred tongues/clappers bird"]
雁 かり kari (wild) goose/geese [usually Anser species, though Branta are
included]
がん gan (wild) goose/geese
かりがね karigani (wild) goose/geese [technically, the lesser white-
fronted goose Anser erythropus, though may be used generically]
初雁 はつかり hatsukari first (wild) goose/geese
雁渡る かりわたる kari wataru geese migrate
落雁 らくがん rakugan falling/fallen (wild) goose [come down from the
sky]
落鮎 おちあゆ ochiayu descending ayu/sweetfish [literally "falling ayu";
Plecoglossus altivelis]
下り鮎 くだりあゆ kudariayu descending ayu/sweetfish
秋の鮎 あきのあゆ aki no ayu autumn ayu/sweetfish
錆鮎 さびあゆ sabiayu rusty ayu/sweetfish [refers to color]
渋鮎 しぶあゆ shibuayu muted ayu/sweetfish [refers to color]
鯊 はぜ haze goby [Acanthogobius flavimanus]
鯊日和 はぜびより hazebiyori goby weather/conditions
鯊の秋 はぜのあき haze no aki goby autumn
鯊の潮 はぜのしお haze no shio goby tide
秋刀魚 さんま sanma mackerel pike [Cololabis saira]
さいら saira mackerel pike
鮭 さけ sake salmon [Oncorhynchus species]
初鮭 はつざけ hatsuzake first salmon
秋の蝉 あきのせみ aki no semi autumn cicada(s)/autumn locust(s)
秋蝉 しゅうせん shūsen autumn cicada(s)/locust(s)
残る蝉 のこるせみ nokoru semi remaining cicada(s)/locust(s)
蜩 ひぐらし higurashi clear-toned cicada(s)/ evening cicada(s) [literally
"day darkener"; Tanna japonensis]
tonbo1 蜻蛉 とんぼ tonbo dragonfly/dragonflies [order Odonata,
suborder Anisoptera; not to be confused with 糸蜻蛉【いととんぼ】
itotonbo, "damselfly", a summer kidai]
せいれい seirei dragonfly/dragonflies
あきつ akitsu dragonfly/dragonflies
やんま yanma dragonfly/dragonflies
赤蜻蛉 あかとんぼ akatonbo red dragonfly/dragonflies
虫 むし mushi insect(s) [usually plural, for their singing]
虫時雨 むししぐれ mushishigure insect shower / insect chorus
昼の虫 ひるのむし hiru no mushi midday insects
残る虫 のこるむし nokoru mushi remaining insects [left-over from early
and mid autumn]
すがる虫 すがるむし sugaru mushi clinging insect(s)
蟋蟀 こおろぎ kōrogi （こほろぎ）, cricket(s)
ちちろ chichiro cricket(s)
ちちろ虫 ちちろむし chichiromushi cricket(s) 螽斯[Note: While this is a
correct post-war transcription for the name, I do not have the more
correct, older form of the second kanji which is universally used in saijiki:
same as 斯 but with added 虫偏 on left]
きりぎりす kirigirisu long-horned grasshopper(s) [Platyphyllum concavum;
cry reported as チョンギース chon'giisu; some authorities place this insect
in early autumn]
ぎす gisu long-horned grasshopper(s)
機織 はたおり hataori long-horned grasshopper(s) [literally "weaver"]
轡虫 くつわむし kutsuwamushi oblong-winged katydid(s) [literally
"bridled/muffled insect"; Mecopoda elongata, very similar to North
American oblong-winged katydid, Amblycorypha oblongifolia, hence the
translation]
がちゃがちゃ gachagacha oblong-winged katydid(s) [Japanese name
mimics cry, similar to "gotcha, gotcha" in English].
螳螂 かまきり kamakiri praying mantis [Tenodora aridifolia, "Chinese
mantid"]
螳螂 とうろう tōrō praying mantis [the same]
いぼむしり ibomushiri praying mantis [the same]
蓑虫 みのむし minomushi bagworm(s) / basketworm(s) [larva of
Psychidae, within cocoon]
鬼の子 おにのこ oni no ko demon-child [literal]
植物 しょくぶつ shokubutsu Plants
木犀 もくせい mokusei sweet olive / sweet osmanthus [Osmanthus
fragrans varieties]
金木犀 きんもくせい kinmokusei golden sweet olive / golden sweet
osmanthus [Osmanthus fragrans variety aurantiacus]
銀木犀 ぎんもくせい ginmokusei silver sweet olive / silver sweet
osmanthus [Osmanthus fragrans]
薄黄木犀 うすぎもくせい usugimokusei pale-yellow sweet olive / pale-
yellow sweet osmanthus [Osmanthus fragrans variety thunbergii]
木槿 むくげ mukuge rose of sharon / hibiscus / althea [Hibiscus syriacus;
not to be confused with 葵【あおい】aoi, hollyhock / althea, in summer;
see also note on 蕣 at 朝顔【あさがお】 asagao, morning-glory, below]
芙蓉 ふよう fuyō rose mallow(s) [Hibiscus mutabilis]
葡萄 ぶどう budō （ぶだう）, grapes [eminent haiku masters have placed
this kidai in early, mid, and late autumn, apparently according to
geographical latitude and local grape production; we follow Inahata
Teiko's Hototogisu New Saijiki with an all-autumn designation, leaning
toward mid autumn]
葡萄園 ぶどうえん budōen vineyard
葡萄棚 ぶどうだな budōdana grape racks
momiji9 momiji6 momiji2 紅葉 もみじ momiji （もみぢ）, red leaves / red
(maple) leaves
夕紅葉 ゆうもみじ yūmomiji evening red leaves
むら紅葉 むらもみじ muramomiji village's red leaves
谿紅葉 たにもみじ tanimomiji valley's red leaves
紅葉山 もみじやま momijiyama red-leaved mountain
桐一葉 きりひとは kiri hitoha one paulownia leaf [refers to the sound of
one of the Paulownia tomentosa tree's large leaves falling]
一葉落つ ひとはおつ hitoha otsu one (paulownia) leaf falls
竹の春 たけのはる take no haru bamboo spring
芭蕉 ばしょう bashō （ばせう）, banana plant / plantain [Musa
paradisiaca, a large perennial related to the commercial banana, prized for
its leaves] カンナ kanna canna (flowers) [Canna species, most with bright
red flowers]
朝顔 あさがお asagao （あさがほ）, morning-glory/glories [Ipomea
species]
牽牛花 けんぎゅうか kengyūka morning-glory/glories
蕣 あさがお asagao morning-glory/glories [but note that this kanji is also
used for むくげ mukuge, rose of Sharon / hibiscus / althea, Hibiscus
syriacus] This is an annual vine of the Convolvulaceae family, said to have
its origins in southwestern China and the foothills of the Himalayas. The
seeds were valued for medicinal purposes in China, and from a Sung
dynasty anecdote about someone who once exchanged a treasured ox
for a quantity of this plant, it acquired the names "ox-pulling flower" and
"ox-pulling seed" (牽牛子【けんぎゅうし】 kengyuushi). The plant was
introduced into Japan 1200 years ago by embassies to Tang China which
brought back seeds for medicinal use. Crushed, the seeds were used as a
powerful laxative and diuretic. From the Edo period the plant was widely
cultivated for decorative purposes, and towards the end of the 19th
century was introduced to Europe, where it was referred to as "Japanese
Morning-Glory". In recent times it has been intensively cultivated by
gardeners in Japan. The blossoms were originally pale blue but a variety of
colors have been developed. Cultivars are generally divided into either
mutant or large-flowering strains. Wild morning-glories found growing in
warm areas of Kyushu and Shikoku today are small and said to be close to
the variety first introduced from China.
あさがほに我は飯くふおとこ哉 芭蕉 asagao ni ware wa meshi kuu otoko
kana by the morning-glories I am this rice-eating fellow Basho [Basho's
plain-style verse was written in deliberate contrast with a fanciful hokku
by Kikaku: 草の戸に我は蓼くふほたる哉, kusa no to ni ware wa tade kuu
hotaru kana, "by the grass door / I am this knotweed-eating / firefly".]
朝がほや一輪深き淵の色 蕪村 asagao ya ichirin fukaki fuchi no iro a
morning-glory . . . in one flower the color of a deep pool Buson
朝がほや猶まぼろしの[Special character composed of 巾偏 plus 厨 kaya.
gif]ひとへ 蓼太 asagao ya nao maboroshi no kaya hitoe a morning-glory . .
. one layer of a phantom's mosquito net Ryuuta
朝顔や濁り初めたる市の空 杉田久女 asagao ya nigori sometaru ichi no sora
morning-glories . . . the sky over the marketplace as it starts to get dirty
Sugita Hisajo
朝顔の紺の彼方の月日かな 石田波郷 asagao no kon no kanata tsukihi kana
beyond the deep blue of the morning-glories the days and months . . .
Ishida Hakyoo The deep blue flowers of the morning glories are
blossoming in a row. The author's attention is drawn first by the flowers,
then past them to the infinite prospect of days and months ahead. The
repeated no sound in the Japanese lends assonance to the poem.
鶏頭 けいとう keitō cockscomb(s)
鶏頭花 けいとうか keitōka cockscomb flower(s) コスモス kosumosu
cosmos / Mexican aster(s) [Cosmos bipinnatus, the common garden
cosmos]
秋桜 あきざくら akizakura cosmos [literally "autumn cherry (blossoms)"]
白粉花 おしろいばな oshiroibana four o'clock flower(s) / Marvel-of-Peru
[literally "white face-powder flower(s)"; Mirabilis jalapa] おしろい oshiroi
four o'clock flower(s) / Marvel-of-Peru [literally "white face-powder"]
夕化粧 ゆうげしょう yūgeshō four o'clock flower(s) / Marvel-of-Peru
[literally "evening make-up"]
鳳仙花 ほうせんか hōsenka （ほうせんくわ）, impatiens / touch-me-not
(s) [cultivated varieties of Impatiens species, a genus in the balsam family;
distinguish
釣船草【つりふねそう】 tsurifunesō, wild touch-me-not / jewelweed, also
Impatiens species, blooming at the same time]
つまくれない（爪紅） tsumakurenai touch-me-not(s) [colloquial; literally
"(finger-)nail red"]
つまべに（爪紅） tsumabeni touch-me-not(s) [colloquial; same as
previous]
染指草 せんしそう senshisō touch-me-not(s) [colloquial; literally "dye-finger
(-nail) plant"]
鬼灯 ほおずき 鬼燈 hōzuki （ほほづき）, ground cherry/cheries / Chinese
lantern(s) [literally "demon lamp"; Physalis alkekengi]
酸漿 ほおずき hōzuki ground cherry/cherries / Chinese lantern(s) [literally
"tart juice"]
秋海棠 しゅうかいどう shūdō （しゅうかいだう）, hardy begonia(s) [of
the 1000 or more begonia species and cultivators, this is Begonia
evansiana, the hardiest garden variety]
菊【きく】 chrysanthemums
大菊 おおぎく ōgiku large chrysanthemums
中菊 ちゅうぎく chūgiku medium (-sized) chrysanthemums
小菊 こぎく kogiku small chrysanthemums
糸瓜 へちま 蛮瓜／布瓜 hechima sponge gourd / loofah [fruit of the Luffa
cylindrica]
芋 いも imo taro [sometimes colloquial for potato, but not in haikai; may
carry overtone of yokel, bumpkin]
里芋 さといも satoimo taro
芋畑 いもばたけ imobatake taro field
衣被ぎ きぬかつぎ kinukatsugi unblemished taro [for boiling in their skins;
see 衣被【きぬかつぎ】 kinukatsugi under the category 生活【せいかつ】
seikatsu, Daily Life]
貝割菜 かいわりな kaiwarina （かひわりな）, radish sprouts [literally "open
shell greens"; young sprouts of
大根【だいこん】 daikon,
蕪【かぶ】 kabu, turnip, and so on]
唐辛子 とうがらし tōgarashi red peppers / cayenne peppers [hotter
representatives of the Capsicum genus]
蕃椒 とうがらし tōgarashi red peppers / cayenne peppers
ine3 ine1 稲 【いね】 ine rice-plant(s) [refers to the mature plants]
稲穂 いなほ inaho ear/head of rice
稲田 いなだ inada paddy with (mature) rice plants
稲の香 いねのか ine no ka fragrance of rice plants
稲の秋 いねのあき ine no aki rice-plant autumn
玉蜀黍 とうもろこし tōmorokoshi （たうもろこし）, field corn / maize /
Indian corn [Zea maize]
唐黍 とうきび tōkibi field corn / maize / Indian corn もろこし morokoshi
field corn / maize / Indian corn
蕎麦の花 そばのはな soba no hana buckwheat flowers
蕎麦 そば soba buckwheat (flowers)
草の花 くさのはな kusa no hana (autumn) wildflowers [note: "grass
flowers" is not a good translation, as 草 includes forbs and herbs]
千草の花 ちくさのはな chigusa no kana the thousand (autumn)
wildflowers [that is, many kinds]
秋の七草 ななくさ aki no nana kusa the seven autumn flowers [which
are, classically: 萩【はぎ】 hagi, bush clover、尾花【おばな】 obana,
pampas grass flowers、葛花【くずばな】 kuzubana, arrowroot flowers、撫
子【なでしこ】 nadeshiko, fringed pinks、女郎花【おみなえし】
ominaeshi, patrinia、藤袴【ふじばかま】 fujibakama, Joe-Pye weed; 朝顔
【あさがお】 asagao, morning-glory; 桔梗【ききょう】 kikyou, Chinese
bellflower, replaces morning-glory in modern lists] 撫子 なでしこ
nadeshiko fringed pinks [see Summer] hagi3 hagi2 hagi1 萩 はぎ hagi
bush clover [Lespedeza species] 白萩 しらはぎ shirahagi white bush
clover 山萩 やまはぎ yamahagi mountain bush clover [Lespedeza bicolor,
pink-to-red-flowered] 野萩 のはぎ nohagi wild bush clover 小萩 こはぎ
kohagi small/young bush clover こぼれ萩 こぼれはぎ koborehagi
overflowing bush clover 乱れ萩 みだれはぎ midarehagi profusion of bush
clover 萩原 はぎはら hagihara bush clover meadow/field/plain This
flowering shrub is one of the traditional "seven plants of autumn" (秋の七
草【あきのななくさ】 aki no nanakusa). It was the topic of no less than
141 poems in the earliest anthology of Japanese poetry, Man'ysh
(Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves, c. 780 CE). The plants to which
bush clover, a deciduous, low-growing shrub, is most closely related are
legumes. It acquired the name hagi, originally "sprouting shoots" (生え芽
【はえき】 haeki), since it puts forth new shoots from old root stock.
The name "bush clover" by itself almost always refers, in haikai and waka
poetry, to "mountain bush clover", a species widely distributed in Japan,
Korea and China. Bush clover was used as fodder for domestic animals; its
stalks were harvested for making fences or thatching, and used to make
the handles of writing brushes. Historical records indicate that the leaves
of this plant were sometimes roasted for use as a substitute for tea.
Today, the cultivar most commonly chosen as a flowering plant by
gardeners is the "Miyagi Plains bush clover" (宮城野萩【みやぎのはぎ】
miyagino hagi, Lespedeza thunbergii). The "round-leaf bush clover" (円葉
萩【まるばはぎ】 maruba hagi, L. cyrtobotrya), "lacquer bush clover" (蒔
絵萩【まきえはぎ】 makie hagi, L. virgata), and numerous other varieties
are popular as well, but in haikai, all are referred to, simply, as hagi.
萩咲いて家賃五円の家に住む 正岡子規 hagi saite yachin goen no ie ni
sumu bush clover blooming I live in a house at five yen rent Masaoka Shiki
三日月やこの頃萩の咲きこぼれ 河東碧梧桐 mikazuki ya konogoro hagi no
sakikobore this crescent moon about now the bush clover spills its
blossoms Kawahigashi Hekigoto
萩の風何か急かるる何ならむ 水原秋櫻子 hagi no kaze nanika sekaruru nani
naramu bush-clover wind-- something hurries me along I wonder what
Mizuhara Shuoshi
萩見ながら病母と墓の話など 能村登四郎 hagi minagara bybo to haka no
hanashi nado watching the bush clover I talk with my sick mother of
gravestones and such Nomura Toshiro
白萩や出羽の日暮れは林檎色 吉田鴻司 shirahagi ya dewa no higure wa
ringo-iro white bush clover . . . the twilight in Dewa Province apple-
colored Yoshida Kōji
しら露もこぼさぬ萩のうねり哉 芭蕉 shiratsuyu mo kobosanu hagi no uneri
kana not even spilling the white dew this swaying of bush clover Basho
The stalks of a bush clover, looking as though about to spill its own
blossoms, are laden with dew, and sway gently in the evening breeze. In
the fleeting moment before the droplets of dew fall, they lend color to
the leaves and blossoms of their host.
susuki6 susuki5 susuki4 susuki1 芒 すすき 薄 susuki pampas grass
[Miscanthus sinensis]
花芒 はなすすき hana susuki flowering pampas grass
十寸穂の芒 ますほのすすき masuho no susuki ten-inch-plume pampas grass
鷹の羽芒 たかのはすすき taka no ha susuki zebra pampas grass [literally
"hawk-feather pampas grass", M. sinensis variety zebrinus] Susuki, or
pampas grass, is a perennial plant of the grass family which is native to
China and Japan and grows wild in mountains and fields throughout
Japan, wherever direct sunlight is available. It is one of the traditional
"seven plants of autumn" (秋の七草【あきのななくさ】akino nanakusa).
In some regions it is still called by the older name kaya (萱【かや】),
which refers to the dried grass used as thatch. The kaya of traditional
thatched roofs is simply another name for "susuki". Pampas grass lends
charm to the fields and hills of autumn, but also has a range of practical
uses closely tied to traditional Japanese life. Apart from thatch, it has
been used to make bags for charcoal, straw sandals, rope, hanging
screens, brooms and other products. The young leaves have been used
as fodder for domestic animals. The roots are dried and boiled to make an
infusion used to alleviate fever. Another name for the plant or its
blossoms is literally "tail flower", from the appearance of the blossom,
while plants with especially large blooms are sometimes called "ten-inch-
plume pampas grass". Susuki has an important role in ikebana (flower
arrangement) during autumn. Besides the ordinary species, "narrow-
leaved pampas grass" and "zebra pampas grass" are favored for use in
ikebana, but in haiku all varieties of the plant may be referred to simply as
susuki.
散る芒寒くなるのが目に見える 一茶 chiru susuki samuku naru no ga me ni
mieru scattering pampas grass . . . all too visibly it turns cold Issa
この道の富士になりゆくすすきかな 河東碧梧桐 kono michi no fuji ni
nariyuku susuki kana how this path becomes Mount Fuji: pampas grass
Kawahigashi Hekigoto
妙高の大扉ぞ暮るる芒かな 秋元不死男 myok no to zo kururu susuki kana
Myoko's Great Gate--dusk settles in the pampas grass Akimoto Fujio
[Myoko is an 8,000-foot (2450-meter) high, extinct volcano with
extended views from various points on its rim. Its two most prominent
ridges, at the north and south, form an apparent gateway in the sky.]
をりとりてはらりとおもきすすきかな 石田蛇笏 oritorite harari to omoki
susuki kana bent and plucked the fluttering weight of this pampas grass
Iida Dakotsu The beauty of pampas grass is just caught in that "fluttering
weight". The flexibility of a piece of pampas grass, the bounty of its
plume, and all the other sensations change with its thickness and weight.
In addition, this is all expressed in the original poem in the flowing grace
of hiragana.
葛 くず kuzu arrowroot/kudzu [Pueraria lobata]
葛の葉 くずのは kuzu no ha arrowroot leaves / kudzu leaves
真葛 まくず makuzu genuine arrowroot / genuine kudzu [lauditory name]
葛の花 くずのは kuzu no ha arrowroot/kudzu flowers
真葛原 まくずはら makuzu hara plain of genuine arrowroot/kudzu
曼珠沙華 まんじゅしゃげ manjushage red spider lily/lilies [Lycoris radiata]
彼岸花 ひがんばな higanbana red spider lily/lilies [literally "Higan flower"]
桔梗 ききょう kikyō （ききやう）, Chinese bellflower(s) [Platycodon
grandiflorum]
桔梗 きちこう kichikō Chinese bellflower(s)
竜胆 りんどう 龍胆 rindō （りんだう）, gentian(s) / autumn bellflower(s)
[Gentiana scabra, ]
露草 つゆくさ tsuyukusa common dayflower(s) / common commelina(s) /
Asiatic dayflower(s) [literally "dew plant/flower"; Commelina communis,
not a "spiderwort", which is the related genus Tradescantia]
螢草 ほたるぐさ hotarugusa firefly plant [literal]
赤のまんま あかのまんま aka no manma red
smartweed/knotweed/jointweed [Polygonum longisetum and related
species]
赤のまま あかのまま aka no mama red smartweed/knotweed/jointweed
犬蓼 いぬたで inutade (red) smartweed/knotweed/jointweed [literally
"mongrel smartweed/. . ."]
蓼の花 たでのはな tade no hana flowers of
smartweed/knotweed/jointweed
菌 きのこ kinoko mushroom(s)
茸 きのこ kinoko mushroom(s) 茸 たけ take mushroom(s)
茸山 たけやま takeyama mushroom hill/mountain(s)
茸飯 きのこめし kinoko meshi mushroom rice [that is, rice with
mushrooms]
初茸 はつたけ hatsutake first mushroom(s)
松茸 まつたけ matsutake pine mushroom(s) [Armillaria edodes]
椎茸 しいたけ shiitake shiitake / pasania mushroom(s) [Cortinellus shiitake]
しめじ（湿地茸） shimeji champignon(s) / meadow mushroom(s)
[Agaricus campestris, A. hortensis and related]
榎茸 えのきだけ enokidake hackberry mushroom(s)
WINTER
冬 ふゆ fuyu Winter
時候 じこう jikō The Season
初冬 はつふゆ hatsufuyu early winter
初冬 しょとう shotō early winter
冬初め ふゆはじめ fuyu hajime winter's beginning
神無月 かんなづき kannazuki 10th lunar month [literally "gods-absent
month"; approximately November]
かみなづき kaminazuki 10th lunar month [the same]
神有月 かみありづき kamiarizuki 10th lunar month [literally "gods-present
month"]
神の留守 かみのるす kami no rusu the gods' absence [see previous kidai]
神の旅 かみのたび kami no tabi the gods' travels
神送り かみおくり kamiokuri sending off the gods 神迎 かみむかえ
kamimukae greeting the gods
立冬 りっとう rittō beginning of winter / first day of winter [about 7
November]
冬立つ ふゆたつ fuyu tatsu winter begins/starts
冬に入る ふゆにいる fuyu ni iru (to) enter winter
冬来たる ふゆきたる fuyu kitaru winter comes on / winter arrives
冬ざれ ふゆざれ fuyuzare winter withering
冬ざるる ふゆざるる fuyuzaruru winter- withered koharu
小春 こはる koharu little spring [equivalent to North American "Indian
summer"]
小六月 ころくがつ korokugatsu lesser/little May [literally "lesser sixth
(lunar) month"]
小春日 こはるび koharubi little-spring day
小春日和 こはるびより koharubiyori mildness of a little-spring day In haiku,
"little spring", also called "lesser sixth month" (another name for the
tenth month of the lunar calendar), comprises sub-topics such as "little
spring day" and "the mildness of a little-spring day". The cause is a
meteorological phenomenon known as migratory anticyclones、which
spread gradually over Japan from the west, bringing a few days of mild
weather before the harsh cold of winter sets in. The topic evokes the
pleasure of the warmth and comfort afforded by such weather. Further
into winter, spells of warm days are referred to by the season words
"winter warmth" (冬暖か【ふゆあたたか】 fuyu atataka) and "winter
mildness" (冬ぬくし【ふゆぬくし】 fuyu nukushi).
海の音一日遠き小春かな 暁台 umi no oto ichinichi toki koharu kana sound
of the sea all day at a distance little spring Gyodai
玉の如き小春日和を授かりし 松本たかし tama no gotoki koharubiyori o
sazukarishi like a precious gem we are given the mildness of a little-spring
day Matsumoto Takashi
この山に道あればゆく小春かな 高木晴子 kono yama ni michi areba yuku
koharu kana if there is a path on this hill I will go little spring Takagi Haruko
人肌のごと小春日が墓を抱く 中山純子 hito hada no goto koharubi ga
haka o daku warm as someone's skin a little spring day hugs this
gravestone Nakayama Junko
小春の旅長き汀に終りけり 大野林火 koharu no tabi nagaki nagisa ni
owarikeri a little-spring journey on a long shore has come to an end Ohno
Rinka On the day that this journey has finally come to an end, the poet
finds himself walking on a long strand of beach, perhaps gently curving
around the ocean's shore. A mild day of little spring is entirely fitting for
the end of such a pleasant journey as this one must have been. The
poem suggests that the journey of life might be equally untroubled.
除夜 じょや joya （ぢよや）, year-end
年の夜 としのよ toshi no yo New Year's Eve [literally "year's night"]
冬日 ふゆひ fuyu hi winter sun ["winter day" is only a faint connotation
for this term in haikai]
冬の日 ふゆのひ fuyu no hi winter sun
冬日影 ふゆひかげ fuyu hikage winter sunshine
短日 たんじつ tanjitsu short day(s)
日短 ひみじか himijika short day(s)
暮早し くれはやし kure hayashi early dusk
暮易し くれやすし kure yasushi early dusk [literally something like "easy
dusk"; this and the previous kigo are virtually interchangeable]
日つまる ひつまる hi tsumaru days grow shorter as the nights become
longer, it is only natural that the days should be shorter. In haikai,
though, "long nights" is an autumn topic, while "short days" is associated
with winter. By analogy, "long days" is a spring topic and "short nights" is
a summer topic. As the days begin to feel shorter, we anticipate the
approach of the winter solstice and of the year's end. The season word
"short days" connotes the forlornness of weakening daylight and of
increasing cold. In conversation we speak of the diminishing length of
daylight and at this time of year are apt to say "the days are growing
shorter" as a greeting.
日短かやかせぐに追いつく貧乏神 一茶 hi mijika ya kasegu ni oitsuku
binbgami days grow short and the God of Poverty is pressed to earn
money Issa
暮れはやし高波浜の子守唄 石原八束 kure hayashi takanami hama no
komoriuta dusk comes quickly-- a lullaby by a shore where high waves rise
Ishihara Yatsuka
短日や北見の国に北見富士 西本一都 tanjitsu ya kitami no kuni kitamifuji
short days . . . in the province of Kitami Kitami Fuji Nishimoto Itto
短日のいまはなやかやはや灯り 池内友次郎 tanjitsu no ima hanayaka ya
hayatomori short days and gaiety comes quickly streets light up early
Ikenouchi Tomojiro As the days grow shorter the streets of the town
grow quiet sooner. In the busier neighborhoods, though, because of
shorter days the streets and shops are lighted earlier. By the time one is
aware of evening the streets are already brightly lit. A note of sadness
remains within the gaiety.
冷し つめたし tsumetashi cold [of things, persons, and the like]
冷ゆ ひゆ hiyu (something) gets cold
寒し さむし samushi cold [of weather, air, and the like]
寒さ さむさ samusa coldness [of weather, air, and the like]
寒気 かんき kanki the cold / frosty air
春隣 はるとなり haru tonari next to spring
春近し はるちかし haru chikashi spring is near
春信 しゅんしん shunshin the coming of spring [carries the sense of a
faith in spring's coming]
setsubun1 setsubun6 節分 せつぶん setsubun seasonal divide [about 3
February, the day before 立春【りっしゅん】 risshun (the first day of
spring); sometimes called "Bean-Throwing Night" in English] Literally
setsubun means the dividing point between two successive seasons, or
the day following which each of the four seasons passes into the next.
Since about the 15th century, though, setsubun has referred primarily to
the day before the first day of Spring, around the 3rd of February by the
modern calendar. This is traditionally the beginning of the New Year, and
a season for felcitation. The celebration as practiced in recent times
focuses on the driving out of evil spirits and demons on the eve of the
New Year.
節分や家ぬちかがやく夜半の月 水原秋櫻子 setsubun ya yanuchi kagayaku
yowa no tsuki season's divide . . . shining into the house the midnight
moon Mizuhara Shōshi
節分の提灯下げて寺男 松藤夏山 setsubun no chochin sagete tera otoko
seasonal divide: carrying a hand-lantern a temple monk Matsufuji Kazan
節分や田へ出て靄のあそびをり 森澄雄 setsubun ya ta e dete moya no
asobi ori seasonal divide . . . into the paddy field playing with the mist
Mori Sumio
節分の火の粉を散らす孤独の手 鈴木六林男 setsubun no hi no ko o chirasu
kodoku no te at season's divide I scatter ashes with a hand of solitude
Suzuki Murio These ashes may be those of a bonfire or a charcoal stove,
but it is clear that the person scattering them was keenly aware of
tending this fire and then scattering a handful of ashes with ritual care, in
a solitude underscored by the advent of a new year.
天文 てんもん tenmon The Heavens
冬晴 ふゆばれ fuyubare winter clarity
冬日和 ふゆびより fuyubiyori fine winter weather
冬うらら ふゆうらら fuyu-urara winter beauty
冬麗 とうれい tōrei winter beauty
凩 こがらし 木枯 kogarashi withering wind
時雨 しぐれ shigure (winter) shower/drizzle
しぐるる shigururu it is showering/drizzling
村時雨 むらしぐれ mura-shigure passing (winter) shower [literally "village
shower"]
片時雨 かたしぐれ kata-shigure scattered (winter) showers
小夜時雨 さよしぐれ sayo-shigure nighttime shower/drizzle Shigure refers
to winter rainshowers that fall briefly or intermittently and unpredictably,
often between spells of clear sky. In autumn, especially late autumn,
there are passing showers which have none of the driving force of
summer's "evening showers" (夕立【ゆうだち】 ydachi). These are the
forerunners of winter showers and are distinguished from the latter by
the season word "autumn showers" (秋時雨【あきしぐれ】 akishigure).
The first such showers in winter (that is, after the 7th or 8th of
November) are called "first showers" (初時雨【はつしぐれ】
hatsushigure). Of all the many kinds of rainfall of Japan's four seasons,
winter showers are the most familiar as a topic for traditional poetry. One
reason for this is that such showers are common among the hills around
Kyoto, where it may rain on one side of a hill while it is clear on the other
side. The somber sound of such showers may have suited the
conservative poetic culture of Kyoto. Winter showers in the Kitayama
area of Kyoto have been famous since ancient times. The origin of the
word shigure may have to do with the verb suguru (過ぐる【すぐる】),
meaning to pass over, or may refer to the erratic winds that accompany
such rainfall. In China, rains that fall after the start of winter are called
"soaking rain" (液雨【えきう】 eki-u), now a haikai season word that
corresponds to the phenomenon of shigure, but the topic never seems
to have become popular among traditional Chinese poets. Bash placed a
hokku with the season word "first showers" at the beginning of a
collection which became an important model of his own work and that of
his school. The verse lent its name to the title of that collection,
Monkey's Straw Raincoat (『猿蓑』【さるみの】sarumino), and suggests
Bash's affinity for this topic. Such showers are frequent in the tenth
month of the lunar calendar, so that month is sometimes called by the
name "Showers Month" (時雨月【しぐれづき】 shigure-zuki). Other
season words may be used for winter showers, depending on exactly
when and where they fall--"nighttime showers" for sudden showers that
fall at night, for example.
初しぐれ猿も小蓑をほしげなり 芭蕉 hatsushigure saru mo komino o
hoshigenari first winter shower even the monkey seems to want a little
raincoat Basho
幾人かしぐれかけぬく勢田の橋 丈草 ikutari ka shigure kakenuku seta no
hashi how many people run to escape a shower the Seta Bridge Jōsō
しぐるるや駅の西口東口 安住敦 shigururu ya eki no nishiguchi higashiguchi
suddenly showering-- the train station's west exit east exit Anjū Atsushi
食堂に雀鳴くなり夕時雨 支考 jikido ni suzume naku nari yushigure in the
dining hall sparrows are crying-- an evening shower Shiki In the 17th
century, when the author of this verse was active, the word shokudo
referred to the dining hall of a Zen temple (it now usually means a
cafeteria). Strict silence was observed there during meals. The sounding
of a wooden clapper to call the monks to dinner was the only exception.
Blending with the patter of raindrops on the eaves, the cries of sparrows
seeking shelter from the evening shower enhance the sense of somber
quiet.
霰 あられ arare snow pellets [often given in dictionaries, and therefore
mistranslated, as "hail"--which is 雹【ひょう】 hyō--a summer
phenomenon]
玉霰 たまあられ tama-arare jewel(-like) snow pellets shimo4 shimo2
shimo1
霜 しも shimo frost
霜晴 しもばれ shimobare frosty and clear [of weather]
霜雫 しもしずく shimo shizuku frost drips/drops [sound of water dripping
when frost melts]
霜の声 しものこえ shimo no koe sound of frost [literally "voice of frost"]
The sight of the ground covered with a thin coating of frost under a
clear, windless sky at dawn is enough to make anyone feel a bracing
sense of cold. Frost forms when water vapor in the air sublimes into
needle-shaped or plate-like particles of ice. Though the basic conditions
for the formation of frost are thus similar to those for autumn dew,
moisture in the air turns to ice because the temperature of the ground is
at or below the freezing point. On frosty mornings when the sky is clear
and the sun is shining, one may hear the sound of droplets of melted
frost falling from the eaves of houses or the tips of branches. The sight
of a coat of frost on things left outdoors overnight is a familiar experience
of winter mornings. Frost on the sprouts or leaves of agricultural crops
often causes serious harm. Although not directly related to frost in fact,
"frostbite" (霜焼【しもやき】 shimoyaki, literally, "frost-burn") is damage
to the skin or extremities after prolonged exposure to cold. The
phenomenon "ice-pillars" (霜柱【しもばしら】 shimobashira, literally "pillars
of frost") is not caused by frost, but by water in the soil which freezes
and pushes up small breaks in the crust of the ground. (Note: There
seems to be no standard English expression for this phenomenon,
sometimes translated "ice-needles"; the British poet Gerard Manley
Hopkins used "ice-pillars" in his Journals.)
里人のわたり候ふか橋の霜 宗因 satobito no watarisoro ka hashi no shimo
will the villagers just walk across? frost on the bridge Soin
月光をさだかに霜の降りにけり 松村倉石 gekko o sadaka ni shimo no
furinikeri with moonlight the brilliant frost has covered everything
Matsumura Kuraishi
霜来ると流れ澄むなり街の川 石塚友二 shimo kuru to nagaresumunari
machi no kawa when the frost comes how clearly it flows: the river
through town Ishizuka Tomoji
初霜や飯の湯あまき朝日和 樗良 hatsushimo ya meshi no yu amaki asabiyori
first frost-- hot water in the rice bowl sweet fine morning Chora After his
morning meal, the poet drinks some boiled water from his empty rice
bowl. The warmth of the water comes across as a sense of sweetness.
The winter's first frost has fallen, and it will be a cold day, but the sun is
shining and seems to promise comfort in spite of the cold.
yuki6 yuki5 yuki3 雪 ゆき yuki snow
小雪 こゆき koyuki light snow
大雪 おおゆき ōyuki heavy snow
根雪 ねゆき neyuki root snow [literal; refers to bottom layer of snow that
remains until spring snow-melt]
綿雪 わたゆき watayuki cotton snow
牡丹雪 ぼたんゆき botan'yuki large-flaked snow [literally "peony (petal)
snow"]
小米雪 こごめゆき kogomeyuki small-flaked snow [literally "fine-(broken)
rice snow"]
細雪 ささめゆき sasameyuki thin/fine snow
粉雪 こなゆき konayuki powdery snow
深雪 みゆき miyuki thick/deep snow [also connotes "beautiful snow"]
新雪 しんせつ shinsetsu new/new-fallen snow
風雪 ふうせつ fūsetsu wind and snow / snowstorm
飛雪 ひせつ hisetsu flying/driving snow
吹雪 ふぶき fubuki blizzard Together with the moon and flowers, snow is
considered one of the pre-eminent seasonal topics of the classical poetic
tradition in Japan, as in China. Japanese lyricism is hardly imaginable
without its diverse images of snow. Western Japan from the Hokuriku
region north to Hokkaido, facing the Japan Sea, experiences more snow
than any other area in the world, and the life of the inhabitants of this
region (often called "Snow Country" yukiguni) is built to a great extent
around the fact of heavy annual snowfall. The range of local words for
falling and fallen snow in all its varieties is vast. The cause of snow is
virtually the same as that of rain--evaporated moisture in the sky forms ice
crystals when the temperature is low enough, and falls as snowflakes.
The specific form of snow crystals varies; often a single snowflake is
actually a clump of several crystals. When falling snow is compacted and
loses its cyrstalline form it becomes "snow pellets" (yukiarare, see arare).
Snowfall is usually measured by the depth of snow accumulated on the
ground. As a rule, when temperatures are low, flakes are small and fall as
"powdery snow", which is easily raised from the ground by wind, one
cause of blizzards. At higher temperatures, snowflakes may be larger, and
are sometimes called "peony snow". As snow piles on fallen snow and
builds up, becoming compacted, it may sometimes become thick and
heavy enough to bury houses.
ながながと川一筋や雪の原 凡兆 naganaga to kawa hitosuji ya yuki no hara
stretching long the river a single line . . . the snowy plain Bonchō
これがまあつひの栖か雪五尺 一茶 kore ga maa tsui no sumika ka yuki go-
shaku so this, then is my final dwelling? five feet of snow Issa
降る雪や明治は遠くなりにけり 中村草田男 furu yuki ya meiji wa tku
narinikeri falling snow . . . Meiji has become distant Nakamura Kusatao
村貧しければ雪積むほかはなし 岸風三楼 mura mazushikereba yuki tsumu
hoka wa nashi a village so poor aside from snow piling up there is nothing
Kishi Fusanrō
いくたびも雪の深さを尋ねけり 正岡子規 ikutabi mo yuki no fukasa o
tazunekeri so many times I asked how deep is the snow Masaoka Shiki
This is one haiku of a sequence under the preface "Snow During Illness"
(病中雪【びょうちゅうゆき】 bych yuki). We may imagine a very heavy
snowfall prompting the poet--confined to his sickbed--to ask repeatedly
how much had accumulated. His reason for wanting to know must have
been to help imagine, and perhaps take comfort in, the scene outside.
風花 かざはな kazahana snowflake(s) [literally "snow flowers"]
地理 ちり chiri The Earth
kareno4 kareno1 枯野 かれの kareno withered field
枯原 かれはら karehara withered plain/moor
枯野道 かれのみち karenomichi withered-field path
枯野宿 かれのやど karenoyado withered-field inn/house [that is, a
house/inn in a withered field]
枯野人 かれのびと karenobito withered-field person / someone in a
withered field Fields or plains that look desolate and chillingly forlorn with
the arrival of winter are called "winter fields" or "winter plains". The
season word "withered field" specifically carries the sense that trees and
plants in such fields have thoroughly succumbed to winter's cold. The
image may well include fields covered with frost or snow, but often
seems to suggest a cold wind blowing across a field of withered grasses--
a landscape of essential winter bleakness. Because covering vegetation is
gone, paths or trails through the fields are clearly visible, as are any
houses, and the sight of a person in such a landscape is enough to catch
the viewer's full attention. Season words for such sights include
"withered-field path", ". . . house", and ". . . person". The distinctive
loneliness of withered winter fields has been a topic of Japanese poetry
since medieval times, but the season word kareno became especially
popular among haikai poets during the Edo period. One of the best
examples is Bash's famous death verse (cited below), which suggests
that he took the topic "withered field" to point to his state of mind as his
life drew to an end.
旅に病んで夢は枯野をかけ廻る 芭蕉 tabi ni yande yume wa kareno o
kakemeguru ill on a journey my dreams roam around withered fields Bashō
枯野行く人や小さう見ゆるまで 千代女 kareno yuku hito ya chiisau miyuru
made someone crossing a withered field-visible until quite small Chiyojo
蕭条として石に日の入る枯野かな 蕪村 shj to shite ishi ni hi no iru kareno
kana so desolate the sun enters a stone in this withered field Buson
遠山に日の当りたる枯野かな 高濱虚子 toyama ni hi no ataritaru kareno
kana on a distant mountain the sun has struck a withered field Takahama
Kyoshi
火を焚くや枯野の沖を誰か過ぐ 能村登四郎 hi o taku ya kareno no oki o
tare ka sugu a bonfire burns . . . in depths of a withered field someone
passes Nomura Toshiro A bonfire is burning. In the background lies the
expanse of a wide, desolate field. Far off, someone is visible, walking
away into the distance. Perhaps this is a scene from the author's
experience, but more likely it is an imagined landscape, evoking someone
in the strange isolation of contemporary life.
水涸 みずかる mizu karu （みづかる）, water dries up / water dried up
川涸 かわかる kawa karu river dries/dried up
沼涸 ぬまかる numa karu marsh dries/dried up
池涸 いけかる ike karu pond dries/dried up
滝涸 たきかる taki karu waterfall dries/dried up
kori5 kori2 kori1 氷 こおり kōri （こほり）, ice
厚氷 あつごおり atsugōri thick ice
氷面鏡 ひもかがみ himo kagami mirror ice / ice-mirror When the
temperature outdoors falls to or below freezing, ice forms--a familiar
experience of winter in Japan. In homes where central heating is not the
rule (as is true throughout much of rural and even urban Japan), ice may
cover the surface of buckets or pots of water in the kitchen on a cold
winter morning. Garden ponds, marshes, and lakes freeze over. In the
mountains of the northern regions of Japan, ice becomes thick enough
that one can walk or skate on the surface. Some people enjoy cutting
holes in the ice on lakes to fish. In the far north, the ocean freezes. "Ice
lakes" (氷湖【ひょうこ】 hyko) and "iced sea" (氷海【ひょうかい】 hykai)
are season words under the topic "ice." When the cold is extreme, even
waterfalls freeze solid--"freezing waterfall" (凍滝【いてたき】 itetaki) and
"waterfall iced up" (滝氷る【たきこおる】 taki kru) are words used in
haikai for such phenomena. When rivers freeze over, brushwood may be
laid on the surface to form a temporary bridge, called an "ice bridge" (氷橋
【こおりばし】 kribashi). When the frozen surface of a river or lake shines
like a mirror it is called an "ice mirror".
折れ沈む竹のうへなる氷かな 蘭更 oreshizumu take no ue naru kri kana
over broken and sinking bamboo stalks this ice Rank
あかつきや氷をふくむ水白し 白雄 akatsuki ya kori o fukumu mizu shiroshi
dawn light . . . the water full of ice is white Shirao
せせらぎや氷を走る炊ぎ水 一茶 seseragi ya kori o hashiru kashigi mizu a
little stream: cooking water runs over the ice Issa
氷上を滑りし礫とどまれり 丘本風彦 hyj o suberishi tsubute todomareri
the stone sliding over the ice comes to a stop Okamoto Kazahiko A large
pond is frozen over. From its bank, children throw stones. These skid
across the ice before coming to a stop. The game is to see whose stone
slides the furthest.
tsurara2 tsurara1 氷柱 つらら tsurara icicle
垂氷 たるひ taruhi hanging ice / icicle
生活 せいかつ seikatsu Daily Life
futon2 futon1 蒲団（布団） ふとん futon futon [Japanese-style quilted
bedding]
干蒲団 ほしぶとん hoshibuton quilt-drying / quilt-airing / (an) airing quilt
掛蒲団 かけぶとん kakebuton top quilt / coverlet
敷蒲団 しきぶとん shikibuton mattress / underquilt
掻巻 かいまき kaimaki sleeved futon
茎漬 くきづけ kukizuke pickled leaves and stems [of daikon, turnip, and
so on]
沢庵漬 たくあんづけ takuanzuke pickled daikon [Japanese white radish]
大根漬ける だいこんつける daikon tsukeru (to) pickle daikon
雑炊 ぞうすい sōsui （ざうすゐ）, mixed porridge
おじゃ oja boiled porridge
根深汁 ねぶかじる nebukajiru leek soup
葱汁 ねぎじる negijiru leek soup
風呂吹 ふろふき furofuki boiled daikon [or turnip]
冬構 ふゆがまえ fuyugamae winter maintenance
冬囲 ふゆがこい fuyugakoi winter enclosure
冬籠 ふゆごもり fuyugomori winter seclusion / winter confinement
炉開 ろびらき robiraki opening the hearth
大根干す だいこんほす daikon hosu (to) dry daikon [Japanese white
radish]
だいこ干す だいこほす daiko hosu (to) dry daikon
干大根 だいこん hoshidaikon dried daikon
切干 きりぼし kiriboshi cut and dried (daikon)
狩 かり kari hunting
猟解禁 りょうかいきん ryōkaikin opening of hunting season
狩猟 しゅりょう shuryō hunting
猟犬 りょうけん ryōken hunting dog(s) / hound(s)
猪狩 ししがり shishigari boar-hunting
鹿狩 しかがり shikagari deer-hunting [sometimes pronounced
ししがり shishigari and used interchangeably with the previous kigo]
網代 あじろ ajiro wicker fishnet
網代木 あじろぎ ajirogi wicker netting [the material]
網代守 あじろもり ajiromori fishnet-watcher takibi1
焚火 たきび takibi (open) fire / bonfire
朝焚火 あさたきび asa-takibi morning bonfire
夕焚火 ゆうたきび yū-takibi evening bonfire
夜焚火 よたきび yo-takibi nighttime bonfire
探梅 たんばい tanbai searching for plum blossoms
探梅行 たんばいこう tanbaikō plum-blossom-seeking excursion
息白し いきしろし iki shiroshi breath (is) white
白息 しろいき shiroiki white breath
木の葉髪 このはがみ ko-no-ha-gami leafy hair [old name for the tenth
lunar month; reflects leaves falling and lodging in one's hair]
年忘 としわすれ toshi-wasure year-end party [literally "year-forgetting"]
忘年会 ぼうねんかい bōnenkai year-end party / New Year's Eve party
行事 ぎょうじ gyōji Observances
顔見世 かおみせ kaomise season debut [of kabuki theater, in December]
歌舞伎の顔見世 かぶきのかおみせ kabuki no kaomise kabuki season debut
面見世 つらみせ tsuramise season debut [of kabuki]
足揃 あしぞろえ ashizoroe actors' lineup [a ritual before the season
debut; common to Kyoto and Osaka kabuki theaters]
七五三 しちごさん shichigosan Seven-Five-Three (Festival) [15 November;
shrine visit by children ages 7, 5, and 3]
七五三祝 しめいわい shimeiwai celebrating Seven-Five-Three
七五三の祝 しちごさんのいわい shichigosan no iwai Seven-Five-Three
congratulations toshi-no-ichi1
年の市 としのいち toshi-no-ichi year-end market/fair [in preparation for
New-Year holiday]
酉の市 とりのいち tori no ichi Rooster Market [held on the day of the
rooster in November]
一の酉 いちのとり ichi no tori first (day of the) rooster
二の酉 にのとり ni no tori second (day of the) rooster
三の酉 さんのとり san no tori third (day of the) rooster
酉の町 とりのまち tori no machi rooster town [that is, the Rooster
Market]
お酉さま おとりさま otori-sama Mr./Lord Rooster
熊手市 くまでいち kumade ichi lucky-rake market
おかめ市 おかめいち okame ichi Okame-mask market [mask represents 天
鈿女命【あまのうずめのみこと】 Ama no Uzume no Mikoto (also known
as Okame), goddess of mirth] basho-ki4 basho-ki3 basho-ki2
芭蕉忌 ばしょうき bashō-ki （ばせをき）, Bashō's (Death) Anniversary /
Bashō's Memorial Day [12th day of the 10th lunar month; 28 November
Gregorian; Matsuo Bashō (1644-94) is considered the first great master of
haikai]
時雨忌 しぐれき shigure-ki Winter-Drizzle Anniversary [for the time of year
when Bashō died]
桃青忌 とうせいき tōsei-ki Peach Green Anniversary [after one of Bashō's
longest-used pen names]
翁忌 おきなき okina-ki Venerable's Anniversary / Old Man's anniversary [in
haikai contexts, always refers to Bashō]
無村忌 ぶそんき buson-ki Buson's (Death) Anniversary / Buson's Memorial
Day [25th day of the 12th lunar month; 17 January Gregorian; Yosa
Buson (1716-84), second only to Bashō as a great haikai master]
春星忌 しゅんせいき shunsei-ki Spring Star Anniversary [after one of
Buson's artistic names]
動物 どうぶつ dōbutsu Animals
taka3 taka2 taka1 鷹 たか taka hawk
鷹渡る たかわたる taka wataru hawk(s) migrate
隼 はやぶさ hayabusa peregrine falcon [Falco peregrinus]
木菟 みみずく mimizuku （みみづく）, horned owl [Asio species]
ずく zuku horned owl
大木葉菟 おおこのはずく ōkonohazuku collared scops owl [Otus
bakkamoena]
水鳥 みずとり mizutori （みづとり）, waterfowl
浮寝鳥 うきねどり ukinedori bird(s) asleep on the water
鴨 かも kamo wild duck(s)
鴨渡る かもわたる kamo wataru wild ducks migrate [into Japan's
waterways] fugu5 fugu4
河豚 ふぐ fugu puffer / blowfish / globefish [Spheroides species]
ふく fuku puffer fish / blow fish
ふくと fukuto puffer fish / blow fish
ふぐと fuguto puffer fish / blow fish
牡蛎 かき kaki oyster(s)
冬の蜂 ふゆのはち fuyu no hachi winter bee/wasp
冬蜂 ふゆばち fuyubachi winter bee/wasp
凍蜂 いてばち itebachi freezing/frozen bee/wasp
植物 しょくぶつ shokubutsu Plants
帰り花 かえりばな kaeribana （かへりばな）, returning flowers
返り花 かえりばな kaeribana returning flowers [carries the overtone of
"fading"]
忘れ花 わすればな wasurebana forgetful flowers / forgotten flowers
[forgetful of the time of year / bloomed some time ago and
unexpectedly returned]
帰り咲 かえりざき kaerizaki return flowering / return of flowering
狂い咲 くるいざき kuruizaki off-season flowering [literally "confused
flowering"] sazanka7 sazanka5 sazanka1
山茶花 さざんか sazanka （さざんくわ）, sasanqua [Camellia sasanqua, a
member of the camellia family, but note its later bloom-time]
茶花 さざんか sazanka sasanqua [not to be confused with 茶花【ちゃば
な】 chabana, "tea flowers", an informal flower arrangement for tea
ceremony (not a season word)]
姫椿 ひめつばき himetsubaki sasanqua [literally "princess-camellia"]
小椿 こつばき kotsubaki sasanqua [literally "small camellia"]
八手のはな やつでのはな yatsude no hana Japanese aralia blossoms /
Japanese fatsia blossoms [Fatsia japonica]
柊の花 ひいらぎのはな hiiragi no hana （ひひらぎのはな）, holly
osmanthus blossoms / holly tea-olive blossoms [Osmanthus heterophyllus,
similar to English holly Ilex aquifolium]
茶の花 ちゃのはな cha no hana tea blossoms [Thea sinensis]
蜜柑 みかん mikan mikan / mandarin orange [fruit of the Citrus reticulata]
枇杷のはな びわのはな biwa no hana （びはのはな）, loquat blossom(s)
紅葉散る もみじちる momiji chiru （もみぢちる）, red leaves fall / colored
leaves fall
木の葉 このは ko-no-ha leaves of trees [noted for drying, falling, blowing
in wind]
木の葉散る このはちる ko-no-ha chiru tree-leaves fall
ochiba3 ochiba2 落葉 おちば ochiba fallen leaves
落葉焚 おちばたき ochiba-taki leaf fire
落葉掻 おちばかき ochiba-kaki leaf rake
落葉籠 おちばかご ochiba-kago leaf basket
枯木 かれき kareki withered tree(s) / leafless tree(s)
冬木立 ふゆこだち fuyu kodachi winter grove (of trees)
裸木 はだかぎ hadakagi naked/leafless trees
冬枯 ふゆがれ fuyugare winter withering
枯るる かるる karuru (to) wither / (to) be withered [in winter]
水仙 すいせん suisen （すゐせん）, narcissus [Narcissus tazetta]
枯菊 かれぎく karegiku withered chrysanthemums
菊枯る きくかる kiku karu chrysanthemums wither
枯蓮 かれはす kare-hasu withered lotus(es)
蓮枯る はすかる hasu karu lotuses wither / lotus withers
白菜 はくさい hakusai Chinese cabbage / bok choy [Brassica sinensis]
葱 ねぎ negi stone leek(s) [Allium fistulosum, also known as "Welch
onions"]
根深 ねぶか nebuka stone leek(s) [literally "root-deep"]
葉葱 はねぎ hanegi leafy leek(s)
大根 だいこん daikon daikon [the Japanese white radish, Raphanus
sativas, much used in cooking]
枯草 かれくさ karekusa withered plants [includes more than grasses]
草枯 くさがれ kusagare the withering of plants
枯尾花 かれおばな kare-obana （かれをばな）, withered pampas grass
[Miscanthus sinensis]
枯芒 かれすすき kare-susuki withered pampas grass
冬芒 ふゆすすき fuyu-susuki winter pampas grass
枯芝 かれしば kare-shiba withered lawn / withered turf
枯葎 かれむぐら kare-mugura withered creepers [refers to
金葎【かなむぐら】 kanamugura, Humulus japonicus], sometimes called
"Japanese hop(s)" or "Japanese hemp"]
石蕗の花 つわのはな tsuwa no hana （つはのはな）, rock butterbur
flowers / rock fuki flowers [literal renderings; Farfugium japonicum, also
known as 石蕗【つわぶき】 tsuwabuki; a garden variety, aureomaculata,
has spotted leaves and is called "leopard plant"]
冬萌 ふゆもえ fuyu-moe winter sprouts [first green sprouts under winter-
withered plants]
春 はる haru Spring
時候 じこう jikō The Season
旧正月 きゅうしょうがつ kyūshōgatsu （きうしやうぐわつ）, Lunar New
Year [="Chinese New Year"] 旧正 きゅうしょう kyūshō Lunar New Year
寒明 かんあけ kan'ake the cold breaks
寒明ける かんあける kan akeru the cold breaks
寒の明 かんのあけ kan no ake a break in the cold risshun1
立春 りっしゅん risshun beginning of spring [one of the 24 Seasonal
Essences (fortnightly periods); about 4 Feb]
春立つ はるたつ haru tatsu spring begins
春来る はるくる haru kuru spring comes This is one of the Twenty-Four
Seasonal Essences into which the year is divided, according to the sun's
position with respect to the earth. Spring begins on the day when the
sun's celestial longitude is 315 degrees. This is the midpoint between the
winter solstice and the vernal equinox, and a seasonal division in the
traditional Chinese solar calendar. (See the note on the Twenty-Four
Seasonal Essences.) In addition to having to think about agriculture
during this period of roughly two weeks called "the beginning of spring",
one notices the lengthening hours of daylight, though it is still cold. Aside
from the calendar saying it is spring, we recall the signs of spring even
more than we notice sensations. Since the beginning of spring nearly
coincided with New Year's Day in the old lunar calendar, people used to
compose on such topics as "this spring morning" (今朝の春【けさのはる】
kesa no haru) and "this spring day" (今日の春【きょうのはる】 kyo no
haru). Now such topics are used exclusively on New Year's Day in the
Gregorian calendar. In that calendar, the beginning of spring falls on the
day after "the seasonal divide" (節分【せつぶん】 setsubun), thus about
the 4th or 5th of February.
春立ちてまだ九日の野山かな 芭蕉 haru tachite mada kokonoka no
noyama kana spring begins and still these fields and mountains of the
ninth day . . . Basho
門々の下駄の泥より春立ちぬ 一茶 kadokado no geta no doro yori haru
tachinu from the mud of geta going gate-to-gate spring begins Issa
["Geta" are traditional wooden sandals worn outdoors.]
立春の雑草園の草ごよみ 山口青邨 risshun no zassen no kusa-goyomi the
beginning of spring by the weed-garden's plant calendar Yamaguchi
Seison
立春の月の早くもあがりけり 安住敦 risshun no tsuki no hayaku mo
agarikeri the beginning-of-spring moon--how quickly it came up Azumi
Atsushi
立春の米こぼれをり葛西橋 石田波郷 risshun no kome koboreori kasaibashi
the beginning-of-spring rice has spilled over . . . Kasai Bridge Ishida
Hakyoo This verse was written in the first year after the end of the
Pacific War. A knowledge of the Kasai area of Tokyo gives it deep
meaning. (The Edo River empties into Tokyo Bay at Kasai, on the border
of Chiba Prefecture. The area is now a bird sanctuary.) On his way across
the bridge, the poet suddenly saw a few pure white grains of rice there;
in them, he felt the day as the beginning of spring and then perhaps
understood the hope rising in his heart. (In February 1946, rice--all food--
was scarce.)
冴返る さえかえる sae-kaeru （さえかへる）, cold returns / (it is) cold
and clear
余寒 よかん yokan remaining cold
残る寒さ のこるさむさ nokoru samusa lingering cold harumeku3
harumeku1
春めく はるめく haru meku signs of spring / it looks like spring
如月 きさらぎ 衣更着 kisaragi Second (lunar) Month [means something
like "Regeneration Month", roughly equivalent to Gregorian March]
啓蟄 けいちつ keichitsu insects appear / insects astir / bugs come out
[literally, "end of insect hibernation", one of the 24 Seasonal Essences,
about 5 March]
彼岸 ひがん higan Higan / equinoctial week [literally, "that shore"--i.e., of
Buddhist paradise; the week of which the (spring) equinox is the center;
see
秋彼岸 akihigan] 弥生 やよい yayoi （やよひ）, Third (Lunar) Month
[literally, "Increasing Growth"; approximately April]
春日 はるひ haruhi a day in spring / spring day / spring sun [either or both
meanings simultaneously, depending on context]
春の日 はるのひ haru no hi spring day / spring sun
春日 しゅんじつ shunjitsu spring day / spring sun
春日影 はるひかげ haru hikage spring sunlight/sunshine
春暁 しゅんぎょう shungyō （しゅんげう）, spring dawn
春の暁 はるのあかつき haru no akatsuki spring dawn
春の曙 はるのあけぼの haru no akebono spring daybreak
春の宵 はるのよい haru no yoi （はるのよひ）, an evening in spring
春宵 しゅんしょう shunshō spring evening
宵の春 よいのはる yoi no haru (this) evening's spring
麗か うららか uraraka bright (and clear) / splendid [of weather]
うらら urara bright (and clear) / splendid
長閑 のどか nodoka calm/tranquil/serene [of weather]
のどけし nodokeshi calm/tranquil/serene hinaga1
日永 ひなが hinaga day(s) lengthening
永き日 ながきひ nagaki hi long day(s) From the vernal equinox (春分【しゅ
んぶん】 shunbun) little by little the days grow longer. Strictly speaking,
the days are longest at the summer solstice, but the seasonal topic "days
lengthening" belongs to spring. Not in the language of science, but in
the language of poetry the days growing longer seems to convey a
feeling of spring tranquillity. "Slow days" (遅日【ちじつ】 chijitsu) gives
the same meaning of slow, lengthening spring days; further, "dusk is
lingering" (暮遅し【くれおそし】 kure ososhi) has the feeling of the day's
strength in the lingering twilight.
がつくりと暇になる日の永さかな 嵐雪 gakkuri to hima ni naru hi no
nagasa kana discouraged by free time on a day this long Ransetsu
永き日の口明け通る烏かな 一茶 nagaki hi no kuchiake tru karasu kana long
days' opening . . . this crow passes through Issa
のぞき見ては塀穴ふさぐ日永かな 杉田久女 nozoki mite wa heiana fusagu
nagaki hi kana as I take a peek the hole in the wall closes-- this long day
Sugita Hisajo
永き日やみな憂ひもつ患者の目 古賀まり子 nagaki hi ya mina urei motsu
kanja no me long days . . . all filled with their sorrows the patients' eyes
Koga Mariko
永き日のにはとり柵を越えにけり 芝不器男 nagaki hi no niwatori saku o
koenikeri a long day the rooster has gone over the fence Shiba Fukio This
is a peaceful scene of spring tranquillity in a village. Most people fully enjoy
quiet spring days in that leisurely world where time ebbs and flows.
Trying to catch a boisterous rooster only deepens the quiet.
花冷え はなびえ hanabie (cherry) blossom chill [chilly late spring weather]
蛙の目借時 かわずのめかりどき kawazu no me karidoki （かはづのめかり
どき）, time when frogs borrow (human) eyes [an old saying for the
drowsiness of late spring]
目借時 めかりどき me karidoki time of borrowed eyes
八十八夜 はちじゅうはちや hachi-jū-hachi-ya （はちじふはちや）, eighty-
eighth night [from risshun 立春【りっしゅん】, i.e., the end of spring]
暮の春 くれのはる kure no haru the end of spring
暮春 ぼしゅん boshun spring's end
春暮るる はるくるる haru kururu spring ends / spring comes to a close.
春の果 はるのはて haru no hate the end of spring
春惜しむ はるおしむ haru oshimu （はるをしむ）, (to) lament spring
[that is, spring's passing]
惜春 せきしゅん sekishun lamenting spring
天文 てんぶん tenbun The Heavens
春の月 はるのつき haru no tsuki moon in spring
春月 しゅんげつ shungetsu spring moon oboro3 oboro2
朧 おぼろ oboro misty (night) / hazy (night) [see "On Haze, Mist, Fog"]
草朧 くさおぼろ kusa oboro misty grass (at night) / hazy grass (at night)
月朧 つきおぼろ tsuki oboro misty moon / hazy moon Oboro refers to
something indistinct, vague, unclear, but in haikai it means a misty or hazy
spring night. Such terms as "hazy grass" and "hazy moon" are also used.
Especially, like the pleasing impression of moonlight touching pampas grass
silk, that distant brightness in the night yields a refined enjoyment.
大原や蝶の出て舞う朧月 丈草 hara ya ch no dete mau oborozuki Broad
Plains . . . a butterfly flutters out under a hazy moon Js ["Broad Plains" is
hara, north of Kyoto; nearby, the Empress Dowager Kenreimon'in spent
her last years in a secluded nunnery, after the fall of the Taira and the
death of her infant son, the Emperor Antoku.]
袴包みて使に渡す朧かな 長谷川かな女 hakama tsutsumite tsukai ni watasu
oboro kana swathed in hakama he passes by on an errand-- these mists
Hasegawa Kanajo [Hakama are full trousers, part of men's traditional
formal attire.]
引いてやる子の手のぬくき朧かな 中村汀女 hiite yaru ko no te no nukuki
oboro kana how warm the hand of the child I pull along-- these mists
Nakamura Teijo
辛崎の松は花より朧にて 芭蕉 karasaki no matsu wa hana yori oboro nite
Karasaki's pine fainter than the blossoms muted in mist Bash This verse
tells of looking out at the Pine of Karasaki in the distance over the waters
of Lake Biwa. The particle nite brings the poem to an end with a light
touch, yielding a lingering charm; though cherry blossoms are not
immediately apparent, adding "fainter than the blossoms" paints the
scene with a misty glaze.
春の星 はるのほし haru no hoshi stars in spring
春星 しゅんせい shunsei spring stars harukaze1
春風 はるかぜ harukaze spring breeze / spring wind
春の風 はるのかぜ harunokaze spring breeze / spring wind
東風 こち kochi east wind
強東風 つよごち tsuyogochi strong east wind.
朝東風 あさごち asagochi morning east wind
夕東風 ゆうごち yūgochi evening east wind
貝寄風 かいよせ kaiyose shell-drawing wind [a west wind of late March or
early April]
貝寄 かいよせ kaiyose shell-drawing wind
涅槃西風 ねはんにし nehan-nishi Nirvana West Wind [during the time of
the Nirvana Festival
涅槃会 nehan'e, which see]
彼岸西風 ひがんにし higan-nishi Higan West Wind [during Higan 彼岸,
which see] 風光る かぜひかる haze hikaru the wind shines
春塵 しゅんじん shunjin （しゅんぢん）, spring dust (in the air)
春埃 はるぼこり harubokori spring dust
春の塵 はるのちり haru no chiri dust of spring
霾 つちふる tsuchifuru falling dust / dirt rain
春雨 はるさめ harusame spring rain
春の雨 はるのあめ haru no ame rains of spring
春の雪 はるのゆき haru no yuki spring snow
春雪 しゅんせつ shunsetsu spring snow 淡雪
あわゆき awayuki light snow
斑雪 はだれゆき hadareyuki （はだらゆき）, patchy snow
はだら hadara patchy snow
はだれ hadare patchy snow
はだれ野 はだれの hadareno snow-dappled field(s)
別れ霜 わかれじも wakarejimo parting frost [i.e., the last]
忘れ霜 わすれじも wasurejimo last frost [literally, "forgotten frost"]
霜の名残 しものなごり shimo no nagori traces of frost
晩霜 ばんそう bansō end of frost
春の雷 はるのらい haru no rai thunder in spring
春雷 しゅんらい shun'rai spring thunder kasumi6 kasumi3 kasumi2
霞 かすみ kasumi (spring) mist [frequently translated "haze"; see note
"On Haze, Mist, Fog"]
朝霞 あさがすみ asagasumi morning mist
夕霞 ゆうがすみ yūgasumi evening mist
遠霞 とおがすみ tōgasumi distant mist This refers to being unable to see
things in the distance because they are obscured by a somewhat cloudy
atmosphere. This is not a meteorologist's technical term, but indicates
mist made up of fine droplets of water floating in the air. The
phenomenon is common in autumn, with "fog" (霧【きり】 kiri) being
the established autumn kidai; however, when we say "mist" (霞【かす
み】 kasumi), that is the term for spring. It seems that water vapor rising
in warm air, making all of nature look blurred and calm, permeates things
with the tranquillity of spring. In addition to "morning mist", "evening
mist", and "distant mist", poets use such phrases as "the grass is misty"
(草霞む【くさかすむ】 kusa kasumu) and "the bell is mist-muffled" (鐘霞む
【かねかすむ】 kane kasumu). However, when the same phenomenon
occurs at night, it is called "misty" (朧【おぼろ】 oboro, which see above).
指南車を胡地に引去る霞かな 蕪村 shinansha o kochi ni hikisaru kasumi
kana a guided coach withdrawn into an old place-- this mistiness Buson [A
"guided coach" (shinansha, literally "points-south vehicle") is a coach with
a compass built in to guide the driver; it suggests olden times.]
来て見れば霞の松に日暮れたり 暁台 kite mireba kasumi no matsu ni hi
kuretari when I come to look: the misty pine the sun is setting in Gyodai
夕がすみ灯台ともること早し 高濱年尾 ygasumi tdai tomoru koto hayashi
evening mist the lighthouse lights up a bit early Takahama Toshio
肉白き病体に世もかすみたる 飯田龍太 niku shiroki bytai ni yo mo
kasumitaru flesh white in my sick body too the world is misty Iida Ryuta
馬借りてかはるがはるに霞みけり 蓼太 uma karite kawarugawaru ni
kasumikeri taking turns on a borrowed horse mist-shrouded Ryta The
preface to the poem is "traveling"「行旅」. Some people take turns
riding a single borrowed horse. Not overly concerned with getting to
their destination quickly, the two or three companions are leisurely
enjoying the spring scene. Going ahead, the one on the horse sits in the
thin mist.
陽炎 かげろう kagerō （かげろふ）, heat shimmer [visual distortion in the
air over a heated surface; sometimes misleadingly translated "heat waves"]
糸遊 いとゆう itoyū gossamer / spider silk [literally "thread play"; there is
some confusion over this kigo, as these two very different phenomena
were apparently once thought to be similar or related; itoyū refers to the
silk of balloon spiders, most common in autumn, where some authorities
place this as a separate kidai]
花曇 はなぐもり hanagumori (cherry) blossom haze [hazy weather,
especially in the vicinity of cherry blossoms, in late spring]
鳥曇 とりぐもり torigumori bird haze [hazy weather in mid spring, when
migrating birds are flying]
鰊曇 にしんぐもり nishingumori herring clouds [metaphorical; see nishin,
herring]
地理 ちり chiri The Earth
山笑ふ やまわらう yama warau hills/mountains smile/laugh [metaphorical: i.
e., are covered with budding and/or blossoming trees]
笑う山 わらうやま warau yama （わらふやま）, smiling/laughing
hills/mountains
水温む みずぬるむ mizu nurumu （みづぬるむ）, waters warm up
温む水 ぬるむみず nurumu mizu warmer waters
春の海 はるのうみ haru no umi spring sea
haruta3 haruta1 春田 はるた haru ta spring paddy field(s)
春の田 はるのた haru no ta rice paddies in spring This refers to rice
paddies in the spring, before the seedlings have been planted. Over the
surface of some paddies, "vetch" (紫雲英【げんげ】 genge) will be
blooming, and others will be roughly plowed. Later, as paddies are
prepared for plowing, the ridges repaired between them, the paddies
raked, and so on, the paddies become busy with farm workers. As wet
paddies, they will shine brilliantly. But when one speaks of "spring
paddies" there are hardly any people out there; everywhere feelings of
loneliness and silence remain. (As the first example below makes clear,
simply naming the spring paddies of a significant place--or one's native
place--becomes a moving paean to spring melancholy.)
みちのくの伊達の郡の春田かな 富安風生 michinoku no date no koori no
haruta kana ah--the spring paddies of Date country in Michinoku Tomiyasu
Fusei [Michinoku is the old name for the northeastern provinces of
Honshu, in which the region around Sendai was the fief of the powerful
Date family.]
野の虹と春田の虹と空に合ふ 水原秋櫻子 no no niji to haruta no niji to
sora ni au the rainbow of the moor and the rainbow of the spring paddies
meet in the sky Mizuhara Shuoshi
許されし水狂奔す春の田を 相馬遷子 yurusareshi mizu kyhon su haru no ta
o released the water rushes wildly into the spring paddies Souma Senshi
湿り香の大陽を置き春田鋤く 佐藤鬼房 shimeri ka no taiy o oki haruta suku
ignoring the sun's damp aroma--I spade the spring paddy Sat Onifusa
大仏へ抜ける裏道春田かな 久本十美二 daibutsu e nukeru uramichi haruta
kana on the back roads leading to the Great Buddha-- these spring
paddies Hisamoto Tomiji
能登の海春田昃れば照りにけり 清崎敏朗 noto no umi haruta kagereba
terinikeri the sea at Noto as the spring paddies darkened began to shine
Kiyozaki Toshio Now darkened under snow clouds, in Noto too spring has
come. That said, the wind is still cold, and usually when one thinks of
brightness, it grows cloudy. But, as the fields of "One Thousand Paddies"
grew dark, over the sea the sun brightened. Here and there, plowmen in
the paddy fields take notice. (Noto is a large peninsula on Honshu's north
coast, in the Sea of Japan.)
春泥 しゅんでい shundei spring mud
春の泥 はるのどろ haru no doro mud of spring zansetsu2 zansetsu1
残雪 ざんせつ zansetsu remaining snow
残る雪 のこるゆき nokoru yuki lingering snow
雪残る ゆきのこる yuki nokoru snow lingers
雪の名残 ゆきのなごり yuki no nagori traces of snow This is the snow left
when spring has come. It means the snow that originally fell and piled up
all winter long and remains here and there after spring has finally come
and it begins to melt. In addition, though there are not many places with
lots of snow, there are places where snow fell and stayed at the end of
winter. Downtown, snow disapears quickly, but in back of homes and the
shade of bushes, on shaded mountainsides and under trees, and also
along distant mountain ranges, lingering snow glitters. When snow melts
off in spring, a "snow crevice" may hold snow in a crack, and continue to
drip after other places are dry.
雪残る頂一つ国境 正岡子規 yuki nokoru itadaki hitotsu kunizakai snow
lingers on a single summit: the boundary Masaoka Shiki
一枚の餅のごとくに雪残る 川端茅舎 ichimai no mochi no gotoku ni yuki
nokoru just like a single rice cake snow remains Kawabata Bousha
残雪やごうごうと吹く松の風 村上鬼城 zansetsu ya gougou to fuku matsu
no kaze remaining snow . . . roaring through the pines the wind Murakami
Kijo
滝みだれ大残雪にひびき落つ 水原秋櫻子 taki midare daizansetsu ni hibiki
otsu tumbling cascade in the large remaining snowbank an echo falls
Mizuhara Shuoshi
残雪光袋に透いて菓子の影 中村草田男 zansetsukou fukuro ni suite kashi
no kage light of remaining snow in a translucent bag shadows of pastry
Nakamura Kusatao
残雪の尾根星ぞらの若々し 千代田葛彦 zansetsu no one hoshizora no
wakawakashi remaining snow on the ridge the starry sky looks so fresh
Chiyoda Kuzuhiko There is a ridge of remaining snow on the high
mountains, and beyond that the broad starry sky is another sign of
spring; they create the feeling of moisture here and there. The
expression "looks so fresh" (wakawakashi) shows how the arrival of spring
gladdens the heart.
雪解 ゆきどけ yukidoke snowmelt
雪解 ゆきげ yukige snowmelt
雪解水 ゆきげみず yukige mizu snow meltwater
雪解川 ゆきげがわ yukigegawa snowmelt river
雪解野 ゆきげの yukigeno snowmelt meadow(s)/field(s)
雪解風 ゆきげかぜ yukige kaze snowmelt breeze/wind
雪解雫 ゆきげしずく yukige shizuku snowmelt droplets
雪解光 ゆきげこう yukige-kō snowmelt radiance
雪しろ ゆきしろ 雪代 yukishiro snowmelt runoff
雪汁 ゆきじる yukijiru slush [literally "snow soup"]
雪濁り ゆきにごり yuki nigori snowmelt-muddy [bodies of water]
雪しろ水 ゆきしろみず yukishiro mizu snowmelt runoff water
薄氷 うすらい usurai （うすらひ）, thin ice
薄氷 うすごうり usugōri thin ice
春の氷 はるのこうり haru no kōri spring ice
流氷 りゅうひょう ryūhyō （りうひょう） ice floe(s)
氷流るる こおりながるる kōri nagaruru （りうひょう）, ice flows
生活 せいかつ seikatsu Daily Life
花衣 はなごろも hanagoromo flower(-viewing) clothes
花見衣 はなみごろも hanamigoromo flower-viewing clothes
noyaku8 noyaku6 noyaku4 noyaku3 野焼く のやく no yaku (to) burn field
(s)
野焼 のやき noyaki field-burning
花菜漬 はななづけ hanana-zuke pickled rape greens / pickled mustard
greens
菜の花漬 なのはなづけ na-no-hana-zuke pickled rape greens / pickled
mustard greens
木の芽和 きのめあえ ki-no-me-ae （きのめあへ）, Japanese-pepper bud
salad / prickly-ash bud salad [山椒 sanshō, Zanthoxylum piperitum; to
avoid confusion with this spicy plant, colloquial ki-no-me for "tree buds" is
avoided in haikai]
目刺 めざし mezashi dried sardines [strung on a stick through the eyes]
目刺鰯 めざしいわし mezashi dried sardines
ほおざし hōzashi dried sardines
草餅 くさもち kusamochi mugwort mochi
蓬餅 よもぎもち yomogimochi mugwort mochi
菜飯 なめし nameshi (cooked) rice with mustard greens [see 菜の花 na
no hana]
春炬燵 はるごたつ harugotatsu spring kotatsu [which see]
炉塞 ろふさぎ ro-fusagi closing the hearth
炉を塞ぐ ろをふさぐ ro o fusagu (to) close the hearth
炉の名残 ろのなごり ro no nagori farewell to the hearth [a tea ceremony
before closing the hearth]
炬燵塞ぐ こたつふさぐ kotatsu fusagu (to) close the kotatsu [which see]
北窓開く きたまどひらく kita mado hiraku (to) open north window(s)
麦踏 むぎふみ mugi-fumi barley-treading
麦を踏む むぎをふむ mugi o fumu (to) tread on barley
耕 たがやし tagayashi plow/plough
耕人 こうじん kōjin plowman/ploughman
耕馬 こうば kōba plow/plough horse
耕午 こうぎゅう kōgyū plow/plough/draft/draught ox
春耕 しゅんこう shunkō spring plowing/ploughing
畦塗 あぜぬり azenuri ridge-plastering [between rice paddies]
くわぬり kuwanuri （畔塗）, embankment-plastering [between paddies]
塗畦 ぬりあぜ nuriaze plastered ridge(s) [between paddies]
種蒔 たねまき tanemaki seed-planting
播種 ばしゅ bashu planting seed(s)
物種蒔く ものだねまく monodane maku (to) plant various seeds
[connotation: "to plant life"; most authorities place this as a separate kidai
in mid spring]
種下 たねおろし tane oroshi seed-planting
籾蒔く もみまく momi maku (to) plant rice
花種蒔く はなだねまく hanadane maku (to) plant flower seeds With rice
culture at the core of Japan's agriculture, "seed-planting" refers to
planting seed rice in "nursery beds" where it will grow into seedlings. On
the other hand, the term may also refer to planting the seeds of
vegetables and flowering plants. Farmers plant the rice seeds in nursery
beds after "seed-selection" (removing inferior seeds) and "seed-soaking"
(to encourage germination). They work with a hopeful feeling.
Depending on the natural features and climate of the locale, seed-
planting takes place between Higan (彼岸【ひがん】, the week of the
vernal equinox) and the "Eighty-Eighth Night" (八十八夜【はちじゅうはち
や】 hachijhachiya, from the beginning of spring; the second or third of
May). The shape of "remaining snow" (残雪【ざんせつ】 zansetsu) on a
nearby mountain, the blooming of "kobus magnolia" (辛夷【こぶし】
kobushi), and similar seasonal phenomena help determine planting time.
種蒔もよしや十日の雨ののち 蕪村 tanemaki mo yoshi ya tka no ame no
nochi the seed planting so good--after ten days' rain Buson
この寒さ心得てをり籾おろし 阿波野青畝 kono samusa kokoroete ori momi
orishi this coldness he knows it well sowing rice Awano Seiho
種蒔けば天をかぎりの夕焼ぞ 大野林火 tani makeba ten o kagiri no yyake
zo they plant seeds-- to the limits of the sky this sunset glow Ohno Rinka
種蒔いて黒土にいのち弾む日よ 三谷昭 tane maite kurotsuchi ni inochi
hasumu hi yo sowing seeds life in the black earth the springing sun Mitani
Akira
蒔き終へてなほ叩きけり種袋 米戸豊春 makioete naotatakikeri tanebukuro
the sowing done now it gets repaired: the seed bag Yonedo Hōshun
種まきし上にこまかな夜気が乗る 平畑静塔 tane makishi ue ni komaka na
yaki ga noru seeds planted a thin evening chill rises over them Hirahata
Seitou This morning, rice was planted in the nursery beds. From then to
now, seed bag after seed bag, the rice was planted grain-by-grain. Each
grain will make a world. Even at night, the rice grains can be clearly seen.
Somehow, they seem already beginning to grow.
苗木市 なえぎいち naegi-ichi （なへぎいち）, sapling market
植木市 うえきいち ueki-ichi potted-plant market
剪定 せんてい sentei pruning
根分 ねわけ ne-wake root-dividing / separating seedlings
桑解く くわとく kuwa toku （くはとく）, (to) untie mulbery (trees)
[wrapped for winter]
蚕飼 こがい kogai （こがひ）, raising silkworms / sericulture
養蚕 ようさん yōsan sericulture / raising silkworms
種紙 たねがみ tanegami （蚕卵紙）, silkworm egg paper
掃立 はきたて hakitate brushing silkworms [from egg paper]
蚕籠 こかご kokago silkworm cage
飼屋 かいや kaiya silkworm shed
蚕棚 かいこだな kaikodana silkworm rack
蚕室 さんしつ sanshitsu silkworm room
蚕飼時 こがいどき kogaidoki silkworm-raising time
茶摘 ちゃつみ chatsumi tea picking
一番茶 いちばんちゃ ichibancha first-grade tea [first picking]
茶摘女 ちゃつみめ chatsumime tea-picker [female]
茶摘唄 ちゃつみうた chatsumi-uta tea-picking song
茶山 ちゃやま chayama tea-hill/mountain
茶畑 ちゃばたけ chabatake tea field(s)
茶摘籠 ちゃつみかご chatsumikago tea-picking basket
shiohi3 shiohi1 潮干 しおひ shiohi （しほひ）, low tide
干潟 ひがた higata tideland
潮干狩 しおひがり shiohigari beachcombing / low-tide (shell) gathering
Around the third day of the third month in the lunar calendar, we have
the middle of the spring tides--or "the great tide" (大潮【おおしお】
shio). Then the ebb and flow of the tides are extreme, and the low-tide
flats extend toward the offing; one can walk far out on the tideland; this
is what makes "low tide" a spring topic. The weather is warm, and whole
families take boxed lunches and go out on the tidal flats "beachcombing"
to gather clams, littlenecks, and the like. In many built-up areas pollution
has made it impossible to go shellfish gathering, so people from in town
go out to the seashores and beaches to enjoy this day on "beach visits"
or out in boats to "view the tides". （Note that in classically arranged
saijiki, the first three kigo here would be listed under "The Earth", but
the others would be listed under "Daily Life" or human activities.)
上り帆の淡路はなれぬ潮干哉 去来 nobori ho no awaji hanarenu shiohi
kana raised sails coming out from Awaji Island-- this low tide Kyorai [Awaji
is a large scenic island between Osaka (old Naniwa) and Shikoku, famous
for spectacular tidal phenomena in the surrounding waters.]
潮干潟誰もひとりの影を掘る 山口草堂 shiohigata taremo hitori no kage o
horu low-tide flats each one digs up her own shadow Yamaguchi Sadou
あすもある干潟と思ひゆきてみず 山口波津女 asu mo aru higata to omoi
yukite mizu there's always tomorrow thinking of the tide-flats and not
going Yamaguchi Hatsujo
さりげなくひとと競へり潮干狩 黒坂紫陽子 sarige naku hito to kisoeri
shiohigari so casually in competition with each other: shellfish gathering
Kurosaka Shiyoshi
潮干狩みちきし潮に貝を洗ふ 西池涼雨 shiohigari michikishi shio ni kai no
arau beachcombing-- as the tide comes full it washes shells Nishiike Ryou
あらはれし干潟に人はや遊ぶ 清崎敏郎 arawareshi higata ni hito haya-
asobu on the tideflats just now in view people quickly play Kiyosaki Toshio
Just that way, when the tide is rising people run about picking up things
as if they were completely crazy. Waiting impatiently, people begin to
amuse themselves here and there. When the flats come into view, there
is a transformation as people quickly spread out, looking like so many
flounders revealed on the tideflats.
遠足 えんそく ensoku （ゑんそく）, (spring) outing [includes hiking,
picnicking, outdoor games; a typical spring field trip for schoolchildren]
踏青 とうせい tōsei （たふせい）, treading the turf/greensward
青踏む あおきふむ aoki fumu (to) tread the turf/greensward
花見 はなみ hanami (cherry) blossom viewing
桜狩 さくらがり sakuragari cherry (blossom) hunting
観桜 かんおう kan'ou viewing cherry (blossoms)
fusen2 風船 ふうせん fūsen balloon
紙風船 かみふうせん kamifūsen paper balloon
ゴム風船 ごむふうせん gomufūsen rubber balloon
風船玉 ふうせんだま fūsendama balloon sphere
風船売 ふうせんうり fūsen-uri balloon seller/vendor
風車 かざぐるま kazaguruma pinwheel
風車売 かざぐるまうり kazaguruma-uri pinwheel seller/vendor
石鹸玉 しゃぼんだま shabondama soap bubbles
鞦韆 しゅうせん shūsen swing
ぶらんこ buranko swing
ふらここ furakoko swing ふらんと furanto swing
半仙戯 はんせんぎ hansengi swing
朝寝 あさね asane sleeping late / sleeping in [in the morning]
春愁 しゅんしゅう shunshū （しゅんしう）, spring melancholy
春かなし はるかなし harukanashi spring sadness
試験 しけん shiken examination(s)
大試験 だいしけん daishiken major examination(s)
入学試験 にゅうがくしけん nyūgaku shiken entrance examination(s)
受験 じゅけん juken taking an examination
学年試験 がくねんしけん gakunen shiken year-end examination(s)
及第 きゅうだい kyūdai pass (an examination)
落第 らくだい rakudai fail (an examination)
卒業 そつぎょう sotsugyō （そつげふ）, graduation [the Japanese
academic year typically starts in April and ends the following March, when
graduations take place at all levels]
卒業式 そつぎょうしき sotsugyō-shiki graduation ceremony/ceremonies
卒業歌 そつぎょうか sotsugyōka graduation song
入学 にゅうがく nyūgaku （にふがく）, entering school [applies to
students entering their first years in new schools at the beginning of the
school year, about 1 April]
新入生 しんにゅうせい shinnyūsei freshman / first-year student
入学児 にゅうがくじ nyūgakuji new schoolchild
進学 しんがく shingaku advancing in one's studies [to the next level of
school, i.e., to high school, to college]
一年生 いちねんせい ichinensei first year student / freshman
春闘 しゅんとう shuntō spring offensive [of Japanese labor unions; note:
homonym of
春濤【しゅんとう】 shuntō, spring waves--see
春の海【はるのうみ】 haru no umi]
行事 ぎょうじ gyōji Observances
初午 はつうま hatsu-uma First Horse [the first Day of the Horse in the
lunar New Year, a shrine festival, about 12 February]
午祭 うままつり uma matsuri Horse Festival
一の午 いちのうま ichi no uma First Horse
稲荷祭 いなりまつり inari matsuri Inari Festival [festival of the rice-bearer
and fox spirits, held on the first Day of the Horse]
針供養 はりくよう hari kuyō （はりくやう）, Needle Memorial Day [8 Feb;
people give thanks to blunted and rusted needles for their service]
針祭る はりまつる hari matsuru (to) celebrate needles
針納め はりおさめ hari osame needle offering hina3 hina1
雛 ひな hina （ひいな）, (ceremonial) doll(s) [specifically, dolls
representing the Heian court, typically displayed in homes with female
children during the "Doll Festival", 3 March (formerly observed on the
third day of third lunar month, late spring)]
雛祭 ひなまつり hina matsuri Doll Festival
雛遊 ひなあそび hina-asobi doll amusement [playful ceremonies performed
in front of the doll display by young girls]
雛の日 ひなのひ hina no hi dolls' day
初雛 はつひな hatsu hina first doll(s)
内裏雛 だいりびな dairibina dolls of emperor and empress
立雛 たちびな tachibina standing doll(s)
紙雛 かみびな kamibina paper doll(s)
雛飾る ひなかざる hina kazaru (to) decorate with dolls [i.e., set up doll
display]
雛道具 ひなどうぐ hina dōgu doll furniture/accessories
雛菓子 ひながし hinagashi doll pastry
雛あられ ひなあられ hina arare doll snow-pellets [miniature confections
for hina asobi; see translator's note at 霰 arare]
雛段 ひなだん hinadan dolls' step-stand / doll display stand
雛の灯 ひなのひ hina no hi dolls' lantern(s)
雛の客 ひなのきゃく hina no kyaku doll-guest(s) / dolls' guest(s)
雛の宴 ひなのえん hina no en dolls' party/banquet
雛の宿 ひなのやど hina no yado dolls' inn/lodging
雛の家 ひなのいえ hina no ie dolls' house On this day in ancient times, at
the Imperial Court they would hold parties, make offerings, and they
would stroke their bodies with dolls, then float the dolls in water to clean
off impurities; thus the holiday was observed. This, dolls turning into pets,
became dedicated to the home, and in turn dolls became an amusement
for aristocratic children and women, and in this connection the "doll
festival" became an annual holiday. In the Edo Period (1601-1867) the
doll festival came to be popular among the common people and was
widely observed; this involved two or three pairs of paper dolls, but in the
mid-Edo Period, dolls splendidly adorned with beautiful cloths representing
the emperor and empress, such as those used now, came into use. At
the celebration of the first Doll Festival after a girl is born, girls are
gathered for a party with the delightful dolls. That evening, as the Doll
Festival ends, people often finish the observance with a "dolls' send-off",
setting paper dolls afloat on rivers or seas. These customs remain from
the ancient observances of purification rites protecting one from
misfortune. The Doll Festival is one of the "Five Festivals" (五節句【ごせっ
く】gosekku), which also include "People's Day" (人日【じんじつ】
jinjitsu, 7th of the first month), "Iris Festival" 端午【たんご】 tango, 5th
of the fifth month), "Weaver and Cowherd Festival" (七夕【たなばた】
tanabata, 7th of the seventh month) and "Crysanthemum Festival" (重陽
【ちょうよう】 chyo, 9th of the ninth month). (Formerly, these were all
lunar calendar dates, but now many of these festivals have moved to the
numerically corresponding dates in the Gregorian Calendar, though the
Weaver and Cowherd Festival and the Chrysanthemum Festival are still
observed according to the lunar calendar in some regions.)
綿とりてぬびまさりけり雛の顔 其角 wata torite nubimasarikeri hina no
kao from pulling the cotton it got lengthened the doll's face Kikaku
桃ありてますます白し雛の顔 太祇 momo arite masumasu shiroshi hina no
kao with peach blossoms more and more white the dolls' faces Taigi
天平のをとめぞ立てる雛かな 水原秋櫻子 tenpy no otome zo tateru hiina
kana she places a Tenpyo Era maiden-- this doll Mizuhara Shuoshi [In the
Tempyo Era (710-794 CE) the imperial court was mainly at Nara; typical
dolls of the Festival represent members of the Heian Era court at Kyoto
(794-1185).]
老いてこそなほなつかしや雛飾る 及川貞 oite koso nao natsukashi ya hina
kazaru surely old and even more dear . . . setting up the dolls Oikawa Tei
草の戸も住み替はる代ぞ雛の家 芭蕉 kusa no to mo sumikawaru yo zo hina
no ie even a grass door sees a change of residents-- a house of dolls
Basho Even to this person retired from the world and living in a thatched
cottage, the time to leave his dwelling has come. The new residents
include a wife and child, and it is just time to display the Doll Festival dolls.
(This is the first poem in Basho's travel diary, Narrow Roads of the Interior
(おくの細道 Oku no hosomichi), one of the great works of Japanese
literature.)
四月馬鹿 しがつばか shigatsu baka （しぐわつばか）, April fool / April
Fool's Day
万愚節 ばんぐせつ bangusetsu April Fool's Day エイプリル・フール
eipuriru fūru April fool
都踊 みやこおどり miyako-odori （みやこをどり, Miyako Dance [Kyoto,
during April]
春祭 はるまつり haru matsuri spring festival [refers to any of a number of
spring shrine festivals]
涅槃 ねはん nehan Nirvana [refers to Buddha's entry into nirvana,
traditionally lunar second month, fifteenth (full moon) day; now often
celebrated around 15 March]
涅槃会 ねはんえ nehan'e Nirvana Festival
涅槃像 ねはんぞう nehanzō Nirvana Portrait (of the Buddha) [may be
two- or three-dimensional; see next]
涅槃絵 ねはんえ nehan'e Nirvana Picture [depicts reclining Buddha and
disciples gathered around as he enters nirvana]
涅槃図 ねはんず nehanzu Nirvana Figure [same as previous]
涅槃寺 ねはんでら nehandera Nirvana Temple
寝釈迦 ねしゃか neshaka Sleeping Shaka [i.e., Shakamuni Buddha]
御水取 おみずとり お水取 o-mizutori （おみづとり）, drawing holy water
[from the well at Tōdaiji, Nara, 12 March; not to be confused with 水鳥
mizutori, waterfowl
二月堂の行 にがつどうのおこない nigatsudō no okonai Ceremony at
Nigatsu Hall
修二会 しゅにえ shuni-e monks' training [at Tōdaiji, 1-14 March]
お松明 おたいまつ o-taimatsu pine torch [used in the ceremony]
彼岸会 ひがんえ higan'e Higan services [Buddhists services held during
彼岸 Higan, equinoctial week, which see]
彼岸詣 ひがんもうで higanmōde Higan temple visit / Higan pilgrimage
彼岸団子 ひがんだんご higan dango Higan dumpling
遍路 へんろ henro pilgrim
遍路宿 へんろやど henroyado pilgrim inn
遍路笠 へんろかさ henrokasa pilgrim hat [a conical straw hat]
遍路道 へんろみち henromichi pilgrimage road / pilgrimage route
遍路杖 へんろつえ henrotsue pilgrim's staff / pilgrim's walking stick This
refers to going on pilgrimage to the Eighty-Eight Holy Places of Shikoku.
The pilgrimage is based on a preaching tour made long ago, by Kb Daishi
(弘法大師, or 空海 K北ai, 774-825), going from temple to temple around
the ancient provinces of Shikoku, for a total of over 1100 kilometers (700
miles) in 40 days, beginning in the third lunar month. Wearing white
garments and sedge hats, carrying "diamond staves" (referring to the
Diamond Sutra), boxes of votive cards, rosaries, bells, and the like, and
singing "pilgrim songs" (詠歌【えいか】 eika) and chanting, the pilgrims
make their rounds. They are welcomed by villagers en route, who offer
them free lodging for a night. It is a journey of faith, with an element of
pleasure-seeking. At just that time, cherry blossoms, mustard flowers,
vetch, dandelions, and similar flowers are blooming, and the pilgrim path is
beautifully colored. Since the whole pilgrimage route is so long,
sometimes people go for only a section in one of the four old provinces
of Awa (阿波), Tosa (土佐), Iyo (伊予), or Sanuki (讃岐).
道のべに阿波の遍路の墓あはれ 高濱虚子 michinobe ni awa no henro no
haka aware at the roadside how touching the grave of a pilgrim in Awa
Takahama Kyoshi
年寄りの足の確かや夕遍路 高野素十 toshiyori no ashi no tashika ya yhenro
definitely these are elderly feet . . . pilgrim at evening Takano Sujuu
はゝそはの母と歩むや遍路来る 中村草田男 hahasohano haha to ayumu ya
henro kuru hanging onto mother walking with mother . . . the pilgrim
comes Nakamura Kusatao
竜舌蘭に遍路の影の折れ折れて 橋本多佳子 ryzetsuran ni henro no kage
no ore-orete in a century plant pilgrims' shadows rip-rippling Hashimoto
Takako
へんろ宿あの世の父母の宿のごと 大野林火 henroyado ano yo no fubo no
yado no goto this pilgrim inn like that inn in the other world of father and
mother Ohno Rinka
かなしみはしんじつ白し夕遍路 野見山朱鳥 kanashimi wa shinjitsu shiroshi
yhenro sadness: the white sincerity of pilgrims at evening Nomiyama
Asuka Pilgrims float along in their white clothing in the dim twilight.
Watching these evening pilgrims, one thinks of the sadness they carry.
Their white shapes symbolize this sadness. (Note: Pilgrims' white garmets
come down to their knees, below which they wear black or dark-colored
pants or leggings. This gives them an etherial appearance at nightfall.)
花祭 はなまつり hanamatsuri Buddha's Birthday Festival [April 8; literally,
"Blossom Festival"]
潅仏会 かんぶつえ Buddha's Birthday Celebration
仏生会 ぶっしょうえ Buddha's Birthday Celebration
復活祭 ふっかつさい fukkatsusai （ふくくわつさい）, Easter [more
literally, "Resurrection Day"] イースター iisutā Easter
西行忌 さいぎょうき saigyō-ki Saigyō's Memorial Day / Saigyō's (Death)
Anniversary [lunar 2nd month 16th day (1190); celebrating one of the
greatest waka poets of the 12th century]
円位忌 えんいき en'i-ki En'i's Memorial Day [Saigyō's religious name]
山家忌 さんかき sanka-ki Mountain Home Memorial Day [after the title of
his personal waka collection, Sankashū]
利休忌 りきゅうき rikyū-ki （りきうき）, Rikyū's Memorial Day / Rikyū's
(Death) Anniversary [second lunar month 28th day; celebrating the first
great master of the Japanese Way of Tea, Sen no Rikyū 千利休【せんのり
きゅう】(1522-1591)]
虚子忌 きょしき kyoshiki Kyoshi's Memorial Day / Kyoshi's (Death)
Anniversary [8 April; celebrating the dominant master of 20th century
haiku, Takahama Kyoshi 高濱虚子【たかはまきょし】(1874-1959)]
椿寿忌 ちんじゅき chinjuki Camellia Life Anniversary [named for Kyoshi's
favorite camellias at Jufuku Temple 寿福寺【じゅふくじ】, where he is
buried
啄木忌 たくぼくき takubokuki Takuboku's Memorial Day / Takuboku's
(Death) Anniversary [13 April; celebrating one of the first great modern
tanka poets, Ishikawa Takuboku 石川啄木【いしかわたくぼく】(1886-
1912)]
梅若忌 うめわかき umewakaki Umewaka Memorial Day [15 April; in
memory of a defunct school of Noh Drama]
動物 どうぶつ dōbutsu Animals
仔馬 こうま kouma foal
馬の仔 うまのこ uma no ko foal / baby horse.
馬の仔生まる うまのこうまる uma no ko umaru a foal is born
孕馬 はらみうま harami-uma pregnant mare nekonokoi3 nekonokoi2
猫の恋 ねこのこい neko no koi （ねこのこひ）, cats' love [refers to their
raucous courting]
恋猫 こいねこ koi neko amorous cat
浮かれ猫 うかれねこ ukare neko philandering cat
猫さかる ねこさかる neko sakaru cats mate
猫の妻 ねこのつま neko no tsuma a cat's (female) mate [note also 猫の夫
【ねこのつま】 neko no tsuma, a cat's (male) mate] Cats come into heat
about four times a year, most frequently in spring. At rutting season, cats
cry with a voice like a baby's yowl, courting together in groups. Day and
night it seems they contend madly, their painful cries going on and on.
After endless days of carrying on, they return home wounded and dirty,
in pitiful shape. This is a seasonal topic characteristic of haiku, established
in Bashō's day.
恋猫のかへる野の星沼の星 橋本多佳子 koineko no kaeru no no hoshi
numa no hoshi the amorous cat returns--the starry field the starry marsh
Hashimoto Takako
山国の闇すさまじや猫の恋 原石鼎 yamaguni no yami susamaji ya neko no
koi fierce darkness of the mountain country . . . cats in love Hara Sekitei
恋猫やからくれなゐの紐をひき 松本たかし koineko ya karakurenai no
himo o hiki the amorous cat . . . pulled along a dark red cord Matsumoto
Takashi
はるかなる地上を駆けぬ猫の恋 石田波郷 haruka naru chij o kakenu neko
no koi distant sound runs over the ground the cats' love Ishida Hakyou
恋猫の恋する猫で押し通す 永田耕衣 koineko no koi suru neko de oshitsu
an amorous cat's love for its lover-cat persists to the end Nagata Kōe
恋猫の身も世もあらず啼きにけり 安住敦 koineko no mi mo yo mo arazu
nakinikeri the amorous cat without body or world has become yowl Azumi
Atsushi "Without body or world" expresses the situation when it is
impossible to think of one's self or the world around one. An amorous cat
is not concerned about its appearance, forgets time and place, and
earnestly cries continually; thus the metaphor "without body or world" is
skillfully employed.
蛇穴を出づ へびあなをいづ hebi ana o izu snakes come out of (their) holes
蛇出づ へびいづ hebi izu snakes come out
蝌蚪 かと kato （くわと）, tadpole(s)
蝌蚪 かえるこ kaeruko tadpole(s)
おたまじゃくし（御玉杓子） otamajakushi tadpole(s)
蛙の子 かえるのこ kaerunoko baby frog(s)
蛙生る かえるうまる kaeru umaru frog(s) is/are born
kawazu5 kawazu4 kawazu3 kawazu2 蛙 かわず kawazu （かはづ）, frog
(s) [note that this is a literary word]
かえる kaeru frog(s) [the common word]
初蛙 はつかわず hatsukawazu first frog(s) [usually refers to hearing one or
more]
遠蛙 とおかわず tōkawazu distant frog(s)
昼蛙 ひるかわず hirukawazu midday frog(s) / frog(s) at midday
夕蛙 ゆうかわず yūkawazu evening frog(s)
鶯 うぐいす uguisu bush warbler [Cettia diphone; sometimes translated as
"nightingale" (Luscinia megarhynchos), since it is a small songbird and
occupies a position in Japanese literature similar to that of the nightingale
in European literature]
春告鳥 はるつげどり haru-tsugedori sign-of-spring bird
匂鳥 においどり nioidori fragrant bird
初鶯 はつうぐいす hatsu uguisu first bush warbler
雉 きじ kiji pheasant [the common pheasant, Phasianus colchicus]
雉子 きじ kiji pheasant
きぎす きぎす kigisu pheasant
hibari3 hibari1 雲雀 ひばり hibari skylark [Alauda arvensis]
揚雲雀 あげひばり age-hibari ascending skylark
落雲雀 おちひばり ochi-hibari descending skylark
夕雲雀 ゆうひばり yū-hibari evening skylark
雲雀籠 ひばりかご hibari kago skylark cage
練雲雀 ねりひばり neri-hibari trained skylark
燕 つばめ tsubame barn swallow(s) [Hirundo rustica]
乙鳥 つばめ tsubame barn swallow(s)
つばくろ tsubakuro barn swallow(s) つばくらめ tsubakurame barn swallow
(s)
初燕 はつつばめ hatsu-tsubame first barn swallow(s)
飛燕 ひえん hien swallow(s) in flight
鳥帰る とりかえる tori kaeru （とりかへる）, birds go back [often
misleadingly translated "birds return"; refers to those which go back to
their (northern/mountain) nesting grounds in the spring, leaving
(central/lowland) Japan]
小鳥帰る ことりかえる kotori kaeru little birds go back
小鳥引く ことりひく kotori hiku little birds depart
引鳥 ひくとり hiku tori departing birds
囀 さえずり saezuri （さへづり）, twittering/chirping [of small birds]
囀る さえずる saezuru twitter/chirp
鳥囀る とりさえずる tori saezuru birds twitter/chirp
雀の子 すずめのこ suzume no ko baby sparrow(s)
子雀 こすずめ kosuzume baby sparrow(s)
春の雀 はるのすずめ haru no suzume sparrows of spring / sparrows in
spring
黄雀 きすずめ kisuzume yellow sparrow / young sparrow [refers to color
at the sides of the young sparrow's beak]
親雀 おやすずめ oyasuzume parent sparrow(s)
巣立鳥 すだちどり sudachidori fledgeling
巣立 すだち sudachi leaving the nest
親鳥 おやどり oyadori parent bird(s)
子鳥 ことり kotori baby bird
鳥巣立つ すだつ tori sudatsu a bird leaves the nest
桜鯛 さくらだい sakuradai （さくらだひ）, red sea bream [Sparus species
and sometimes also applied to "red snapper" Lutianus species; literally,
"cherry sea bream", perhaps in part because they are prominent at the
time of blossoming cherries, as well as their color]
花見鯛 はなみだい hanamidai red sea bream [literally, "blossom-viewing
sea bream"]
鰊 にしん nishin herring
白魚 しらうお shirauo （しらうを）, whitebait / icefish [Salanx microdon]
しらお しらお shirao whitebait
白魚網 しらおあみ shirao-ami whitebait net
白魚舟 しらおぶね shiraobune whitebait boat
白魚汁 しらおじる shiraojiru whitebait soup
白魚火 しらおび shiraobi whitebait fire
若鮎 わかあゆ waka-ayu young sweetfish ["trout" is sometimes used as a
translation for this similarly delicate and much prized fresh-water fish,
Plecoglossus altivelia]
小鮎 こあゆ ko-ayu small sweetfish
上り鮎 のぼりあゆ nobori-ayu climbing sweetfish
鮎の子 あゆのこ ayu no ko baby sweetfish
花烏賊 はないか hanaika (cherry) blossom cuttlefish / (cherry) blossom
squid
桜烏賊 さくらいか sakuraika cherry (blossom) squid / cherry (blossom)
cuttlefish
飯蛸 いいだこ iidako （いひだこ）, webfoot octopus [literally, "cooked-
rice octopus"; Octopus ocellatus]
望潮魚 いいだこ iidako （いひだこ）, webfoot octopus [literally, "full-
moon tide-fish"]
蛤 はまぐり hamaguri cherrystone clam
桜貝 さくらがい sakuragai cherry (petal) shell(s) [small seashells that very
much resemble cherry petals]
花貝 はながい hanagai (cherry) blossom shell(s)
紅貝 べにがい benigai pink shells
蜆 しじみ shijimi Asiatic clam [a freshwater clam, Corbicula fluminea]
蜆貝 しじみがい shijimigai clamshell
蜆舟 しじみぶね shijimibune clam boat
蜆取 しじみとり shijimi-tori clamming
蜆売 しじみうり shijimi-uri clam selling
蜆掻 しじみかき shijimi kaki clam rake
田螺 たにし tanishi mud-snail(s)/paddy-snail(s)
田螺取 たにしとり tanishi-tori gathering mud-snail(s)
田螺鳴く たにしなく tanishi naku mud-snails cry [a fanciful image] cho3
cho1
蝶 ちょう chō （てふ）, butterfly [the spring butterfly image is typically a
cabbage white, white members of the family Pieridae; see also "summer
butterfly", etc.]
蝶々 ちょうちょう chōchō butterfly
初蝶 はつちょう hatsuchō first butterfly
黄蝶 きちょう kichō yellow butterfly [sulphur]
胡蝶 こちょう kochō sulphur butterfly [literally, "foreign butterfly"]
蚕 かいこ kaiko （かひこ）, silkworm
春蚕 はるご harugo spring silkworm
捨蚕 すてご sutego discarded silkworm / abandoned silkworm
毛蚕 けご kego silkworm hatchling(s)
桑子 くわご kuwago mulbery child [i.e., silkworm]
病蚕 びょうご byōgo sick silkworm
植物 しょくぶつ shokubutsu Plants
ume2 梅 うめ ume （sometimes むめ mume）, plum (blossoms)
[technically, the "Japanese apricot", Prunus mume; but this has almost
always been translated "plum" for literary purposes]
春告草 はるつげぐさ haru-tsugegusa sign-of-spring-plant
椿 つばき tsubaki camellia(s)
大椿 おおつばき ōtsubaki large camellia(s)
落椿 おちつばき ochi-tsubaki falling camellias
夕椿 ゆうつばき yūtsubaki evening camellia(s) hana3 hana2 hana1
花 はな hana (cherry) blossoms [in haiku and haikai the simple word hana
花 refers to cherry blossoms, as do all kigo listed here; but note that in
Manyōshū and some other early poetry hana was understood as referring
to ume 梅【うめ】plum blossoms, an early spring topic]
花影 かえい blossom shade
花の雨 はなのあめ blossom rain [i.e., rain falling on cherry blossoms, or at
cherry blossom time]
花の山 はなのやま hana no yama blossoming mountains/hills
花便り はなだより hanadayori blossom news / tidings of blossoms
[whether carried in person or by media]
花の昼 はなのひる hana no hiru blossoms at midday
花の雲 はなのくも hana no kumo clouds of blossoms / blossom clouds
[figurative]
花盛り はなざかり hanazakari blossoms in full bloom / blossoms at their
peak
花埃 はなぼこり hanabokori blossom dust / blossom pollen
花の宿 はなのやど hana no yado blossom inn [i.e., an inn where people
go to see the cherry blossoms in the region; an inn nestled among
blossoming cherry trees]
落花 らっか rakka （らくくわ）, falling (cherry) blossoms
散る桜 ちるさくら chiru sakura falling cherry (blossoms)
花吹雪 はなふぶき hanafubuki (cherry) blossom blizzard [figurative]
飛花 ひか hika flying blossoms
花散る はなちる hana chiru blossoms fall
花屑 はなくず hana kuzu blossom litter
花の塵 はなのちり hana no chiri blossom dust/dirt
牡丹の芽 ぼたんのめ botan no me tree-peony buds [Paeonia suffruticosa]
辛夷 こぶし kobushi kobus magnolia (blossoms) [Magnolia kobus; see also
木蓮【もくれん】 mokuren]
沈丁花 じんちょうげ jinchōge （ぢんちやうげ）, daphne (blossoms)
[Daphne odora]
沈丁 じんちょう jinchō daphne R
連翹 れんぎょう rengyō （れんげう）, forsythia [Forsythia suspensa]
馬酔木 あしび ashibi Japanese andromeda (blossoms) [Pieris japonica]
躑躅 つつじ tsutsuji azalea(s)
木蘭 もくれん mokuren magnolia (blossoms) / lily magnolia (blossoms)
[the most commonly cultivated magnolia, the purple-blossomed Magnolia
liliflora]
木蓮 もくれん mokuren magnolia (blossoms) / lily magnolia (blossoms)
紫木蘭 しもくれん shimokuren magnolia (blossoms) / lily magnolia
(blossoms)
白蘭 はくれん hakuren white magnolia (blossoms) [Magnolia denudata]
藤 ふじ fuji （ふぢ）, wisteria
藤の花 ふじのはな fuji no hana wisteria blossoms
山吹 やまぶき yamabuki yellow rose / wild yellow rose [literally, "mountain
breath"; Kerria japonica]
桃の花 もものはな momo no hana peach blossoms [Prunus persica]
梨の花 なしのはな nashi no hana pear blossoms [Pyrus species.]
杏の花 あんずのはな anzu no hana apricot blossoms [Prunus ansu]
花杏 はなあんず hana-anzu apricot blossom(s)
夏蜜柑 なつみかん natsumikan bitter summer mikan / citron [i.e., bitter
mandarin orange; some authorities place this in early summer]
木の芽 このめ ko-no-me buds of trees
芽立 めだち medachi (trees) begin to bud / (trees) budding
芽吹く めぶく mebuku (trees) come into bud
木の芽張る このめはる ko-no-me haru tree buds swell
芽組む めぐむ megumu (tree) buds sprout / (trees) bud
柳 やなぎ yanagi willow(s) / weeping willow(s)
松の花 まつのはな matsu no hana pine flowers
松花粉 まつかふん matsu kafun pine pollen
猫柳 ねこやなぎ neko-yanagi pussy-willow(s) [Salix gracilistyla]
川柳 かわやなぎ kawayanagi river willow(s) [Salix gilgiana]
竹の秋 たけのあき take no aki bamboo's autumn [from the yellow color of
new growth in spring]
竹秋 ちくしゅう chikushū bamboo autumn
黄水仙 きずいせん kizuisen （きずゐせん）, jonquil(s) [Narcissus jonquilla]
チューリップ chūrippu tulip(s) シクラメン shikuramen cyclamen [the
typical Japanese variety is orange-flame colored]
篝火花 かがりびばな kagaribibana cyclamen [literally, "bonfire flower"] na-
no-hana1 na-no-hana2
菜の花 なのはな na-no-hana rape flowers / mustard flowers [technically,
Brassica rapa, the plant from which canola oil derives; one may prefer to
translate with the closely related "mustard" in English; the image is of a
field covered with the yellow flowers]
花菜 はなな hanana rape flowers / mustard flowers
菜種の花 なたねのはな natane no hana rapeseed flowers
油菜 あぶらな aburana oilseed (flowers)
菜種菜 なたねな natanena rapeseed greens
豆の花 まめのはな mame no hana bean flowers
豌豆の花 えんどうのはな endō no hana green pea flowers
蚕豆の花 そらまめのはな soramame no hana broad bean flowers / horse
bean flowers
茎立 くくたち kukutachi sprouting stalk(s)
茎立 くきだち kukidachi sprouting stalk(s)
菠薐草 ほうれんそう hōrensō （はうれんさう）, spinach [its growing
leaves]
独活 うど udo udo [a wild asparagus-like plant, Aralia cordata, sometimes
cultivated and noted for its edible young shoots]
山独活 やまうど yamaudo mountain udo [a wild variety, noted for its
pungency]
深山独活 みやまうど miyama-udo high-mountain udo [Aralia glabra, rare]
芽独活 めうど meudo sprouting udo / udo shoots
山葵 わさび wasabi wasabi [Japanese horseradish, Wasabia japonica]
青麦 あおむぎ aomugi （あをむぎ）, green barley
麦青む むぎあおむ mugi aomu barley turns green
下萌 したもえ shitamoe sprouts/shoots
草萌 くさもえ kusamoe plant sprouts/shoots
畦青む あぜあおむ aze aomu paddy-ridges turn green [in some instances,
"green up" might be used for aomu]
土手青む どてあおむ dote aomu embankments turn green / embankment
turns green
ものの芽 もののめ mono no me some buds/sprouts
物芽 ものめ monome (various) buds/sprouts
若草 わかくさ wakakusa young grass(es) [Note that the word kusa 草【く
さ】in Japanese is not limited to grasses, but includes forbs (wildflowers
and herbs) as well]
嫩草 わかくさ wakakusa young grass(es)
初草 はつくさ hatsukusa first grass(es)
新草 にいくさ niikusa new grass(es)
草若し くさわかし kusa wakashi the grass is young
菫 すみれ sumire violet(s) [Viola mandshurica]
花菫 はなすみれ hanasumire violet flower(s)
紫雲英 げんげ genge vetch/astragalus [Astragalus sinicus]
五形花 げげばな gegebana vetch/astragalus flowers
蓮華草 れんげそう rengesō vetch/astragalus
薺の花 なずなのはな nazuna no hana （なづなのはな）, shepherd's purse
in bloom / shepherd's purse flower(s) [Capsella bursa-pastoris]
三味線草 しゃみせんぐさ shamisengusa shepherd's purse [literally,
"shamisen plant", from the fruit's shape]
ぺんぺん草 ぺんぺんぐさ penpengusa shepherd's purse
花薺 はななずな hana nazuna shepherd's purse flowers
蒲公英 たんぽぽ tanpopo dandelion(s) [Taraxacum spp.]
鼓草 つづみぐさ tsuzumigusa dandelion(s)
藤菜 ふじな fujina dandelion(s)
土筆 つくし tsukushi horsetail shoot(s) [the reproductive shoots of
Equisetum arvense]
つくしんぼ tsukushinbo horsetail shoot(s)
虎杖 いたどり itadori giant knotweed [Polygonum cuspidatum; noted for
its fresh maroon leaves; distinguish
虎杖の花 itadori no hana, giant knotweed flowers (white), late summer]
薇 ぜんまい zenmai royal fern(s) [Osmunda regalis]
芹 せり seri parsley [Oenanthe javanica]
田芹 たぜり tazeri paddy parsley [location; not a different species]
根芹 ねぜり nezeri parsley root
芹摘む せりつむ seri tsumu (to) pluck parsley
いぬふぐり（犬ふぐり） inu-fuguri speedwell/veronica [might be
translated "mongrel speedwell"; Veronica didyma, low-growing, four-
petalled pale pink to lavender flowers]
蕗の薹 ふきのとう fuki no tō （ふきのたう）, butterbur stalk(s)
[Petasites japonicus; similar to asparagus]
春の蕗 はるのふき haru no fuki spring butterbur
蓬 よもぎ yomogi mugwort / wormwood / sage [Artemisia vulgaris var.
indica; used to flavor mochi, soba]
艾草 がいそう gaisō moxa [the same plant, also pronounced
もぐさ mogusa; used in Chinese medicine]
餅草 もちぐさ mochigusa mochi-plant [colloquial]
水草生ふ みずくさおう mizukusa ou （みづくさおふ）, waterweeds grow
水草生う みくさおう mikusa ou waterweeds grow
藻草生う もぐさおう mogusa ou duckweed grows
蘆の角 あしのつの ashi no tsuno horns of reeds / sprouts of reeds [the
first is a literal translation of the metaphorical expression]
蘆の芽 あしのめ ashi no me sprouts of reeds
薊 あざみ azami thistle
若布 わかめ wakame wakame [a kelp, Undaria pinnatifida]
和布 わかめ wakame wakame
にぎめ にぎめ nigime wakame
若布刈舟 めかりぶね mekaribune wakame-cutting/harvesting boat
海苔 のり nori nori / laver / purple laver / sea lettuce [Porphyra tenera]
干海苔 ほしのり hoshinori dried nori
海苔舟 のりぶね noribune nori boat
海苔採 のりとり nori-tori nori-gathering
海苔干す のりほす nori hosu (to) dry nori
SUMMER
夏 なつ natsu Summer
時候 じこう jikō The Season
立夏 りっか rikka beginning of summer / first day of summer
夏立つ なつたつ natsu tatsu summer begins
夏に入る なつにいる natsu ni iru entering summer
夏来たる なつきたる natsu kitaru summer has come / summer arrives
薄暑 はくしょ hakusho slight heat [literally "thin heat"]
麦の秋 むぎのあき mugi no aki barley's autumn
麦秋 ばくじゅう bakujū barley autumn
むぎあき mugiaki barley autumn
皐月 さつき satsuki Fifth (lunar) Month [approximately June, Gregorian;
note: in haikai, in compounds this prounciation is often given to 五月,
referring to events that normally take place in June, as in 五月雨【さつき
あめ】 satsukiame (= samidare), midsummer rain, while in others 五月【ご
がつ】 gogatsu retains its modern pronunciation and meaning, May,
Gregorian; see note on months]
nyubai7 nyubai6 nyubai5 nyubai1 入梅 にゅうばい nyūbai （にふばい）,
beginning the rainy season
梅雨入 ついり tsuiri beginning the rainy season
梅雨に入る つゆにいる tsuyu ni iru entering the rainy season mijikayo2
mijikayo1
短夜 みじかよ mijikayo short night(s)
明易し あけやすし akeyasushi early dawn [literally something like "dawn
comes readily"]
暑し あつし atsushi hot
暑 しょ sho (summer) heat
暑気 しょき shoki hot weather
suzushi6 suzushi4 suzushi2 suzushi1 涼し すずし suzushi cool
朝涼 あさすず asasuzu morning cool
夕涼 ゆうすず yūsuzu evening cool
晩涼 ばんりょう banryō cool at day's end
夜涼 やりょう yaryō cool of the night
涼風 りょうふう ryōfū cool breeze / refreshing breeze
涼風 すずかぜ suzukaze cool breeze / refreshing breeze
秋近し あきちかし aki chikashi autumn is near / nearly autumn
秋隣 あきとなり aki tonari autumn next / autumn soon
夜の秋 よるのあき yoru no aki autumnal night
天文 てんもん tenmon The Heavens
kumonomine3 kumonomine1 雲の峰 くものみね kumo no mine peaks of
clouds
入道雲 にゅうどうぐも nyūdōgumo huge cloud-column(s) / cumulo-
nimbus cloud(s) [literally "monk clouds" or "clouds entering the way"]
峰雲 みねぐも minegumo cloud peaks
夏の月 なつのつき natsu no tsuki summer moon
月涼し つきすずし tsuki suzushi the moon is cool / cool moon
薫風 くんぷう kunpū fragrant breeze / balmy breeze
風薫る かぜかおる kaze kaoru the breeze is fragrant
卯の花腐し うのはなくたし u-no-hana kutashi mid-summer rain [literally
"deutzia flowers have rotted"; figurative for
五月雨【さみだれ】 samidare, fifth-(lunar)-month rain]
tsuyu2 tsuyu1 梅雨 つゆ tsuyu rainy season
梅雨 ばいう baiu rainy season [literally "plum rain"]
夕立 ゆうだち yūdachi （ゆふだち）, sudden (summer) shower [literally
"evening shower"]
ゆだち yudachi sudden shower
よだち yodachi sudden shower
白立 ゆうだち yūdachi white shower
niji4 niji1 虹 にじ niji rainbow
朝虹 あさにじ asa niji morning rainbow
夕虹 ゆうにじ yuu niji evening rainbow
円虹 まるにじ maruniji full rainbow
kaminari2 雷 かみなり kaminari thunder [note apparent derivation of
native Japanese word: 神鳴【かみなり】 kaminari, the roar of the gods]
雷 らい rai thunder
いかづち ikazuchi thunder
はたた神 はたたがみ hatatagami noisy gods
雷光 らいこう raikō thunder-flash [often casually translated "lightning",
but note 稲妻【いなづま】 inazuma, "lightning", in autumn]
雷鳴 らいめい raimei thunder-clap
雷雨 らいう raiu thunderstorm
日雷 ひかみなり hikaminari clear-sky thunder [literally something like
"thunder in the sun"]
遠雷 えんらい enrai distant thunder
五月闇 さつきやみ satsuki yami midsummer darkness [literally "fifth-(lunar)-
month darkness", i.e., June darkness; caused by the rainy season; see
note on names of months]
夕焼 ゆうやけ yūyake （ゆふやけ）, afterglow ゆやけ yuyake afterglow
片蔭 かたかげ katakage shady side [as of a street, building, etc.]
片かげり かたかげり katakageri shady side
地理 ちり The Earth
夏の山 なつのやま natsu no yama summer mountain(s)
夏山 なつやま natsu yama summer mountain(s)
夏嶺 なつね natsune summer peak(s)
青嶺 あおね aone green peak(s)
出水 でみず demizu （でみづ）, flood
梅雨出水 つゆでみず tsuyu demizu rainy-season flood
夏出水 なつでみず natsu demizu summer flood
卯波 うなみ unami billowing waves
卯月波 うづきなみ uzukinami billowing waves [literally "waves of the
month of the hare", for the time they occur--early summer (May)]
aota2 aota1 青田 あおた aota （あをた）, green (rice) paddy/paddies
青田風 あおたかぜ aota kaze green (rice) paddy breeze(s)
青田波 あおたなみ aota nami green (rice) paddy waves
青田時 あおたどき aotadoki time of green (rice) paddy/paddies
青田道 あおたみち aota michi green (rice) paddy path(s)
izumi3 泉 いずみ izumi （いづみ）, wellspring [best not translated as just
"spring", to avoid confusion with the season]
taki5 taki4 taki3 滝 たき taki waterfall / cascade / rapids
瀑布 ばくふ bakufu waterfall / cataract
飛瀑 ひばく hibaku waterfall / cataract
滝壷 たきつぼ taki-tsubo waterfall basin
滝道 たきみち taki-michi waterfall path
滝見 たきみ taki-mi waterfall-viewing
滝見茶屋 たきみちゃや taki-mi chaya waterfall-viewing tea house
滝行者 たきぎょうじゃ taki gyōja waterfall ascetic
滝垢離 たきごり takigori waterfall purification (of a person)
滝浴 たきあび taki-abi waterfall bath / waterfall shower
滝しぶき たきしぶき taki shibuki waterfall spray
滝風 たきかぜ taki kaze waterfall breeze
生活 せいかつ seikatsu Daily Life
更衣 ころもがえ koromogae （ころもがへ）, changing (to summer)
clothes
衣更う ころもかう koromo kau (to) change (to summer) clothes yukata1
浴衣 ゆかた yukata summer kimono / yukata
古浴衣 ふるゆかた furuyukata old yukata
貸浴衣 かしゆかた kashi-yukata loan-yukata / borrowed yukata [as at a
hotel, spa, etc.]
菖蒲湯 しょうぶゆ shōbuyu （しやうぶゆ）, iris bath / sweet-flag bath [a
hot bath with Acorus calamus]
菖蒲風呂 しょうぶぶろ iris bath / sweet-flag bath
筍飯 たけのこめし takenoko meshi bamboo-shoot rice [cooked rice with
bamboo shoots] tango4 tango3 粽 ちまき】（茅巻） chimaki, leaf-
wrapped (rice) dumpling [associated with 端午【たんご tango Boys' Day]
笹粽 ささちまき sasa chimaki bamboo-leaf-wrapped dumpling
粽結ふ ちまきゆふ chimaki yuu (to) make/prepare chimaki dumplings
新茶 しんちゃ shincha new tea
走り茶 はしりちゃ hashiricha first tea
茶詰 ちゃづめ chazume pressed tea
虫干 むしぼし mushiboshi airing out [books, clothing, etc., after the rainy
season]
虫払 むしばらい mushibarai clearing out insects
風入れ かざいれ kaza-ire airing out
土用干 どようぼし doyōboshi dog-day airing
曝書 ばくしょ bakusho airing books
taue2 taue1 田植 たうえ taue （たうゑ）, rice planting
田を植う たをうう ta o uu (to) plant rice
田植歌 たうえうた taue-uta rice-planting song
田植笠 たうえがさ tauegasa rice-planting hat
草取 くさとり kusatori weeding
草むしり くさむしり kusa-mushiri weed-plucking / weeding
除草 じょそう josō removing weeds / weeding
藻刈 もかり mokari harvesting/gathering/cutting waterweed
藻刈舟 もかりぶね mokaribune waterweed (-gathering) boat
藻刈竿 もかりざお mokarizao waterweed pole
藻刈鎌 もかりがま mokarigama waterweed sickle
袋掛 ふくろかけ fukuro-kake bag-wrapping (fruit) [on the tree; the act of
wrapping fruit to protect against insects, birds, etc.]
誘蛾燈 ゆうがとう yūgatō （いうがとう）, insect light-trap / moth lantern
繭 まゆ mayu silkworm cocoon
繭簿 まぶし mabushi (silkworm) cocoon tray(s)
上蔟 あがり agari（じょうぞく）, gathering (silkworm) cocoons
繭掻 まゆかき mayukaki silkworm comb
新繭 しんまゆ shinmayu new (silkworm) cocoon(s)
白繭 しらまゆ shiramayu（しろまゆ）, white (silkworm) cocoon(s)
玉繭 たままゆ tamamayu jewel-like (silkworm) cocoon(s) [that is, "very
fine cocoon(s)"]
生繭 なままゆ namamayu immature (silkworm) cocoon(s)
繭買 まゆかい mayukai buying (silkworm) cocoon(s)
ukai7 ukai6 鵜飼 うかい ukai （うかひ）, cormorant fishing
鵜遣 うづかい uzukai cormorant fishing
鵜匠 うしょう ushō cormorant handler / cormorant fisherman/woman
鵜舟 うぶね ubune cormorant (fishing) boat
鵜篝 うかがり ukagari cormorant (fishing) fire-basket
鵜縄 うなわ unawa cormorant rope
鵜籠 うかご ukago cormorant cage
荒鵜 あらう ara-u wild cormorant
夜釣 よづり yozuri night fishing
納涼 すずみ suzumi cooling off [of people, usually after sundown on a hot
day, outdoors]
のうりょう（納涼） nōryō cooling off
涼む すずむ suzumu (to) cool off
涼み舟 すずみぶね suzumibune boat for cooling off
朝涼み あさすずみ asasuzumi cooling off at morning
夕涼み ゆうすずみ yūsuzumi cooling off at evening
夜涼み よすずみ yosuzumi cooling off at night
門涼み かどすずみ kadosuzumi cooling off at the gate
橋涼み はしすずみ hashisuzumi cooling off on the bridge
縁涼み えんすずみ ensuzumi cooling off on the porch/verandah
下涼み したすずみ shitasuzumi cooling off downstairs
花火 はなび hanabi fireworks
打揚花火 うちあげはなび uchiage-hanabi skyrocket(s) / aerial firework(s)
仕掛花火 しかけはなび shikake-hanabi set piece(s) [fireworks attached to
a frame standing on the ground, to form a design when lit]
線香花火 せんこうはなび senkō-hanabi scented fireworks [literally
"incense fireworks"]
遠花火 とおはなび tōhanabi far/distant fireworks
昼花火 ひるはなび hiru hanabi midday/daytime fireworks
草笛 くさぶえ kusabue grass whistle
行事 ぎょうじ gyōji Observances
母の日 ははのひ haha no hi Mother's Day [2nd Sunday in May]
端午 たんご tango Boys' Day [5 May]
五月の節句 ごがつのせっく May Festival [=Boys' Festival]
重五 ちょうご chōgo Fifth-Day (Festival) [literally something like "Big Fifth"]
菖蒲の節句 しょうぶのせっく shōbu no sekku Iris Festival
菖蒲の日 しょうぶのひ shōbu no hi Iris Day
安居 あんご ango (summer) seclusion [Bhuddist monks' period of staying
in temple or hermitage, traditionally from the middle of lunar fourth
month through middle of seventh month]
夏安居 げあんご geango summer seclusion
夏行 げぎょう gegyō summer seclusion [literally, "summer practices"]
夏籠 げごもり gegomori summer confinement
雨安居 うあんご u-ango rainy seclusion [relates to 梅雨【つゆ】 tsuyu,
rainy season]
一夏 いちげ ichige all summer / whole summer / summer-long (seclusion)
幟 のぼり nobori (carp) banner/streamer [decoration for Boys' Day]
五月幟 さつきのぼり （皐月幟） satsuki nobori, fifth (lunar) month
banner/streamer
鯉幟 こいのぼり koi nobori carp banner/streamer
座敷幟 ざしきのぼり zashiki nobori living-room banner/streamer
初幟 はつのぼり hatsu nobori first (carp) banner/streamer [that is,
celebrating the first-born son] matsuri7 matsuri6 matsuri4
祭 まつり matsuri festival [any one of numerous summer festivals at
different times]
夏祭 なつまつり natsu matsuri summer festival
祭囃子 まつりばやし matsuribayashi festival orchestra
祭笛 まつりぶえ matsuribue festival flute(s)
祭太鼓 まつりだいこ matsuridaiko festival drum(s)
祭髪 まつりがみ matsurigami festival coiffure/hairdo
祭笠 まつりがさ matsurigasa festival hat
祭提灯 まつりぢょうちん matsurijōchin festival lantern [portable]
祭宿 まつりやど matsuri yado festival inn
御旅所 おたびしょ otabisho portable shrine
夜宮 よみや yomiya festival eve
祭前 まつりまえ matsuri mae pre-festival [preparations]
祭後 まつりあと matsuri ato post-festival
祇園祭 ぎおんまつり gion matsuri Gion Festival [Kyoto, 17-24 July]
河童忌 かっぱき kappa-ki Akutagawa's (Death) Anniversary [24 July;
celebrating Akutagawa Ryūnosuke (1892-1927); named after his last
novel, Kappa (Water Sprite)]
我鬼忌 がきき gakiki Akutagawa's (Death) Anniversary [based on his haikai
pen name]
龍之介忌 りゅうのすけき ryumacr;nosuke-ki Akutagawa's (Death)
Anniversary
動物 どうぶつ dōbutsu Animals
青蛙 あおがえる aogaeru （あおがへる）, green frog [hyla species]
雨蛙 あまがえる amagaeru tree frog [literally "rain frog"]
夏蛙 なつがえる natsugaeru summer frog [note that "frog" by itself, 蛙
【かわず】 kawazu, is a spring seasonal topic]
蟇 ひきがえる hikigaeru （ひきがへる）, toad [Bufo vulgaris]
蟾 ひき hiki toad
蟾蜍 ひきがえる hikigaeru toad
蝦蟇 がま gama toad
河鹿 かじか kajika river frog / singing frog [Polypedates buergeri, noted
for beautiful singing]
河鹿蛙 かじかがえる kajikagaeru river frog
河鹿笛 かじかぶえ kajikabue river frog's flute [metaphorical for its singing]
hototogisu1
時鳥 ほととぎす hototogisu little cuckoo [kanji literally "bird of time"]
子規 ほととぎす hototogisu little cuckoo [kanji suggest the cuckoo's habit
of laying eggs in other bird's nests]
不如帰 ほととぎす hototogisu little cuckoo [kanji suggest homelessness]
杜鵑 ほととぎす hototogisu little cuckoo [kanji literally "woods cuckoo"]
蜀魂 ほととぎす hototogisu little cuckoo [kanji literally "spirit of Szechuan"]
浮巣 うきす ukisu floating nest [most often associated with the little
grebe, though may include the nests of other waterfowl]
鳰の浮巣 におのうきす nio no ukisu grebe's floating nest
鳰の巣 におのす nio no su grebe's nest nest
通し鴨 とうしがも tōgamo （とほしがも）, sojourner duck(s)
濁り鮒 にごりぶな nigoribuna muddy carp [muddy from swimming up river
to spawn]
濁りを掬う にごりをすくう nigori o sukuu (to) scoop up muddy (carp)
[with a net]
ayu3 鮎 あゆ ayu ayu / sweetfish [Plecoglossus altivelia; sometimes
translated "trout", as both fish are small, freshwater delicacies]
年魚 ねんぎょ nengyo ayu / sweetfish [literally "annual fish"]
香魚 こうぎょ kōgyo ayu / sweetfish [literally "fragrant fish"]
山女 やまめ yamame cherry salmon [literally "mountain maiden";
Oncorhynchus masou]
山女魚 やまめうお yamameuo cherry salmon
山女釣 やまめつり yamame-tsuri fishing for yamame
熱帯魚 ねったいぎょ nettaigyo tropical fish
天使魚 てんしぎょ tenshigyo angelfish
闘魚 とうぎょ tōgyo fighting fish
鰹 かつお katsuo （かつを）, bonito
松漁 かつお katsuo bonito [kanji literally "pine fish"]
堅漁 かつお katsuo bonito [kanji literally "firm fish"]
鰹釣 かつおづり katsuozuri fishing for bonito
鰹船 かつおぶね katsuobune bonito-fishing boat
飛魚 とびうお tobiuo （とびうを）, flying fish とびお tobio flying fish
つばめ魚 つばめうお tsubameuo swallow-fish [after the bird, 燕【つば
め】 tsubame, swallow]
とびの魚 とびのうお tobi no uo flying fish
蟹 かに kani crab [note: these are all small crabs, generally not eaten]
山蟹 やまがに yamagani mountain crab [a Potamon species]
川蟹 かわがに kawagani river crab
沢蟹 さわがに （澤蟹） sawagani, swamp crab [Potamon dehaani]
浜蟹 はまがに hamagani shore crab
砂蟹 すながに sunagani sand crab [a salt-water crab, Ocypoda stimsoni;
not a mole crab, which is
砂堀蟹【すなほりがに】 sunahorigani--the creature most commonly called
"sand crab" on both coasts of the U.S. and not generally found in saijiki,
though appropriate to summer]
弁慶蟹 べんけいがに benkeigani Benkei crab [a salt-water crab, named
after the legendary hero]
磯蟹 いそがに isogani rock crab
蛾 が ga moth
火取虫 ひとりむし hitorimushi light-drawn insect [i.e., moth]
灯虫 ひむし himushi lamp insect [moth]。
火入虫 ひいりむし hiirimushi fire-entering insect [moth] hotaru1
蛍 ほたる hotaru firefly/fireflies
蛍火 ほたるび hotarubi firefly glow
源氏蛍 げんじぼたる genjibotaru Genji firefly [Luciola vitticollis; the name
recalls 『源氏物語』Genji Monogatari and the Minamoto Clan]
平家蛍 平家ほたる heikebotaru Heike firefly [the name recalls 『平家物
語』 Heike Monogatari] and the Taira Clan]
蛍合戦 ほたるがっせん hotarugassen firefly contest [the image of many
fireflies flying together looking for mates]
鼓虫 まいまい maimai （まひまひ）, whirligig beetle(s) [family Gyrinidae]
水澄 みずすまし mizusumashi whirligig beetle(s)
水馬 あめんぼう amenbō water strider(s) [family Gerridae],
水馬 みずすまし mizusumashi water strider(s) [note that kanji are
required to avoid confusion with previous kidai]
蝉 せみ semi cicada / locust
初蝉 はつぜみ hatsuzemi first cicada
蝉時雨 せみしぐれ semishigure cicada shower / cicada chorus
油蝉 あぶらぜみ aburazemi oil cicada [Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata]
みんみん蝉 みんみんぜみ minminzemi robust cicada / min-min cicada
[Oncotympana maculaticollis]
唖蝉 おしぜみ oshizemi voice-less cicada [that is, a female cicada]
にいにい蝉 にいにいぜみ niiniizemi nii-nii cicada [Platypleura kaempferri]
熊蝉 くまぜみ kumazemi bear cicada [Cryptotympana japonensis, a
particularly broad-backed, black cicada]
蚊 か ka mosquito(es)
蚊柱 かばしら kabashira column of mosquitoes / swarm of mosquitoes
藪蚊 やぶか yabuka striped mosquito [aedes mosquito; literally "country
mosquito" or "thicket mosquito"]
蚊を打つ かをうつ ka o utsu (to) swat a mosquito
蟻 あり ari ant
山蟻 やまあり yama-ari mountain ant
蟻塚 ありづか arizuka anthill
蟻の塔 ありのとう ari no tō ant tower
蟻の道 ありのみち ari no michi ant trail / ant column
蝸牛 かたつむり katatsumuri snail / land snail
でで虫 ででむし dedemushi snail
でんでん虫 でんでんむし dendenmushi snail
蚯蚓 みみず mimizu earthworm
蚯蚓出づ みみずいづ mimizu izu earthworms come out
植物 しょくぶつ shokubutsu Plants
余花 よか yoka （よくわ）, lingering (cherry) blossoms
葉桜 はざくら 葉櫻 hazakura leafy cherry (tree/trees)
botan6 botan7 botan5 牡丹 ぼたん botan tree peony [Paeonia
suffruticosa; see also 芍薬【しゃくやく】 shakuyaku, peony]
牡丹 ぼうたん bōtan tree peony
白牡丹 はくぼたん hakubotan white tree peony
緋牡丹 ひぼたん hibotan scarlet tree peony
牡丹園 ぼたんえん botan en tree tree peony garden
紫陽花 あじさい ajisai （あぢさゐ）, hydrangea (blossoms) [Hydrangea
macrophylla]
七変化 しちへんげ shichi henge seven goblins [figurative for hydrangea]
四葩 よひら yohira four-petal / hydrangea
手毬花 てまりばな temaribana Japanese snowball [literally "hand-ball
blossom(s)"; Viburnum plicatum]
梔子の花 くちなしのはな kuchinashi no hana gardenia / Cape jasmine
[Gardenia jasminoides]
蜜柑の花 みかんのはな mikan no hana mikan blossom(s) / mandarin
orange blossom(s)
花蜜柑 はなみかん hanamikan mikan blossom(s) / flowering mikan
栗の花 くりのはな kuri no hana chestnut blossoms [Castanea crenata]
青梅 あおうめ aoume green plum [the fruit]
梅の実 うめのみ ume no mi fruit of the plum
実梅 みうめ miume plum fruit
さくらんぼ sakuranbo cherries/cherry
桜桃の実 おうとうのみ ōtō no mi fruit of the cherry
桜桃 おうとう ōtō cherries/cherry
ゆすらうめ yusuraume mountain cherry / Nanking cherry [the fruit of
Prunus tomentosa]
英桃 ゆすらうめ yusuraume mountain cherry
山桜桃 ゆすら yusura mountain cherry
枇杷 びわ biwa （びは）, loquat [the fruit of Eriobotrya japonica]
若葉 わかば wakaba young leaves/ new leaves / fresh verdure
山若葉 やまわかば yama wakaba young leaves in the mountains
里若葉 さとわかば sato wakaba young leaves in the village [connotes
young leaves at one's home town]
谷若葉 たにわかば tani wakaba young leaves in the valley
庭若葉 にわわかば niwa wakaba young leaves in the garden
若葉雨 わかばあめ wakaba ame rain in the young leaves / rain at the time
of young leaves
若葉風 わかばかぜ wakaba kaze wind in the young leaves
万緑 ばんりょく banryoku myriad green leaves [literally "myriad green"]
柿若葉 かきわかば kakiwakaba young/new persimmon leaves
u-no-hana6 u-no-hana3 u-no-hana2 卯の花 うのはな u-no-hana deutzia
flowers [Deutzia crenata]
卯木の花 うつぎのはな utsugi-no-hana deutzia flowers
野茨 のいばら noibara wild rose(s) [Rosa multiflora]
茨の花 いばらのはな ibara no hana wild rose blossoms
花うばら はなうばら hanaubara wild rose blossom(s) / flowering wild roses
桐の花 きりのはな kiri no hana paulownia blossoms [Paulownia tomentosa]
朴の花 ほおのはな hō no hana （ほほのはな）, magnolia blossom(s)
[Magnolia hypoleuca]
椎の花 しいのはな shii no hana （しひのはな）, pasania blossoms
[Castanopsis cuspidata, a hardwood tree related to the oaks]
桑の実 くわのみ kuwa no mi （くはのみ）, mulberries
桑苺 くわいちご kuwaichigo mulberries
竹落葉 たけおちば take-ochiba fallen bamboo leaves
kakitsubata3 kakitsubata1 燕子花 かきつばた kakitsubata blue flag [Iris
laevigata]
杜若 かきつばた kakitsubata blue flag
花菖蒲 はなしょうぶ hanashōbu iris / blue flag / white flag [Iris ensata]
芍薬 しゃくやく shakuyaku peony [Paeonia lactiflora]
葵 あおい aoi （あおひ）, hollyhock / althea [Alcea rosea; not to be
confused with 木槿【むくげ】 mukuge, rose of Sharon / shrub althea,
Hybiscus syriacus], and autumn kidai
罌粟の花 けしのはな keshi no hana poppy/poppies [Papaver somniferum,
typically red or white blossoms]
芥子の花 けしのはな keshi no hana poppy/poppies
撫子 なでしこ nadeshiko fringed pinks [Dianthus superbus]
常夏 とこなつ tokonatsu endless summer [literal] {B00}To include in
entry on this one: In most of Japan, this flower begins blooming in July,
and therefore it is included in summer in most modern saijiki. However, it
blooms well into autumn, and is one among 秋の七草 ななくさ aki no
nana kusa the seven autumn flowers; therefore some authorities place it
in autumn
瓜の花 うりのはな uri no hana melon flower(s)
夕顔 ゆうがお yūgao （ゆふがほ）, moon flower(s) [literally "evening face
(s)"; name of a chapter in the Tale of Genji]
蕗 ふき fuki butterbur [Petasites japonica]
蕗の葉 ふきのは fuki no ha butterbur leaves/leaf
蕗畑 ふきばたけ fukibatake butterbur field
伽羅蕗 きゃらぶき kyarabuki aloes-wood butterbur [figurative; a dish of
butterbur leaves boiled in soy sauce]
紫蘇 しそ shiso beefsteak plant / perilla [noted for its foliage; Perilla
frutescens]
青紫蘇 あおしそ aoshiso green beefsteak plant / green perilla
麦 むぎ mugi barley
麦の穂 むぎのほ mugi no ho barley in ear
穂麦 ほむぎ homugi barley ear
夏草 なつくさ natsu kusa （なつぐさ）, summer grass(es) (and
wildflowers) [note that the Japanese is not restricted to grasses, though
usually translated as if it were]
河骨 こうほね kōhone （かうほね）, water lily/lilies / spatterdock [literally
"river bones", but found in ponds and lakes as well; yellow-flowered;
Nuphar species]
川骨 かわほね kawahone water lily/lilies / spatterdock
鈴蘭 すずらん suzuran lily of the valley [literally "bell lily"; Convallaria
kesskei]
君影草 きみかげそう lily of the valley kimikagesomacr;, [literally "your-
shadow plant"]
十薬 じゅうやく jūyaku（じふやく）, dokudami flower(s) [small, white
flowers of a Chinese medicinal herb, Houttuynia cordata]
どくだみ dokudami dokudami どくだみの花 どくだみの花 dokudami no
hana dokudami flower(s)
藻の花 ものはな mo no hana waterweed flowers
花藻 はなも hanamo waterweed flowers / flowering waterweed ukikusa3
ukikusa1
萍 うきくさ ukikusa duckweed [family Lemnaceae]
黴 かび kabi mold/mildew
黴の宿 かびのやど kabi no yado mildewed inn/lodging
黴の香 かびのか kabi no ka scent of mildew
AUTUMN
秋 あき aki Autumn
時候 じこう jikō The Season
立秋 りっしゅう risshū （りつしう）, beginning (of) autumn
秋立つ あきたつ aki tatsu autumn begins
秋に入る あきにいる aki ni iru (we) enter autumn / autumn comes in/on
秋来る あきくる aki kuru autumn comes
残暑 ざんしょ zansho remaining/lingering heat
残る暑さ のこるあつさ nokoru atsusa left-over heat
秋暑し あきあつし aki atsushi autumn (is) hot
秋暑 しゅうしょ shūsho autumn heat
新涼 しんりょう shinryō （しんりやう）, new coolness
秋涼 しゅうりょう shinryō autumn coolness
秋涼し あきすずし aki suzushi autumn is cool
二百十日 にひゃくとおか nihyakutōka （にひゃくとをか）, 210th day
[from 立春【りっしゅん】 the first day of spring]
厄日 やくび yakubi bad luck day / disaster day [related to frequency of
野分【のわき】 nowaki, equinoctial storms, at this time of year]
秋彼岸 あきひがん akihigan Autumn Higan / autumn equinoctial week
[the week of which the autumn equinox is the center; see 彼岸 【ひが
ん】 higan in Spring] akinokure6 akinokure3 akinokure1
秋の暮 あきのくれ aki no kure autumn dusk / autumn twilight [this form
also means "the close/end of autumn"]
秋の夕 あきのゆう aki no yū autumn evening "Autumn dusk" or "autumn
evening twilight" (秋の夕暮【あきのゆうぐれ】aki no yugure) has been a
favored topic of Japanese poets since it was singled out for comparison
with "spring dawn" (春の曙【はるのあけぼの】haru no akebono) by Sei
Shnagon in her classic The Pillow Book (『枕草子』, c. 1001). Indeed it
has figured much more frequently in waka and haiku than spring dawn,
and is the focal image of a number of acclaimed verses. With the coming
of autumn, the days grow shorter and, as the expression "well-bucket
nightfall" (釣瓶落とし【つるべおとし】tsurube-otoshi) suggests, the sun
seems to sink quickly from the twilight sky. In Sei Shnagon's words, "one
gives a start at the sound of the wind and the cries of insects." These
images became closely associated with autumn dusk and its power to
evoke a sense of the passing of time and the evanescence of life.
Perhaps this is why so many poets have left verses in which autumn dusk
becomes the occasion for autobiographical reflections. A related
expression, "the end of autumn" or "twilight of autumn" (暮の秋【くれの
あき】kure no aki), refers to the end of the whole season rather than of
an autumn day, and has not been as popular in haiku as the
corresponding expressions for "the end of spring" (暮の春【くれのはる】
kure no haru and 暮春【ぼしゅん】boshun).
この道や行く人なしに秋の暮 芭蕉 kono michi ya yuku hito nashi ni aki no
kure this road . . . with no one going by autumn dusk Basho
秋の暮大魚の骨を海が引 西東三鬼 aki no kure taigyo no hone o umi ga
hiku autumn dusk: the bones of a large fish pulled by the sea Saito Sanki
触れるもの皆実をこぼし秋の暮 桜井霧峰人 fureru mono mina mi o koboshi
aki no kure everything I touch spills fruit to the ground autumn dusk
Sakurai Muhjin
干し魚の歯に刺されたる秋の暮 鍵和田秞子 hoshi uo no ha ni sasaretaru
aki no kure pierced by the tooth of a dried fish autumn dusk Kagiwada
Yuko
我が肩に蜘蛛の糸張る秋の暮 富田木歩 waga kata ni kumo no ito haru aki
no kure on my shoulder a spider's thread sticks autumn dusk Tomita
Moppo This author, because of his bad legs and inability to walk as a child,
and through having a weak constitution, had to endure going through
life as if sleeping. The poem, with the preface "Sick in Bed" (病臥),
expresses the thought of being resigned to his fate upon seeing a spider
draw its silk across his shoulder.
夜長 よなが yonaga long night(s)
長き夜 ながきよ nagaki yo long night(s) Properly speaking, the longest
night is that of the winter solstice (around 21 December by the
Gregorian calendar), but "long night(s)" as an autumn topic is based less
on the calendar than on poetic sensibility: the contrast with summer's
brief nights. At night-work or reading a book in the pleasant climate of
autumn, one keenly feels the lengthening nights. Just as "long day(s)" (日
永【ひなが】 hinaga) is by convention a spring topic, "short night(s)" (短
夜【みじかよ】 mijikayo) a summer topic, and "short day(s)" (短日【たん
じつ】 tanjitsu) a winter topic, so "long nights" is firmly associated with
autumn.
山鳥の枝ふみかゆる夜長かな 蕪村 yamadori no eda fumikayuru yonaga
kana a copper pheasant's feet fidget on the branch-- this long night
Buson
一燈を残し夜長の仕事終ふ 高濱年尾 itt o nokoshi yonaga no shigoto ou
leaving one lamp lit I end the work of a long night Takahama Toshio
よそに鳴る夜長の時計数へけり 杉田久女 yoso ni naru yonaga no tokei
kazoekeri distant strikings of a clock in the long night-- I counted each
Sugita Hisajo
夜長人たのしみて書く手紙かな 楠目橙黄子 くすめ とうこうし
yonagabito tanoshimite kaku tegami kana this letter of one who enjoyed
writing the whole long night Kusume Toukoushi
北山の夜の長さを杉育つ 細見綾子 kitayama no yoru no nagasa o sugi
sodatsu northern mountains the length of the nights raises the cedars
Hosomi Ayako
狂女なりしを召使はれて夜長し 平畑静塔 kyoujo narishi o
meshitsukawarete yoru nagashi once a madwoman now made an
orderly-- long nights Hirahata Seito The author is a psychiatrist. This verse
may refer to a woman who, after being treated in a hospital for mental
illness, was employed by the same institution to run errands. The poet
seems to be thinking of the woman, having spent her youth thus
confined, now growing older within the same surroundings. The topic
"long nights" is deeply resonant.
星月夜 ほしづきよ hoshizukiyo starlit night [concept seems to be "stars-
for-moon night"] sawayaka3
爽やか さわやか sawayaka fresh / refreshing / crisp [of weather]
さやけし sayakeshi bright and fresh / refreshing / crisp This refers to the
crisp, cool days of autumn. As the season turns and the air becomes
clear, everything becomes more distinctly visible. The relatively lower
humidity during the day is refreshing, too. The term "clear coolness"
refers especially to the lower temperatures of such days.
爽やかに山近寄せよ遠眼鏡 日野草城 ひの そうじょう sawayaka ni yama
chikayose yo tmegane through crisp air it brings the mountains near: the
telescope Hino Soujou
夢のあと追うて晴なり爽やかに 阿部みどり女 yume no ato oute hare nari
sawayaka ni chasing remnants of a dream--the sky clears and becomes
crisp Abe Midorijo
さやけくて妻とも知らずすれちがふ 西垣脩 sayakekute tsuma to mo
shirazu surechigau so bright and fresh even my wife's unknown-- passing
each other Nishigaki Osamu
昆布一丈爽やかに漁婦たもとなし 古舘曹人 konbu ichij sawayaka ni gyofu
tamoto nashi ten feet of kelp-- in the freshness the fisherwoman has no
sleeves Furutachi Sōjin
さわやかにおのが濁りをぬけし鯉 皆吉爽雨 みなよし そうう sawayaka ni
ono ga nigori o nukeshi koi in the coolness a carp frees himself from
muddied water Minayoshi Souu Startled by something, a carp swirls
around and is covered in the muddied water it raises. But a moment
later, the carp moves quietly on and the mud settles back to the bottom
of the pool. The sense of autumn's freshness is enhanced.
冷やか ひややか hiyayaka chilly / cool [of weather]
秋冷 しゅうれい shūrei autumn chill
冷ゆる ひゆる hiyuru (to be) chilly
夜寒 よさむ yosamu night chill
宵寒 よいさむ yoisamu evening chill
akifukashi4 akifukashi10 秋深し あきふかし aki fukashi autumn (is) deep
深秋 しんしゅう shinshū deep autumn
秋さぶ あきさぶ （秋寂ぶ）aki sabu, autumn gets lonely [etymologically
"autumn rusts", but long poetical use has altered the meaning; still, some
hint of color comes through]
秋闌ける あきたける aki takeru autumn (is) advanced [alternate
orthography and pronunciation: 秋闌くる【あきたくる】 aki takuru] This
topic refers to that time in late autumn when the colors of the season
are everywhere apparent, "winter is near" (冬近し【ふゆちかし】 fuyu
chikashi), and all of the natural world is imbued with a sense of
evanescence. The three months of autumn are sometimes referred to in
haikai as "early autumn" (初秋【しょしゅう】 shoshuu), "mid autumn" (仲
秋【ちゅうしゅう】 chuushuu), and "late autumn" (晩秋【ばんしゅう】
bansh). (Approximately August, September, October; see the note on
the calendar.) Mid autumn has something of the beginning of the feeling
of the "fullness of autumn", and the term "deep autumn" signifies nearly
the end of the season. (See the related entry "autumn dusk" (秋の暮【あ
きのくれ】 aki no kure.)
秋深き隣は何をする人ぞ 芭蕉 aki fukaki tonari wa nani o suru hito zo
autumn deep the neighbor-what is it he does? Bashō
秋深しふき井に動く星の数 幸田露伴 aki fukashi fuki-i ni ugoku hoshi no
kazu deep autumn-- moving in the deep well countless stars Koda Rohan
秋深きことにこと寄せ話すかな 星野立子 aki fukaki koto ni koto yose
hanasu kana autumn deepens that gives us something to talk about
Hoshino Tatsuko
画家去りて白樺のこる秋深し 大島民郎 gaka sarite shirakaba nokoru aki
fukashi an artist departs the white birches remain deep autumn Oshima
Tamiro
秋深し奥に問ひつつ小商ひ 鍵和田子 かぎわだ ゆうこ aki fukashi oku ni
toitsutsu koakinai autumn is deep . . . in the interior a tradesman asks on
and on Kagiwada Yuuko
彼一語我一語秋深みかも 高濱虚子 kare ichigo ware ichigo aki fukami kamo
his one word my one word--must be the depths of autumn Takahama
Kyoshi This verse is perhaps referring to a close friendship in which the
exchange of a single word is enough to satisfy the heart-felt need for
talk. The subject of this terse conversation may have been the
deepening of autumn, or the sense that the ageing of the year is
symbolic of the speaker's own predicament. There may also be an echo
of a famous poem by Kyoshi's master, Masaoka Shiki (正岡子規): 行く我に
とゞまる汝に秋二つ yuku ware ni todomaru nare ni aki futatsu for me
going for you staying here two autumns 九月尽 くがつじん kugatsujin
（くぐわつじん）, end of the ninth (lunar) month [that is, early
November Gregorian; however, in some recent haiku it seems to mean
"end of September", contrary to the original feeling of "the end of
autumn"]
天文 てんもん tenmon The Heavens
秋の声 あきのこえ aki no koe （あきのこゑ）, voices of autumn
[particularly at night: wind in trees, plants; patter of leaves, rain; insect
cries; and so on]
秋声 しゅうせい shūsei autumnal voices
秋韻 しゅういん shūin autumnal tone [musical sense] In older poetic
traditions the sounds of the wind or of "fulling blocks" (砧【きぬた】
kinuta) were preferred images for this topic, but the reverberations of all
sounds seem to be enhanced by the crisp, still air of autumn, and the
topic takes that enhanced sense as a sign of autumn's arrival. Perhaps
because the air is clear, even distant sounds become audible, and these
may remind the listener of the approaching end of the year. This is true
particularly at night, with wind in trees, plants; patter of leaves, rain;
insect cries; and so on.
灯を消して夜を深うしぬ秋の声 村上鬼城 hi o keshite yo o fukoushinu aki
no koe I snuff out the lamp and night has deepened-- voices of autumn
Murakami Kijo
寺掃けば日に日にふかし秋の声 中川宋淵 tera hakeba hi ni hi ni fukashi aki
no koe sweeping the temple-- day by day deeper voices of autumn
Nakagawa Soen
秋声は何れの窓に多からむ 相生垣瓜人 shusei wa izure no mado ni karamu
autumnal voices in which of the windows are there more? Aioi Gakikajin
草の穂のゆるるともなし秋の声 村上牧秋子 kusa no ho no yururu mo nashi
aki no koe the ripe grasses are not even swayed-- voices of autumn
Murakami Bosshūshi
大瀑布ひとすぢ秋の声を添ふ 篠田悌二郎 daibakufu hitosuji aki no koe o
sou a great waterfall its steady roar joined by autumn's voices Shinoda
Teijiro Surrounded by the roaring sound of a great waterfall, even so he
heard the sounds of autumn. In the roaring sound of a waterfall that
never lets up, when autumn came he could still discern its accompanying
voices.
秋高し あきたかし aki takashi autumn (is) spacious [of the skies; literally
"autumn is high", but referring to skies, not equal to the English idiom
"high autumn"]
天高し てんたかし ten takashi skies (are) spacious / spacious skies [literally
"heavens are high"]
iwashigumo2 iwashigumo1 鰯雲 いわしぐも iwashigumo mackerel clouds /
cirro-cumulus [literally "sardine clouds"]
鱗雲 うろこぐも urokogumo fish-scale clouds
鯖雲 さばぐも sabagumo mackerel clouds [literal] When small slivers of
these clouds form their characteristic spotted patterns in pale-blue skies,
many are inspired to think autumn has indeed arrived. Their shape
suggests wavelets or the pattern of scales on a fish, especially a
mackerel. When such clouds appear it is the season for large catches of
sardines, hence the name "sardine clouds". Technically, such clouds are
usually cirro-cumulus, but similar patterns may be seen among alto-
cumulus clouds, and the distinction is not firm.
朝戸繰るこちらのかはも鰯雲 中村草田男 asato kuru kochira no kawa mo
iwashigumo I open the morning door here on this side too mackerel
clouds Nakamura Kusatao
鰯雲旅を忘れしにはあらず 橋本多佳子 iwashigumo tabi o wasureshi ni wa
arazu mackerel clouds-- not that I've forgotten my journey Hashimoto
Takako
妻たちの旅はじめてのいわし雲 和知喜八 tsumatachi no tabi hajimete no
iwashigumo the wives off on a trip--their first mackerel clouds Wachi
Kihachi
ボート来て崩るる影や鰯雲 飯田和子 bto kite kuzururu kageya iwashigumo
a boat comes and shatters the reflection . . . mackerel clouds Iida Kazuko
教室は教師の砦いわし雲 樋笠文 kyshitsu wa kyshi no toride iwashigumo
the classroom a teacher's fortress-- mackerel clouds Hikasa Fumi
鰯雲日かげは水の音迅く 飯田龍太 iwashigumo hikage wa mizu no oto
hayaku the mackerel clouds' shadows--water's sound quick Iida Ryuuta A
scene in a mountain village. Shadows of the sun lengthen as autumn
deepens, and the air begins to get chilly. With autumn's arrival, water
stored up is allowed to run off. The speeding water, under the spreading
mackerel clouds, suggests the advance of the seasons.
tsuki2 月 つき tsuki moon
秋の月 あきのつき aki no tsuki autumn moon
夕月 ゆうづき yūzuki evening moon
宵月 よいづき yoizuki evening moon
弦月 げんげつ gengetsu half/quarter moon [literally "bow-string moon", i.
e. a moon shaped like a strung bow with its string]
弓張月 ゆみはりづき yumiharizuki half/quarter moon [literally "bow-
stretched moon"]
初月 はつづき first (visible) moon [of the eighth lunar month,
approximately September]
二日月 ふつかづき futsukazuki second-day moon / second-day crescent
[of the eighth lunar month]
三日月 みかづき mikazuki（みっかづき）, third-day moon / crescent moon
[of the eighth lunar month]
新月 しんげつ shingetsu new moon / new crescent moon ["new moon"
in its astronomical sense, i.e., "no moon", is a modern development, and
shingetsu is sometimes used in this sense in modern haiku; however,
"new crescent moon" is probably the most common understanding,
referring to the first appearance of the moon in the eighth lunar month.]
Since ancient times, the natural phenomena favored above all by
Japanese poets have been the triplet "snow, moon, blossoms" (that is,
cherry blossoms). The moon appears in all four seasons, of course, but in
both classical poetry and haikai it has been firmly associated with autumn,
so that unless otherwise specified, "the moon" means the autumn moon.
One reason for this is that as blossoms is the pre-eminent image of spring
and snow is that of winter, the moon came to connote autumn. No less
important a reason, surely, is that the moon seems to shine with a special
clarity in the months of autumn. Many haikai expressions for varied
aspects of the moon have become topics for this season. In particular,
from the beginning of the eighth lunar month (mid autumn; about
September), we have special names for the first several nights' moons.
月はやしこずゑ雨を持ちながら 芭蕉 tsuki hayashi kozue ame o
mochinagara the moon goes quickly while the grove's branchtips hold the
rain Bashō
声かれて猿の歯白し峰の月 其角 koe karete saru no ha shiroshi mine no
tsuki its voice hoarse a monkey's teeth are white-- moon on the peak
Kikaku
月天心貧しき町を通りけり 蕪村 tsuki tenshin mazushiki machi o trikeri the
moon at zenith I passed on through a poor town Buson
月光にいのち死にゆくひとゝ寝る 橋本多佳子 gekko ni inochi shi ni yuku
hito to neru in the moonlight I sleep with one who goes from life into
death Hashimoto Takako
きのふより濃き月光の障子なる 篠原梵 kin yori koki gekk no shji naru more
intense than last night-moonlight through the shoji [Shoji are the
papered lattices that shade windows in traditional Japanese architecture.]
Shinohara Bon
月明し家を定めしばかりにて 百合山羽公 tsuki akashi ie o tadameshi bakari
nite the moon brightly shines on the house just chosen Yuriyama Ukō
The poet seems to be having second thoughts about a house he has
just chosen to live in. Seeing the moon rise over the roof, he is struck by
the brilliance of its light, and wonders if he made the right choice.
名月 めいげつ meigetsu harvest moon [literally "famous moon"; all these
kigo refer to the full moon of the eighth lunar month, usually in
September]
明月 めいげつ meigetsu bright moon
望月 もちづき mochizuki auspicious moon / full moon
満月 まんげつ mangetsu full moon [literal]
今日の月 きょうのつき kyō no tsuki today's moon
月今宵 つきこよい tsuki koyoi the moon this evening
芋名月 いもめいげつ imo meigetsu taro-famous moon [refers to practice
of serving taro (a tuber similar to potato) on this night]
無月 むげつ mugetsu invisible moon / unseen moon [refers to the full
moon of the eighth lunar month, usually in September, being invisible
because of clouds, weather, and so on] amanogawa1
天の川 あまのがわ amanogawa （あまのがは）, Milky Way
銀河 ぎんが ginga Silver River / the galaxy [figurative for the Milky Way]
銀漢 ぎんかん ginkan Silver River [literally "Silver Han" = 銀河【ぎんが】
ginga, above] On clear nights, the Milky Way--the galaxy which contains
our solar system--may look like a band of thin cloud, or a belt of glittering
silver sand in the sky. It is especially striking and beautiful when viewed
on clear autumn nights. There are so many kinds of gorgeous stars in the
universe's galactic system; scientifically explained, seen by someone with
an unobstructed view, this ring of the universe looks belt-shaped. But
whoever looks up at this night sky is ushered into a legendary dream-
world like that of Tanabata.
荒海や佐渡に横たふ天の川 芭蕉 araumi ya sado ni yokotou amanogawa
rough sea . . . stretching to Sado Island the Milky Way Basho
更け行くや水田の上の天の川 惟然 fuke yuku ya mizuta no ue no
amanogawa it grows late . . . over wet paddy-fields the Milky Way Izen
天の川水車は水をあげてこぼす 川崎展宏 amanogawa suisha wa mizu o
agete kobosu the Milky Way-- a waterwheel brings up water and spills it
Kawasaki Tenko
うすうすとしかもさだかに天の川 清崎敏郎 usu-usu to shika mo sadaka ni
amanogawa faintly faintly and even so-clearly the Milky Way Kiyozaki Toshio
米提げてもどる独りの天の川 竹下しずの女 kome sagete modoru hitori no
amanogawa carrying rice I return-alone the Milky Way Takeshita Shizunojo
Widowed, single-handedly raising her children, the author's life of
desperation finds expression here. It is the loneliness of one coming
home alone with the rice needed for life. Even so, beyond the limits of
this aloneness there is the Milky Way.
流星 りゅうせい ryūsei （りうせい）, meteor(s) / shooting star(s) / falling
star(s)
流れ星 ながれぼし flowing star(s) [literal]
星飛ぶ ほしとぶ hoshi tobu a meteor flies / meteors fly [literally "a star
flies / stars fly"]
夜這星 よばいぼし yobaiboshi night-crawling star(s) / night-trailing star(s)
[both literal]
秋風 あきかぜ akikaze autumn breeze / autumn wind [carries with it the
sound of rustling leaves]
秋風 しゅうふう shūfū autumn breeze / autumn wind
秋の風 あきのかぜ aki no kaze autumn breeze / autumn wind
野分 のわき nowaki equinoctial storm / line storm [literally "field-divider";
apparently an old name for "typhoon", in haikai understood to emphasize
the wind, as opposed to typhoons in which rain is most prominent]
野わけ のわけ nowake equinoctial storm / line storm
台風 たいふう 颱風 taifū typhoon [note: typhoons (Pacific) are essentially
the same as hurricanes (Atlantic), developing from tropical storms in their
respective oceans]
台風圏 たいふうけん taifūken typhoon area/range
台風裡 たいふうり taifū-ri back of (a/the) typhoon
台風眼 たいふうのめ taifū no me eye of (a/the) typhoon
芋嵐 いもあらし imo-arashi taro-storm / taro-tempest [wind strong
enough to batter the leaves of a taro plant]
秋の雨 あきのあめ aki no ame autumn rain
秋雨 あきさめ akisame autumn rain
inazuma5 稲妻 いなずま inazuma （いなづま）, heat lightning / lightning
[literally "rice lightning"; in a clear sky, without thunder or rain]
稲光 いなびかり inabikari lightning flash This refers to lightning flashing
across the clear night sky without rain or thunder, often seen in distant
skies on autumn nights. The name inazuma, literally "rice's mate", derives
from the folk belief that this kind of lightning causes rice grain to ripen.
いなづまや堅田泊りの宵の空 蕪村 inazuma ya katada-domari no yoi no
sora lightning . . . while staying in Katada this night sky Buson
稲妻のゆたかなる夜も寝べきころ 中村汀女 inazuma no yutaka naru yo mo
nebeki koro a night rich in lightning even when it's time to sleep
Nakamura Teijo
稲妻や夜も語りゐる葦と沼 木下夕爾 inazuma ya yo mo katari iru ashi to
numa lightning the night too is talking reeds and marshes Kinoshita Yuuji
稲妻の斬りさいなめる真夜の岳 福田蓼汀 inazuma no kirisainameru mayo
no take lightning slashes and taunts the midnight cliff Fukuda Rytei
稲妻はかかはりもなし字を習ふ 及川貞 inazuma wa kakawari mo nashi ji o
narau of the lightning I take no notice--practicing/ my brush writing
Oikawa Tei
いなびかり北よりすれば北を見る 橋本多佳子 inabikari kita yori sureba kita
o miru when lightning flashes from the north I look north Hashimoto
Takako This gives the idea of looking for a moment in the direction
where a sudden lightning flash has gone. Beyond the fact that this
direction happens to be north, north also brings in the feeling of the
desolation of cold ground, deepening the idea of this lightning.
霧 きり kiri autumn mist / fog [see note "On Haze, Mist, Fog"]
狭霧 さぎり sagiri thin fog / thin autumn mist
霧襖 きりふすま kirifusuma（きりぶすま）, wall of fog/mist [literally "fog
fusuma", sliding door of fog]
tsuyu2 露 つゆ tsuyu dew [avoid confusion with homonym
梅雨【つゆ】 tsuyu, rainy season, in summer]
白露 はくろ hakuro white dew
露の玉 つゆのたま tsuyu no tama dew drop
露けし つゆけし tsuyukeshi heavy with dew / dew-laden [carries classical
overtone of tearfulness]
露しぐれ つゆしぐれ tsuyu shigure dew shower
地理 ちり chiri The Earth
hanano1 花野 はなの hanano flowery field(s) / flowery moor(s) / flower-
field(s)
花野原 はなのはら hananohara flowery field(s) flowery moor(s) / flower-
field(s)
花野道 はなのみち hananomichi flower-field path
花野風 はなのかぜ flower-field wind/breeze(s) This refers to fields bright
with blossoms of autumn flowers. As the season reaches its peak, a wide
variety of wild plants flowers or ripens into seed, to be tossed in the
autumn winds. Broad expanses of fields at the feet of mountains may
turn bright with color when the autumn flowers are in bloom. Wildflowers
have a distinctive beauty unlike that of cultivated flowers -- and a slightly
desolate quality that appears when they are briefly at their peak and
about to fall. The seasonal word hanano, associated with autumn, was
already in use by medieval waka and linked verse poets. It has long been
a favorite of haikai poets, as well.
松葉掻く人かすかなる花野かな 信徳 matsuba kaku hito kasukanaru
hanano kana someone rakes pine needles faintly those flower-fields
Shintoku
天渺々笑ひたくなりし花野かな 渡辺水巴 ten byby waraitaku narishi
hanano kana the sky boundless I wanted to laugh: these flower-fields
Watanabe Suiha
友情をこゝろに午後の花野径 飯田蛇笏 yj o kokoro ni gogo no
hananomichi friendship on my mind this afternoon flower-field path Iida
Dakotsu
癒えて帰る馬車に花野の天丸く 米田一穂 iete kaeru basha ni hanano no
ten maruku cured and returning by carriage--the flower-field sky is round
Yoneda Kazuho
花野やはらか移動文庫の車輪過ぎ >平畑静塔 hanano yawaraka idbunko no
sharin sugi the flower-field soft the bookmobile's wheels roll on Hirahata
Seit The force of the modifier "soft" (yawaraka) is just right for the
setting of a flowery field. The wheels of the mobile library may creak as it
rolls slowly along. The weight of the vehicle underscores the beauty of
the field's blossoms.
akinota2 秋の田 あきのた aki no ta autumn rice paddies
水澄む みずすむ mizu sumu （みづすむ）, water clears / waters clear
秋の海 あきのうみ aki no umi autumn sea
秋の波 あきのなみ aki no nami autumn waves
秋の浜 あきのはま aki no hama autumn seashore
不知火 しらぬい shiranui（しらぬひ）, phosphorescent light /
noctilucence [on the sea]
竜灯 りゅうとう ryūtō phosphorescent light / noctilucence [literally
"dragon light"]
生活 せいかつ seikatsu Daily Life
衣被 きぬかつぎ kinukatsugi taros boiled in their skins
新米 しんまい shinmai new rice [the first rice of the new crop]
今年米 ことしまい kotoshimai this year's rice
早稲の飯 わせのめし wase no meshi early rice [the food]
夜食 やしょく yashoku supper / evening meal [implies meal-break during
夜なべ【よなべ】 yonabe, nightwork]
新酒 しんしゅ shinshu new saké [the first saké brewed from this year's
rice crop]
新走 あらばしり arabashiri new run (of saké) / first (saké) run [of the
new rice crop]
今年酒 ことしざけ kotoshizake this year's saké
早稲酒 わせざけ wasezake early-rice saké
燈火親し とうかしたし tōka shitashi （とうくわしたし）, lamplight (is)
intimate/familiar
燈下親し とうかしたし tōka shitashi lamplight (is) intimate/familiar
[includes the notion of "under" the lamp]
kakashi7 kakashi6 kakashi1 案山子 かかし kakashi scarecrow かかし kakashi
scarecrow The scarecrow in Japan is traditionally a figure made of bamboo
and straw, crowned with a rainhat woven of straw or reeds, and armed
with a bow and arrow. Each farming family devises its own scarecrows to
stand guard over fields and paddies of ripening grain. Typically the mouth
is painted as a distinct frown, and they are dressed in worn-out clothing.
Sometimes their appearance is perversely amusing. The word kakashi was
once pronounced kagashi--something foul-smelling--and referred to burnt
hides or rotten fish heads, the odor of which was counted upon to keep
pests away. Related haikai words include "bird-clappers" and "bird-
scarers", devices designed to scare off birds and animals by making noise.
御所柿にたのまれ貌のかがしかな 蕪村 goshogaki ni tanomaregao no
kagashi kana commissioned by the imperial persimmons--the face of this
scarecrow Buson [One almost cannot help hearing an "as if" at the
beginning of this poem, though it is quite possible that Buson travelled by
a persimmon grove maintained on behalf of the Imperial Household,
which even adds to the humor. Persimmons are notoriously bitter until
fully ripe.]
案山子にもうしろ向かれし栖かな 一茶 kagashi ni mo ushiro mukareshi
sumika kana to the scarecrow-- something nests turning its backside Issa
夕空のなごみわたれる案山子かな 富安風生 yzora no nagomi watareru
kagashi kana the calm of the evening sky wafts over this scarecrow
Tomiyasu Fuusei
みちのくのつたなきさがの案山子かな 山口青邨 michinoku no tsutanaki
saga no kagashi kana this north-country crudely drooping scarecrow
Yamaguchi Seison
倒れたる案山子の顔の上に天 西東三鬼 taoretaru kagashi no kao no ue ni
ten above the face of a fallen scarecrow-- the Heavens Saitou Sanki
某は案山子にて候雀どの 夏目漱石 soregashi kagashi ni te soro suzume
dono That person is The Scarecrow to you Mr. Passing Sparrow! Natsume
Souseki The author of this verse must have encountered a scarecrow
with a humorous aspect, and adopted its manner of intimidating a
sparrow to create this farcical haiku. The familiar image of Sseki as the
austere novelist is offset by a poem showing him in another light.
inekari2 inekari1 稲刈 いねかり inekari rice reaping / rice harvesting
稲車 いなぐるま inaguruma rice cart/truck
稲舟 いなぶね inabune rice boat Rice is harvested in Japan between late
August and mid-November, depending on the latitude. The urgency of
the work of harvesting differs from that of transplanting rice seedlings. At
the end of the many steps of planting seeds, plowing, gathering and
replanting seedlings, and weeding, the paddy fields full of golden ears of
grain are eventually ready to be harvested. This is hard labor, but is also
satisfying work. After draining the paddies, a day of fine weather is
chosen, then the harvest begins and continues until everyone is faint
from work. Such a scene typifies rural life in Japan in the fall. As it begins
to get dark, wagons loaded with freshly cut rice roll down country roads,
offering evidence that the year's harvest has been successful. In recent
years, both harvest and transport of rice have become mechanized, but
older haiku season words such as "rice cart" and "rice boat" are hard to
relinquish. Bundles of freshly cut rice ears are laid on "rice racks" to dry,
after which the threshing will begin.
たそがれて馬おとなしや稲を積む 原石鼎 tasogarete uma otonashi ya ine
o tsumu twilight coming on the horse waits docilely . . . they load the
rice Hara Sekitei
稲刈って飛鳥の道のさびしさよ 日野草城 ine katte asuka no michi no
sabishisa yo rice harvested the road to Asuka so forlorn Hino Sojo
稲刈のいつもうしろに湖の蒼 河野南畦 inekari no itsumo ushiro ni umi no
ao rice harvesting and always at their backs the blue of the lake Kawano
Nankei
稲刈りの夫婦稲刈りつつ離る 岩根甲 inekari no ffu inekaritsutsu hanaru
rice harvesting the husband and wife keep harvesting and separating
Iwane Masaru
庭に来てつひに崩れし稲車 青木就一郎 niwa ni kite tsui ni kuzureshi
inaguruma finally reaching the farmyard it collapses: the rice cart Aoki
Juichiro
稲刈ってだんだんひろきうしろかな 松尾睦月 ine katte dandan hiroki
ushiro kana rice harvesting step by step it widens-- this space behind
Matsuo Mutsuski This "step by step" expresses the slow but steady
harvesting of ears of rice, the cleared area expanding outward behind the
harvesters. Aware of their progress, they are reluctant to take a break,
and press on.
藁塚 わらづか warazuka rice-straw stack(s) [bundled and stacked rice
straw, similar to Western "haystacks", but generally smaller, more
numerous]
にお nio （にほ） (rice) straw-pile
藁にお わらにお （藁堆／藁鳰）waranio, rice-straw pile
夜なべ よなべ 夜業 yonabe nightwork [not that this is the only time of
year when people work at night, but that one is most conscious of it at
this time]
夜業 やぎょう yagyō nightwork
夜仕事 よしごと yoshigoto nightwork
竹伐る たけきる take kiru (to) fell bamboo
大根蒔く だいこんまく daikon maku (to) sow daikon (seeds) [Raphanus
sativus variety hortensis, the Japanese white radish]
だいこんまく daiko maku (to) sow daikon (seeds)
大豆 だいず daizu （だいづ）, soybean(s) / soya bean(s) [fruit of Glycine
max, an important commercial crop, at harvest time]
豆 まめ mame soybean(s) [while generic for "bean" in common speech,
specific to soybean in haikai]
畦豆 あぜまめ azemame paddy-ridge bean(s)
大豆引く だいずひく daizu hiku harvesting soybeans [literally "pulling
soybeans"]
蘆刈 あしかり ashikari reed-cutting
刈蘆 かりあし kariashi cut reeds
秋思 しゅうし shūshi （しうし）, autumnal feelings / autumn sadness
運動会 うんどうかい undōkai （うんどうくわい）, athletic meet / field day
夜学 やがく yagaku night school
夜学生 やがくせい yagakusei night-school student
夜学子 やがくし yagakushi night-school child [that is, a young person
going to night school]
行事 ぎょうじ gyōji Observances
重陽 ちょうよう chōyō （ちょうやう）, Chrysanthemum Festival [literally
"repeated sun"; approximately mid October]
重九 ちょうきゅう chōkyū Chrysanthemum Festival [literally "repeated
nines", referring to the traditional date, the 9th day of the 9th lunar
month]
菊の節句 きくのせっく kiku no sekku Chrysanthemum Festival [literal] This
festival is celebrated on the 9th day of the ninth lunar month and is one
of the five sekku, or "seasonal festivals" (see the entry for 雛【ひな】
hina, (ceremonial) doll(s), in Spring for a list of the five festivals). It is
called "Repeated Nines" or "Repeated Sun" because the number nine,
associated with the sun in Chinese astrology, is repeated in the lunar
calendar date. The topic of many classical Chinese poems, this was an
important annual observance in ancient China, observed by going to the
top of a mountain and drinking rice wine infused with the petals of
chrysanthemum flowers, thought to ward off evil and promote longevity.
Imported to Japan, it was established as a rite of the imperial court,
celebrated by the composition of poetry and song and a banquet at
which participants drank Chrysanthemum sake. In recent times, the
festival is no longer widely observed in Japan.
草の戸や日暮てくれし菊の酒 芭蕉 kusa no to ya higurete kureshi kiku no
sake at the grass door . . . dusk comes with a gift of chrysanthemum sak
Bash [The "grass door" is synecdoche for a thatch-roofed cottage,
humble circumstances in contrast to the old court rite of drinking
chrysanthemum-flavored wine. This sak was brought by one of Bash's
disciples, Otokuni (乙州).]
重陽の山里にして不二立てり 水原秋櫻子 chōyō no yamazato ni shite fuji
tateri Repeated Sun at a mountain village: Fuji stands peerless Mizuhara
Shūōshi
重陽や椀の蒔絵のことごとし 長谷川かな女 chōyō ya wan no makie no
kotogotoshi Chrysanthemum Festival . . . the lacquerware of the cups a
bit much Hasegawa Kanajo
重陽の干して貧しき山の幸 高田秋仁 chōyō no hoshite mazushiki yama no
sachi Chrysanthemum Festival's dried up and impoverished mountain
blessing Takada Shjin
籾蔵の戸が開いてゐる重九かな 宮岡計次 momigura no to ga aite iru chku
kana the seed-rice storehouse door is open this Double Nine Miyaoka Keiji
重陽の雨が叩けり真葛原 有働亨 chy chōyō no ame ga tatakeri
makuzuhara "Double-Sun" rain-battered: the field of kudzu Ud Tru As if in
spite of the auspicious date, September 9th, a fierce rain falls on a field
full of kudzu (arrowroot) vines, battering its leaves. Since the leaves of
the kudzu are large and wide, the noise is audible, and the word
"batters" appropriate. The scene suggests the decline of interest in the
festival in recent years.
終戦記念日 しゅうせんきねんび shūsenkinenbi War's End Memorial Day
[15 August (1945); commemorates the end of WWII]
終戦日 しゅうせんび shūsenbi War's End Day
敗戦忌 はいせんき haisenki defeat anniversary
敗戦日 はいせんび haisenbi defeat day
敬老の日 けいろうのひ keirō no hi （けいらうのひ）, Senior Citizens Day
[15 September]
老人の日 ろうじんのひ rōjin no hi Venerables Day
年寄の日 としよりのひ toshiyori no hi Day of the Elderly
赤い羽根 あかいはね akai hane Red Feather [Community Chest donar
symbol]
愛の羽根 あいのはね ai no hane Auspicious Feather / Love Feather
七夕 たなばた tanabata Tanabata / Festival of the Weaver [literally
"seventh evening", referring to the traditional date, the 7th day of the
7th lunar month; about mid August, but now celebrated 7 July some
places, 7 August others]
七夕祭 たなばたまつり tanabata matsuri Tanabata Festival / Festival of
the Weaver
星祭 ほしまつり hoshi matsuri Star Festival
星迎 ほしむかえ hoshimukae star greeting / greeting stars
星合 ほしあい hoshiai star meeting / meeting stars
星今宵 ほしこよい hoshi koyoi the stars this evening
七夕竹 たなばただけ tanabatadake Tanabata bamboo [from which a card
with a poem or other inscription on it is hung]
七夕流し たなばたながし tanabata nagashi Tanabata send-off [objects
such as Tanabata inscriptions thrown into a river or sea at the end of the
festival]
盂蘭盆 うらぼん urabon Bon Festival / Lantern Festival / Festival of the
Dead [13-16 August]
盂蘭盆会 うらぼんえ urabon'e Bon Festival / Lantern Festival / Festival of
the Dead
盆 ぼん bon Bon Festival / Obon
墓参 はかまいり hakamairi （はかまゐり）, grave visit / visiting graves [in
preparation for Bon Festival]
墓参 ぼさん bosan grave visit
展墓 てんぼ tenbo visiting grave(s) [includes notion of cleaning up]
掃苔 そうたい sōtai brushing moss [off the grave or gravestone]
墓洗う はかあらう haka arau (to) wash/clean the grave/gravestone
流燈 りゅうとう ryūtō （りうとう）, floating lantern [in connection with
Bon Festival]
燈籠流し とうろうながし tōrō nagashi floating lanterns send-off
精霊流し しょうりょうながし shōryō nagashi spirits send-off
踊 おどり odori (Bon Festival) dance/dancing [note that while this is the
common word for dancing, in haikai it always means dancing at Obon
unless otherwise specified]
盆踊 ぼんおどり bon odori Bon Festival dance/dancing
踊子 おどりこ odoriko dancing woman / dancing girl
踊の輪 おどりのわ odori no wa ring/circle of dancers
踊唄 おどりうた odori uta dancing song
踊櫓 おどりやぐら odori yagura (Bon Festival) dance stand [elevated
platform with musicians and singers around which people dance in a ring]
子規忌 しきき shiki-ki Shiki's (Death) Anniversary / Shiki's Memorial Day [19
September, in honor of 正岡子規【まさおか・しき】 Masaoka Shiki (1867-
1902), modern haiku and tanka poet, essayist, critic]
糸瓜忌 へちまき hechima-ki Sponge-gourd Anniversary [after the 糸瓜【へ
ちま】 hechima sponge-gourd plant, used as medicine against phlegm for
his tuberculosis, featured in many of his haiku]
獺祭忌 だっさいき dassai-ki Otter Festival Anniversary [after Shiki's
important newspaper column 「獺祭書屋俳話【だっさいしょおくはい
わ】」 dassai sho-oku haiwa, "Haiku Talks from the Otter's Den"]
動物 どうぶつ dōbutsu Animals shika3 shika1 鹿 しか shika deer [Cervus
nippon, usually for the cries of the male in rut]
牡鹿 おじか （小鹿） ojika, stag / male deer
小男鹿 さおじか saojika stag / male deer
鹿の声 しかのこえ shika no koe deer's voice / deer cries
妻恋う鹿 つまこうしか tsuma kou shika mating deer
鹿笛 しかぶえ shikabue deer flute / deer call [mimics sound of a deer
calling]
馬肥ゆる うまこゆる uma koyuru horses fatten / horse grows fat
秋の駒 あきのこま aki no koma autumn colt / autumn pony / autumn
horse
蛇穴に入る へびあなにいる hebi ana ni iru snakes hole up / snakes go into
their holes [to hibernate]
穴まどい あなまどい ana madoi hole confusion / hole-less (snake) [a
snake not in its hole]
秋の蛇 あきのへび aki no hebi autumn snake [that is, one outside its
hole] wataridori1
渡鳥 わたりどり wataridori migratory birds / birds of passage
鳥渡る とりわたる tori wataru birds migrate
小鳥来る ことりくる kotori kuru little birds come [such birds as siskins,
thrushes, waxwings, and redstarts, migrating north to south or mountains
to plains; some authorities cite as mid-autumn, but varies according to
species and region] This is an autumn topic in haikai, referring to birds
which fly southward in the fall, including wild geese, ducks, thrushes,
siskins, mountain finches and others. These birds fly in flocks when
migrating. If the flocks resemble clouds in motion, they are called "bird-
clouds". If the sound of their wings evokes the wind, the phrase "bird-
wind" may be used by the haikai poet. Birds which fly to Japan in autumn
are primarily species which spend the summer in Siberia, where they
breed, and fly south via China's northeast en route to Japan. Many such
species remain in Japan for the winter, living in forests or in coastal areas
until spring, when they return north. Some birds, including species of
snipes and plovers, stop only briefly in Japan before migrating further
south for the winter.
雀らも真似してとぶや渡り鳥 一茶 suzumera mo maneshite tobu ya
wataridori even the sparrows fly in imitation . . . migrating birds Issa
渡鳥仰ぎ仰いでよろめきぬ 松本たかし wataridori aogi aoide yoromeginu
migrating birds-- staring and staring I totter along Matsumoto Takashi
鳥わたるこきこきこきと罐切れば 秋元不死男 tori wataru kokikokikoki to
kan kireba birds migrating sound "koki-koki-koki" as I open a can Akimoto
Fujio
人はみな旅せむ心鳥渡る 石田波郷 いしだ はきょう hito wa mina
tabisemu kokoro tori wataru people all think of travelling-- birds migrating
Ishida Hakyoo
渡り鳥伸び縮まりつ中空に 田中鬼骨 wataridori nobichijimaritsu nakazora ni
migrating birds spread out and bunch up in mid-sky Tanaka Kikotsu
渡り鳥みるみるわれの小さくなり 上田五千石 wataridori mirumiru ware no
chisaku nari migrating birds-- while watching them I grow smaller Ueda
Gosengoku It is the migrating birds which seem to grow smaller as they
fly further away, but the poet can't avoid the illusion that it is he himself
who is shrinking. The phrase mirumiru, literally "before my very eyes" or
"as I watch", conveys precisely the dynamic sense of the birds flying out
of sight.
燕帰る つばめかえる tsubame kaeru （つばめかへる）, swallows go back
[to the south]
帰燕 きえん kien migrating swallows [to the south]
去ぬ燕 いぬつばめ inu tsubame departing swallows
秋燕 しゅうえん shūen autumn swallows
残る燕 のこるつばめ nokoru tsubame remaining swallows
鵙 もず mozu shrike [Lanius species]
百舌鳥 もず mozu shrike [kanji literally "hundred tongues/clappers bird"]
雁 かり kari (wild) goose/geese [usually Anser species, though Branta are
included]
がん gan (wild) goose/geese
かりがね karigani (wild) goose/geese [technically, the lesser white-
fronted goose Anser erythropus, though may be used generically]
初雁 はつかり hatsukari first (wild) goose/geese
雁渡る かりわたる kari wataru geese migrate
落雁 らくがん rakugan falling/fallen (wild) goose [come down from the
sky]
落鮎 おちあゆ ochiayu descending ayu/sweetfish [literally "falling ayu";
Plecoglossus altivelis]
下り鮎 くだりあゆ kudariayu descending ayu/sweetfish
秋の鮎 あきのあゆ aki no ayu autumn ayu/sweetfish
錆鮎 さびあゆ sabiayu rusty ayu/sweetfish [refers to color]
渋鮎 しぶあゆ shibuayu muted ayu/sweetfish [refers to color]
鯊 はぜ haze goby [Acanthogobius flavimanus]
鯊日和 はぜびより hazebiyori goby weather/conditions
鯊の秋 はぜのあき haze no aki goby autumn
鯊の潮 はぜのしお haze no shio goby tide
秋刀魚 さんま sanma mackerel pike [Cololabis saira]
さいら saira mackerel pike
鮭 さけ sake salmon [Oncorhynchus species]
初鮭 はつざけ hatsuzake first salmon
秋の蝉 あきのせみ aki no semi autumn cicada(s)/autumn locust(s)
秋蝉 しゅうせん shūsen autumn cicada(s)/locust(s)
残る蝉 のこるせみ nokoru semi remaining cicada(s)/locust(s)
蜩 ひぐらし higurashi clear-toned cicada(s)/ evening cicada(s) [literally
"day darkener"; Tanna japonensis]
tonbo1 蜻蛉 とんぼ tonbo dragonfly/dragonflies [order Odonata,
suborder Anisoptera; not to be confused with 糸蜻蛉【いととんぼ】
itotonbo, "damselfly", a summer kidai]
せいれい seirei dragonfly/dragonflies
あきつ akitsu dragonfly/dragonflies
やんま yanma dragonfly/dragonflies
赤蜻蛉 あかとんぼ akatonbo red dragonfly/dragonflies
虫 むし mushi insect(s) [usually plural, for their singing]
虫時雨 むししぐれ mushishigure insect shower / insect chorus
昼の虫 ひるのむし hiru no mushi midday insects
残る虫 のこるむし nokoru mushi remaining insects [left-over from early
and mid autumn]
すがる虫 すがるむし sugaru mushi clinging insect(s)
蟋蟀 こおろぎ kōrogi （こほろぎ）, cricket(s)
ちちろ chichiro cricket(s)
ちちろ虫 ちちろむし chichiromushi cricket(s) 螽斯[Note: While this is a
correct post-war transcription for the name, I do not have the more
correct, older form of the second kanji which is universally used in saijiki:
same as 斯 but with added 虫偏 on left]
きりぎりす kirigirisu long-horned grasshopper(s) [Platyphyllum concavum;
cry reported as チョンギース chon'giisu; some authorities place this insect
in early autumn]
ぎす gisu long-horned grasshopper(s)
機織 はたおり hataori long-horned grasshopper(s) [literally "weaver"]
轡虫 くつわむし kutsuwamushi oblong-winged katydid(s) [literally
"bridled/muffled insect"; Mecopoda elongata, very similar to North
American oblong-winged katydid, Amblycorypha oblongifolia, hence the
translation]
がちゃがちゃ gachagacha oblong-winged katydid(s) [Japanese name
mimics cry, similar to "gotcha, gotcha" in English].
螳螂 かまきり kamakiri praying mantis [Tenodora aridifolia, "Chinese
mantid"]
螳螂 とうろう tōrō praying mantis [the same]
いぼむしり ibomushiri praying mantis [the same]
蓑虫 みのむし minomushi bagworm(s) / basketworm(s) [larva of
Psychidae, within cocoon]
鬼の子 おにのこ oni no ko demon-child [literal]
植物 しょくぶつ shokubutsu Plants
木犀 もくせい mokusei sweet olive / sweet osmanthus [Osmanthus
fragrans varieties]
金木犀 きんもくせい kinmokusei golden sweet olive / golden sweet
osmanthus [Osmanthus fragrans variety aurantiacus]
銀木犀 ぎんもくせい ginmokusei silver sweet olive / silver sweet
osmanthus [Osmanthus fragrans]
薄黄木犀 うすぎもくせい usugimokusei pale-yellow sweet olive / pale-
yellow sweet osmanthus [Osmanthus fragrans variety thunbergii]
木槿 むくげ mukuge rose of sharon / hibiscus / althea [Hibiscus syriacus;
not to be confused with 葵【あおい】aoi, hollyhock / althea, in summer;
see also note on 蕣 at 朝顔【あさがお】 asagao, morning-glory, below]
芙蓉 ふよう fuyō rose mallow(s) [Hibiscus mutabilis]
葡萄 ぶどう budō （ぶだう）, grapes [eminent haiku masters have placed
this kidai in early, mid, and late autumn, apparently according to
geographical latitude and local grape production; we follow Inahata
Teiko's Hototogisu New Saijiki with an all-autumn designation, leaning
toward mid autumn]
葡萄園 ぶどうえん budōen vineyard
葡萄棚 ぶどうだな budōdana grape racks
momiji9 momiji6 momiji2 紅葉 もみじ momiji （もみぢ）, red leaves / red
(maple) leaves
夕紅葉 ゆうもみじ yūmomiji evening red leaves
むら紅葉 むらもみじ muramomiji village's red leaves
谿紅葉 たにもみじ tanimomiji valley's red leaves
紅葉山 もみじやま momijiyama red-leaved mountain
桐一葉 きりひとは kiri hitoha one paulownia leaf [refers to the sound of
one of the Paulownia tomentosa tree's large leaves falling]
一葉落つ ひとはおつ hitoha otsu one (paulownia) leaf falls
竹の春 たけのはる take no haru bamboo spring
芭蕉 ばしょう bashō （ばせう）, banana plant / plantain [Musa
paradisiaca, a large perennial related to the commercial banana, prized for
its leaves] カンナ kanna canna (flowers) [Canna species, most with bright
red flowers]
朝顔 あさがお asagao （あさがほ）, morning-glory/glories [Ipomea
species]
牽牛花 けんぎゅうか kengyūka morning-glory/glories
蕣 あさがお asagao morning-glory/glories [but note that this kanji is also
used for むくげ mukuge, rose of Sharon / hibiscus / althea, Hibiscus
syriacus] This is an annual vine of the Convolvulaceae family, said to have
its origins in southwestern China and the foothills of the Himalayas. The
seeds were valued for medicinal purposes in China, and from a Sung
dynasty anecdote about someone who once exchanged a treasured ox
for a quantity of this plant, it acquired the names "ox-pulling flower" and
"ox-pulling seed" (牽牛子【けんぎゅうし】 kengyuushi). The plant was
introduced into Japan 1200 years ago by embassies to Tang China which
brought back seeds for medicinal use. Crushed, the seeds were used as a
powerful laxative and diuretic. From the Edo period the plant was widely
cultivated for decorative purposes, and towards the end of the 19th
century was introduced to Europe, where it was referred to as "Japanese
Morning-Glory". In recent times it has been intensively cultivated by
gardeners in Japan. The blossoms were originally pale blue but a variety of
colors have been developed. Cultivars are generally divided into either
mutant or large-flowering strains. Wild morning-glories found growing in
warm areas of Kyushu and Shikoku today are small and said to be close to
the variety first introduced from China.
あさがほに我は飯くふおとこ哉 芭蕉 asagao ni ware wa meshi kuu otoko
kana by the morning-glories I am this rice-eating fellow Basho [Basho's
plain-style verse was written in deliberate contrast with a fanciful hokku
by Kikaku: 草の戸に我は蓼くふほたる哉, kusa no to ni ware wa tade kuu
hotaru kana, "by the grass door / I am this knotweed-eating / firefly".]
朝がほや一輪深き淵の色 蕪村 asagao ya ichirin fukaki fuchi no iro a
morning-glory . . . in one flower the color of a deep pool Buson
朝がほや猶まぼろしの[Special character composed of 巾偏 plus 厨 kaya.
gif]ひとへ 蓼太 asagao ya nao maboroshi no kaya hitoe a morning-glory . .
. one layer of a phantom's mosquito net Ryuuta
朝顔や濁り初めたる市の空 杉田久女 asagao ya nigori sometaru ichi no sora
morning-glories . . . the sky over the marketplace as it starts to get dirty
Sugita Hisajo
朝顔の紺の彼方の月日かな 石田波郷 asagao no kon no kanata tsukihi kana
beyond the deep blue of the morning-glories the days and months . . .
Ishida Hakyoo The deep blue flowers of the morning glories are
blossoming in a row. The author's attention is drawn first by the flowers,
then past them to the infinite prospect of days and months ahead. The
repeated no sound in the Japanese lends assonance to the poem.
鶏頭 けいとう keitō cockscomb(s)
鶏頭花 けいとうか keitōka cockscomb flower(s) コスモス kosumosu
cosmos / Mexican aster(s) [Cosmos bipinnatus, the common garden
cosmos]
秋桜 あきざくら akizakura cosmos [literally "autumn cherry (blossoms)"]
白粉花 おしろいばな oshiroibana four o'clock flower(s) / Marvel-of-Peru
[literally "white face-powder flower(s)"; Mirabilis jalapa] おしろい oshiroi
four o'clock flower(s) / Marvel-of-Peru [literally "white face-powder"]
夕化粧 ゆうげしょう yūgeshō four o'clock flower(s) / Marvel-of-Peru
[literally "evening make-up"]
鳳仙花 ほうせんか hōsenka （ほうせんくわ）, impatiens / touch-me-not
(s) [cultivated varieties of Impatiens species, a genus in the balsam family;
distinguish
釣船草【つりふねそう】 tsurifunesō, wild touch-me-not / jewelweed, also
Impatiens species, blooming at the same time]
つまくれない（爪紅） tsumakurenai touch-me-not(s) [colloquial; literally
"(finger-)nail red"]
つまべに（爪紅） tsumabeni touch-me-not(s) [colloquial; same as
previous]
染指草 せんしそう senshisō touch-me-not(s) [colloquial; literally "dye-finger
(-nail) plant"]
鬼灯 ほおずき 鬼燈 hōzuki （ほほづき）, ground cherry/cheries / Chinese
lantern(s) [literally "demon lamp"; Physalis alkekengi]
酸漿 ほおずき hōzuki ground cherry/cherries / Chinese lantern(s) [literally
"tart juice"]
秋海棠 しゅうかいどう shūdō （しゅうかいだう）, hardy begonia(s) [of
the 1000 or more begonia species and cultivators, this is Begonia
evansiana, the hardiest garden variety]
菊【きく】 chrysanthemums
大菊 おおぎく ōgiku large chrysanthemums
中菊 ちゅうぎく chūgiku medium (-sized) chrysanthemums
小菊 こぎく kogiku small chrysanthemums
糸瓜 へちま 蛮瓜／布瓜 hechima sponge gourd / loofah [fruit of the Luffa
cylindrica]
芋 いも imo taro [sometimes colloquial for potato, but not in haikai; may
carry overtone of yokel, bumpkin]
里芋 さといも satoimo taro
芋畑 いもばたけ imobatake taro field
衣被ぎ きぬかつぎ kinukatsugi unblemished taro [for boiling in their skins;
see 衣被【きぬかつぎ】 kinukatsugi under the category 生活【せいかつ】
seikatsu, Daily Life]
貝割菜 かいわりな kaiwarina （かひわりな）, radish sprouts [literally "open
shell greens"; young sprouts of
大根【だいこん】 daikon,
蕪【かぶ】 kabu, turnip, and so on]
唐辛子 とうがらし tōgarashi red peppers / cayenne peppers [hotter
representatives of the Capsicum genus]
蕃椒 とうがらし tōgarashi red peppers / cayenne peppers
ine3 ine1 稲 【いね】 ine rice-plant(s) [refers to the mature plants]
稲穂 いなほ inaho ear/head of rice
稲田 いなだ inada paddy with (mature) rice plants
稲の香 いねのか ine no ka fragrance of rice plants
稲の秋 いねのあき ine no aki rice-plant autumn
玉蜀黍 とうもろこし tōmorokoshi （たうもろこし）, field corn / maize /
Indian corn [Zea maize]
唐黍 とうきび tōkibi field corn / maize / Indian corn もろこし morokoshi
field corn / maize / Indian corn
蕎麦の花 そばのはな soba no hana buckwheat flowers
蕎麦 そば soba buckwheat (flowers)
草の花 くさのはな kusa no hana (autumn) wildflowers [note: "grass
flowers" is not a good translation, as 草 includes forbs and herbs]
千草の花 ちくさのはな chigusa no kana the thousand (autumn)
wildflowers [that is, many kinds]
秋の七草 ななくさ aki no nana kusa the seven autumn flowers [which
are, classically: 萩【はぎ】 hagi, bush clover、尾花【おばな】 obana,
pampas grass flowers、葛花【くずばな】 kuzubana, arrowroot flowers、撫
子【なでしこ】 nadeshiko, fringed pinks、女郎花【おみなえし】
ominaeshi, patrinia、藤袴【ふじばかま】 fujibakama, Joe-Pye weed; 朝顔
【あさがお】 asagao, morning-glory; 桔梗【ききょう】 kikyou, Chinese
bellflower, replaces morning-glory in modern lists] 撫子 なでしこ
nadeshiko fringed pinks [see Summer] hagi3 hagi2 hagi1 萩 はぎ hagi
bush clover [Lespedeza species] 白萩 しらはぎ shirahagi white bush
clover 山萩 やまはぎ yamahagi mountain bush clover [Lespedeza bicolor,
pink-to-red-flowered] 野萩 のはぎ nohagi wild bush clover 小萩 こはぎ
kohagi small/young bush clover こぼれ萩 こぼれはぎ koborehagi
overflowing bush clover 乱れ萩 みだれはぎ midarehagi profusion of bush
clover 萩原 はぎはら hagihara bush clover meadow/field/plain This
flowering shrub is one of the traditional "seven plants of autumn" (秋の七
草【あきのななくさ】 aki no nanakusa). It was the topic of no less than
141 poems in the earliest anthology of Japanese poetry, Man'ysh
(Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves, c. 780 CE). The plants to which
bush clover, a deciduous, low-growing shrub, is most closely related are
legumes. It acquired the name hagi, originally "sprouting shoots" (生え芽
【はえき】 haeki), since it puts forth new shoots from old root stock.
The name "bush clover" by itself almost always refers, in haikai and waka
poetry, to "mountain bush clover", a species widely distributed in Japan,
Korea and China. Bush clover was used as fodder for domestic animals; its
stalks were harvested for making fences or thatching, and used to make
the handles of writing brushes. Historical records indicate that the leaves
of this plant were sometimes roasted for use as a substitute for tea.
Today, the cultivar most commonly chosen as a flowering plant by
gardeners is the "Miyagi Plains bush clover" (宮城野萩【みやぎのはぎ】
miyagino hagi, Lespedeza thunbergii). The "round-leaf bush clover" (円葉
萩【まるばはぎ】 maruba hagi, L. cyrtobotrya), "lacquer bush clover" (蒔
絵萩【まきえはぎ】 makie hagi, L. virgata), and numerous other varieties
are popular as well, but in haikai, all are referred to, simply, as hagi.
萩咲いて家賃五円の家に住む 正岡子規 hagi saite yachin goen no ie ni
sumu bush clover blooming I live in a house at five yen rent Masaoka Shiki
三日月やこの頃萩の咲きこぼれ 河東碧梧桐 mikazuki ya konogoro hagi no
sakikobore this crescent moon about now the bush clover spills its
blossoms Kawahigashi Hekigoto
萩の風何か急かるる何ならむ 水原秋櫻子 hagi no kaze nanika sekaruru nani
naramu bush-clover wind-- something hurries me along I wonder what
Mizuhara Shuoshi
萩見ながら病母と墓の話など 能村登四郎 hagi minagara bybo to haka no
hanashi nado watching the bush clover I talk with my sick mother of
gravestones and such Nomura Toshiro
白萩や出羽の日暮れは林檎色 吉田鴻司 shirahagi ya dewa no higure wa
ringo-iro white bush clover . . . the twilight in Dewa Province apple-
colored Yoshida Kōji
しら露もこぼさぬ萩のうねり哉 芭蕉 shiratsuyu mo kobosanu hagi no uneri
kana not even spilling the white dew this swaying of bush clover Basho
The stalks of a bush clover, looking as though about to spill its own
blossoms, are laden with dew, and sway gently in the evening breeze. In
the fleeting moment before the droplets of dew fall, they lend color to
the leaves and blossoms of their host.
susuki6 susuki5 susuki4 susuki1 芒 すすき 薄 susuki pampas grass
[Miscanthus sinensis]
花芒 はなすすき hana susuki flowering pampas grass
十寸穂の芒 ますほのすすき masuho no susuki ten-inch-plume pampas grass
鷹の羽芒 たかのはすすき taka no ha susuki zebra pampas grass [literally
"hawk-feather pampas grass", M. sinensis variety zebrinus] Susuki, or
pampas grass, is a perennial plant of the grass family which is native to
China and Japan and grows wild in mountains and fields throughout
Japan, wherever direct sunlight is available. It is one of the traditional
"seven plants of autumn" (秋の七草【あきのななくさ】akino nanakusa).
In some regions it is still called by the older name kaya (萱【かや】),
which refers to the dried grass used as thatch. The kaya of traditional
thatched roofs is simply another name for "susuki". Pampas grass lends
charm to the fields and hills of autumn, but also has a range of practical
uses closely tied to traditional Japanese life. Apart from thatch, it has
been used to make bags for charcoal, straw sandals, rope, hanging
screens, brooms and other products. The young leaves have been used
as fodder for domestic animals. The roots are dried and boiled to make an
infusion used to alleviate fever. Another name for the plant or its
blossoms is literally "tail flower", from the appearance of the blossom,
while plants with especially large blooms are sometimes called "ten-inch-
plume pampas grass". Susuki has an important role in ikebana (flower
arrangement) during autumn. Besides the ordinary species, "narrow-
leaved pampas grass" and "zebra pampas grass" are favored for use in
ikebana, but in haiku all varieties of the plant may be referred to simply as
susuki.
散る芒寒くなるのが目に見える 一茶 chiru susuki samuku naru no ga me ni
mieru scattering pampas grass . . . all too visibly it turns cold Issa
この道の富士になりゆくすすきかな 河東碧梧桐 kono michi no fuji ni
nariyuku susuki kana how this path becomes Mount Fuji: pampas grass
Kawahigashi Hekigoto
妙高の大扉ぞ暮るる芒かな 秋元不死男 myok no to zo kururu susuki kana
Myoko's Great Gate--dusk settles in the pampas grass Akimoto Fujio
[Myoko is an 8,000-foot (2450-meter) high, extinct volcano with
extended views from various points on its rim. Its two most prominent
ridges, at the north and south, form an apparent gateway in the sky.]
をりとりてはらりとおもきすすきかな 石田蛇笏 oritorite harari to omoki
susuki kana bent and plucked the fluttering weight of this pampas grass
Iida Dakotsu The beauty of pampas grass is just caught in that "fluttering
weight". The flexibility of a piece of pampas grass, the bounty of its
plume, and all the other sensations change with its thickness and weight.
In addition, this is all expressed in the original poem in the flowing grace
of hiragana.
葛 くず kuzu arrowroot/kudzu [Pueraria lobata]
葛の葉 くずのは kuzu no ha arrowroot leaves / kudzu leaves
真葛 まくず makuzu genuine arrowroot / genuine kudzu [lauditory name]
葛の花 くずのは kuzu no ha arrowroot/kudzu flowers
真葛原 まくずはら makuzu hara plain of genuine arrowroot/kudzu
曼珠沙華 まんじゅしゃげ manjushage red spider lily/lilies [Lycoris radiata]
彼岸花 ひがんばな higanbana red spider lily/lilies [literally "Higan flower"]
桔梗 ききょう kikyō （ききやう）, Chinese bellflower(s) [Platycodon
grandiflorum]
桔梗 きちこう kichikō Chinese bellflower(s)
竜胆 りんどう 龍胆 rindō （りんだう）, gentian(s) / autumn bellflower(s)
[Gentiana scabra, ]
露草 つゆくさ tsuyukusa common dayflower(s) / common commelina(s) /
Asiatic dayflower(s) [literally "dew plant/flower"; Commelina communis,
not a "spiderwort", which is the related genus Tradescantia]
螢草 ほたるぐさ hotarugusa firefly plant [literal]
赤のまんま あかのまんま aka no manma red
smartweed/knotweed/jointweed [Polygonum longisetum and related
species]
赤のまま あかのまま aka no mama red smartweed/knotweed/jointweed
犬蓼 いぬたで inutade (red) smartweed/knotweed/jointweed [literally
"mongrel smartweed/. . ."]
蓼の花 たでのはな tade no hana flowers of
smartweed/knotweed/jointweed
菌 きのこ kinoko mushroom(s)
茸 きのこ kinoko mushroom(s) 茸 たけ take mushroom(s)
茸山 たけやま takeyama mushroom hill/mountain(s)
茸飯 きのこめし kinoko meshi mushroom rice [that is, rice with
mushrooms]
初茸 はつたけ hatsutake first mushroom(s)
松茸 まつたけ matsutake pine mushroom(s) [Armillaria edodes]
椎茸 しいたけ shiitake shiitake / pasania mushroom(s) [Cortinellus shiitake]
しめじ（湿地茸） shimeji champignon(s) / meadow mushroom(s)
[Agaricus campestris, A. hortensis and related]
榎茸 えのきだけ enokidake hackberry mushroom(s)
WINTER
冬 ふゆ fuyu Winter
時候 じこう jikō The Season
初冬 はつふゆ hatsufuyu early winter
初冬 しょとう shotō early winter
冬初め ふゆはじめ fuyu hajime winter's beginning
神無月 かんなづき kannazuki 10th lunar month [literally "gods-absent
month"; approximately November]
かみなづき kaminazuki 10th lunar month [the same]
神有月 かみありづき kamiarizuki 10th lunar month [literally "gods-present
month"]
神の留守 かみのるす kami no rusu the gods' absence [see previous kidai]
神の旅 かみのたび kami no tabi the gods' travels
神送り かみおくり kamiokuri sending off the gods 神迎 かみむかえ
kamimukae greeting the gods
立冬 りっとう rittō beginning of winter / first day of winter [about 7
November]
冬立つ ふゆたつ fuyu tatsu winter begins/starts
冬に入る ふゆにいる fuyu ni iru (to) enter winter
冬来たる ふゆきたる fuyu kitaru winter comes on / winter arrives
冬ざれ ふゆざれ fuyuzare winter withering
冬ざるる ふゆざるる fuyuzaruru winter- withered koharu
小春 こはる koharu little spring [equivalent to North American "Indian
summer"]
小六月 ころくがつ korokugatsu lesser/little May [literally "lesser sixth
(lunar) month"]
小春日 こはるび koharubi little-spring day
小春日和 こはるびより koharubiyori mildness of a little-spring day In haiku,
"little spring", also called "lesser sixth month" (another name for the
tenth month of the lunar calendar), comprises sub-topics such as "little
spring day" and "the mildness of a little-spring day". The cause is a
meteorological phenomenon known as migratory anticyclones、which
spread gradually over Japan from the west, bringing a few days of mild
weather before the harsh cold of winter sets in. The topic evokes the
pleasure of the warmth and comfort afforded by such weather. Further
into winter, spells of warm days are referred to by the season words
"winter warmth" (冬暖か【ふゆあたたか】 fuyu atataka) and "winter
mildness" (冬ぬくし【ふゆぬくし】 fuyu nukushi).
海の音一日遠き小春かな 暁台 umi no oto ichinichi toki koharu kana sound
of the sea all day at a distance little spring Gyodai
玉の如き小春日和を授かりし 松本たかし tama no gotoki koharubiyori o
sazukarishi like a precious gem we are given the mildness of a little-spring
day Matsumoto Takashi
この山に道あればゆく小春かな 高木晴子 kono yama ni michi areba yuku
koharu kana if there is a path on this hill I will go little spring Takagi Haruko
人肌のごと小春日が墓を抱く 中山純子 hito hada no goto koharubi ga
haka o daku warm as someone's skin a little spring day hugs this
gravestone Nakayama Junko
小春の旅長き汀に終りけり 大野林火 koharu no tabi nagaki nagisa ni
owarikeri a little-spring journey on a long shore has come to an end Ohno
Rinka On the day that this journey has finally come to an end, the poet
finds himself walking on a long strand of beach, perhaps gently curving
around the ocean's shore. A mild day of little spring is entirely fitting for
the end of such a pleasant journey as this one must have been. The
poem suggests that the journey of life might be equally untroubled.
除夜 じょや joya （ぢよや）, year-end
年の夜 としのよ toshi no yo New Year's Eve [literally "year's night"]
冬日 ふゆひ fuyu hi winter sun ["winter day" is only a faint connotation
for this term in haikai]
冬の日 ふゆのひ fuyu no hi winter sun
冬日影 ふゆひかげ fuyu hikage winter sunshine
短日 たんじつ tanjitsu short day(s)
日短 ひみじか himijika short day(s)
暮早し くれはやし kure hayashi early dusk
暮易し くれやすし kure yasushi early dusk [literally something like "easy
dusk"; this and the previous kigo are virtually interchangeable]
日つまる ひつまる hi tsumaru days grow shorter as the nights become
longer, it is only natural that the days should be shorter. In haikai,
though, "long nights" is an autumn topic, while "short days" is associated
with winter. By analogy, "long days" is a spring topic and "short nights" is
a summer topic. As the days begin to feel shorter, we anticipate the
approach of the winter solstice and of the year's end. The season word
"short days" connotes the forlornness of weakening daylight and of
increasing cold. In conversation we speak of the diminishing length of
daylight and at this time of year are apt to say "the days are growing
shorter" as a greeting.
日短かやかせぐに追いつく貧乏神 一茶 hi mijika ya kasegu ni oitsuku
binbgami days grow short and the God of Poverty is pressed to earn
money Issa
暮れはやし高波浜の子守唄 石原八束 kure hayashi takanami hama no
komoriuta dusk comes quickly-- a lullaby by a shore where high waves rise
Ishihara Yatsuka
短日や北見の国に北見富士 西本一都 tanjitsu ya kitami no kuni kitamifuji
short days . . . in the province of Kitami Kitami Fuji Nishimoto Itto
短日のいまはなやかやはや灯り 池内友次郎 tanjitsu no ima hanayaka ya
hayatomori short days and gaiety comes quickly streets light up early
Ikenouchi Tomojiro As the days grow shorter the streets of the town
grow quiet sooner. In the busier neighborhoods, though, because of
shorter days the streets and shops are lighted earlier. By the time one is
aware of evening the streets are already brightly lit. A note of sadness
remains within the gaiety.
冷し つめたし tsumetashi cold [of things, persons, and the like]
冷ゆ ひゆ hiyu (something) gets cold
寒し さむし samushi cold [of weather, air, and the like]
寒さ さむさ samusa coldness [of weather, air, and the like]
寒気 かんき kanki the cold / frosty air
春隣 はるとなり haru tonari next to spring
春近し はるちかし haru chikashi spring is near
春信 しゅんしん shunshin the coming of spring [carries the sense of a
faith in spring's coming]
setsubun1 setsubun6 節分 せつぶん setsubun seasonal divide [about 3
February, the day before 立春【りっしゅん】 risshun (the first day of
spring); sometimes called "Bean-Throwing Night" in English] Literally
setsubun means the dividing point between two successive seasons, or
the day following which each of the four seasons passes into the next.
Since about the 15th century, though, setsubun has referred primarily to
the day before the first day of Spring, around the 3rd of February by the
modern calendar. This is traditionally the beginning of the New Year, and
a season for felcitation. The celebration as practiced in recent times
focuses on the driving out of evil spirits and demons on the eve of the
New Year.
節分や家ぬちかがやく夜半の月 水原秋櫻子 setsubun ya yanuchi kagayaku
yowa no tsuki season's divide . . . shining into the house the midnight
moon Mizuhara Shōshi
節分の提灯下げて寺男 松藤夏山 setsubun no chochin sagete tera otoko
seasonal divide: carrying a hand-lantern a temple monk Matsufuji Kazan
節分や田へ出て靄のあそびをり 森澄雄 setsubun ya ta e dete moya no
asobi ori seasonal divide . . . into the paddy field playing with the mist
Mori Sumio
節分の火の粉を散らす孤独の手 鈴木六林男 setsubun no hi no ko o chirasu
kodoku no te at season's divide I scatter ashes with a hand of solitude
Suzuki Murio These ashes may be those of a bonfire or a charcoal stove,
but it is clear that the person scattering them was keenly aware of
tending this fire and then scattering a handful of ashes with ritual care, in
a solitude underscored by the advent of a new year.
天文 てんもん tenmon The Heavens
冬晴 ふゆばれ fuyubare winter clarity
冬日和 ふゆびより fuyubiyori fine winter weather
冬うらら ふゆうらら fuyu-urara winter beauty
冬麗 とうれい tōrei winter beauty
凩 こがらし 木枯 kogarashi withering wind
時雨 しぐれ shigure (winter) shower/drizzle
しぐるる shigururu it is showering/drizzling
村時雨 むらしぐれ mura-shigure passing (winter) shower [literally "village
shower"]
片時雨 かたしぐれ kata-shigure scattered (winter) showers
小夜時雨 さよしぐれ sayo-shigure nighttime shower/drizzle Shigure refers
to winter rainshowers that fall briefly or intermittently and unpredictably,
often between spells of clear sky. In autumn, especially late autumn,
there are passing showers which have none of the driving force of
summer's "evening showers" (夕立【ゆうだち】 ydachi). These are the
forerunners of winter showers and are distinguished from the latter by
the season word "autumn showers" (秋時雨【あきしぐれ】 akishigure).
The first such showers in winter (that is, after the 7th or 8th of
November) are called "first showers" (初時雨【はつしぐれ】
hatsushigure). Of all the many kinds of rainfall of Japan's four seasons,
winter showers are the most familiar as a topic for traditional poetry. One
reason for this is that such showers are common among the hills around
Kyoto, where it may rain on one side of a hill while it is clear on the other
side. The somber sound of such showers may have suited the
conservative poetic culture of Kyoto. Winter showers in the Kitayama
area of Kyoto have been famous since ancient times. The origin of the
word shigure may have to do with the verb suguru (過ぐる【すぐる】),
meaning to pass over, or may refer to the erratic winds that accompany
such rainfall. In China, rains that fall after the start of winter are called
"soaking rain" (液雨【えきう】 eki-u), now a haikai season word that
corresponds to the phenomenon of shigure, but the topic never seems
to have become popular among traditional Chinese poets. Bash placed a
hokku with the season word "first showers" at the beginning of a
collection which became an important model of his own work and that of
his school. The verse lent its name to the title of that collection,
Monkey's Straw Raincoat (『猿蓑』【さるみの】sarumino), and suggests
Bash's affinity for this topic. Such showers are frequent in the tenth
month of the lunar calendar, so that month is sometimes called by the
name "Showers Month" (時雨月【しぐれづき】 shigure-zuki). Other
season words may be used for winter showers, depending on exactly
when and where they fall--"nighttime showers" for sudden showers that
fall at night, for example.
初しぐれ猿も小蓑をほしげなり 芭蕉 hatsushigure saru mo komino o
hoshigenari first winter shower even the monkey seems to want a little
raincoat Basho
幾人かしぐれかけぬく勢田の橋 丈草 ikutari ka shigure kakenuku seta no
hashi how many people run to escape a shower the Seta Bridge Jōsō
しぐるるや駅の西口東口 安住敦 shigururu ya eki no nishiguchi higashiguchi
suddenly showering-- the train station's west exit east exit Anjū Atsushi
食堂に雀鳴くなり夕時雨 支考 jikido ni suzume naku nari yushigure in the
dining hall sparrows are crying-- an evening shower Shiki In the 17th
century, when the author of this verse was active, the word shokudo
referred to the dining hall of a Zen temple (it now usually means a
cafeteria). Strict silence was observed there during meals. The sounding
of a wooden clapper to call the monks to dinner was the only exception.
Blending with the patter of raindrops on the eaves, the cries of sparrows
seeking shelter from the evening shower enhance the sense of somber
quiet.
霰 あられ arare snow pellets [often given in dictionaries, and therefore
mistranslated, as "hail"--which is 雹【ひょう】 hyō--a summer
phenomenon]
玉霰 たまあられ tama-arare jewel(-like) snow pellets shimo4 shimo2
shimo1
霜 しも shimo frost
霜晴 しもばれ shimobare frosty and clear [of weather]
霜雫 しもしずく shimo shizuku frost drips/drops [sound of water dripping
when frost melts]
霜の声 しものこえ shimo no koe sound of frost [literally "voice of frost"]
The sight of the ground covered with a thin coating of frost under a
clear, windless sky at dawn is enough to make anyone feel a bracing
sense of cold. Frost forms when water vapor in the air sublimes into
needle-shaped or plate-like particles of ice. Though the basic conditions
for the formation of frost are thus similar to those for autumn dew,
moisture in the air turns to ice because the temperature of the ground is
at or below the freezing point. On frosty mornings when the sky is clear
and the sun is shining, one may hear the sound of droplets of melted
frost falling from the eaves of houses or the tips of branches. The sight
of a coat of frost on things left outdoors overnight is a familiar experience
of winter mornings. Frost on the sprouts or leaves of agricultural crops
often causes serious harm. Although not directly related to frost in fact,
"frostbite" (霜焼【しもやき】 shimoyaki, literally, "frost-burn") is damage
to the skin or extremities after prolonged exposure to cold. The
phenomenon "ice-pillars" (霜柱【しもばしら】 shimobashira, literally "pillars
of frost") is not caused by frost, but by water in the soil which freezes
and pushes up small breaks in the crust of the ground. (Note: There
seems to be no standard English expression for this phenomenon,
sometimes translated "ice-needles"; the British poet Gerard Manley
Hopkins used "ice-pillars" in his Journals.)
里人のわたり候ふか橋の霜 宗因 satobito no watarisoro ka hashi no shimo
will the villagers just walk across? frost on the bridge Soin
月光をさだかに霜の降りにけり 松村倉石 gekko o sadaka ni shimo no
furinikeri with moonlight the brilliant frost has covered everything
Matsumura Kuraishi
霜来ると流れ澄むなり街の川 石塚友二 shimo kuru to nagaresumunari
machi no kawa when the frost comes how clearly it flows: the river
through town Ishizuka Tomoji
初霜や飯の湯あまき朝日和 樗良 hatsushimo ya meshi no yu amaki asabiyori
first frost-- hot water in the rice bowl sweet fine morning Chora After his
morning meal, the poet drinks some boiled water from his empty rice
bowl. The warmth of the water comes across as a sense of sweetness.
The winter's first frost has fallen, and it will be a cold day, but the sun is
shining and seems to promise comfort in spite of the cold.
yuki6 yuki5 yuki3 雪 ゆき yuki snow
小雪 こゆき koyuki light snow
大雪 おおゆき ōyuki heavy snow
根雪 ねゆき neyuki root snow [literal; refers to bottom layer of snow that
remains until spring snow-melt]
綿雪 わたゆき watayuki cotton snow
牡丹雪 ぼたんゆき botan'yuki large-flaked snow [literally "peony (petal)
snow"]
小米雪 こごめゆき kogomeyuki small-flaked snow [literally "fine-(broken)
rice snow"]
細雪 ささめゆき sasameyuki thin/fine snow
粉雪 こなゆき konayuki powdery snow
深雪 みゆき miyuki thick/deep snow [also connotes "beautiful snow"]
新雪 しんせつ shinsetsu new/new-fallen snow
風雪 ふうせつ fūsetsu wind and snow / snowstorm
飛雪 ひせつ hisetsu flying/driving snow
吹雪 ふぶき fubuki blizzard Together with the moon and flowers, snow is
considered one of the pre-eminent seasonal topics of the classical poetic
tradition in Japan, as in China. Japanese lyricism is hardly imaginable
without its diverse images of snow. Western Japan from the Hokuriku
region north to Hokkaido, facing the Japan Sea, experiences more snow
than any other area in the world, and the life of the inhabitants of this
region (often called "Snow Country" yukiguni) is built to a great extent
around the fact of heavy annual snowfall. The range of local words for
falling and fallen snow in all its varieties is vast. The cause of snow is
virtually the same as that of rain--evaporated moisture in the sky forms ice
crystals when the temperature is low enough, and falls as snowflakes.
The specific form of snow crystals varies; often a single snowflake is
actually a clump of several crystals. When falling snow is compacted and
loses its cyrstalline form it becomes "snow pellets" (yukiarare, see arare).
Snowfall is usually measured by the depth of snow accumulated on the
ground. As a rule, when temperatures are low, flakes are small and fall as
"powdery snow", which is easily raised from the ground by wind, one
cause of blizzards. At higher temperatures, snowflakes may be larger, and
are sometimes called "peony snow". As snow piles on fallen snow and
builds up, becoming compacted, it may sometimes become thick and
heavy enough to bury houses.
ながながと川一筋や雪の原 凡兆 naganaga to kawa hitosuji ya yuki no hara
stretching long the river a single line . . . the snowy plain Bonchō
これがまあつひの栖か雪五尺 一茶 kore ga maa tsui no sumika ka yuki go-
shaku so this, then is my final dwelling? five feet of snow Issa
降る雪や明治は遠くなりにけり 中村草田男 furu yuki ya meiji wa tku
narinikeri falling snow . . . Meiji has become distant Nakamura Kusatao
村貧しければ雪積むほかはなし 岸風三楼 mura mazushikereba yuki tsumu
hoka wa nashi a village so poor aside from snow piling up there is nothing
Kishi Fusanrō
いくたびも雪の深さを尋ねけり 正岡子規 ikutabi mo yuki no fukasa o
tazunekeri so many times I asked how deep is the snow Masaoka Shiki
This is one haiku of a sequence under the preface "Snow During Illness"
(病中雪【びょうちゅうゆき】 bych yuki). We may imagine a very heavy
snowfall prompting the poet--confined to his sickbed--to ask repeatedly
how much had accumulated. His reason for wanting to know must have
been to help imagine, and perhaps take comfort in, the scene outside.
風花 かざはな kazahana snowflake(s) [literally "snow flowers"]
地理 ちり chiri The Earth
kareno4 kareno1 枯野 かれの kareno withered field
枯原 かれはら karehara withered plain/moor
枯野道 かれのみち karenomichi withered-field path
枯野宿 かれのやど karenoyado withered-field inn/house [that is, a
house/inn in a withered field]
枯野人 かれのびと karenobito withered-field person / someone in a
withered field Fields or plains that look desolate and chillingly forlorn with
the arrival of winter are called "winter fields" or "winter plains". The
season word "withered field" specifically carries the sense that trees and
plants in such fields have thoroughly succumbed to winter's cold. The
image may well include fields covered with frost or snow, but often
seems to suggest a cold wind blowing across a field of withered grasses--
a landscape of essential winter bleakness. Because covering vegetation is
gone, paths or trails through the fields are clearly visible, as are any
houses, and the sight of a person in such a landscape is enough to catch
the viewer's full attention. Season words for such sights include
"withered-field path", ". . . house", and ". . . person". The distinctive
loneliness of withered winter fields has been a topic of Japanese poetry
since medieval times, but the season word kareno became especially
popular among haikai poets during the Edo period. One of the best
examples is Bash's famous death verse (cited below), which suggests
that he took the topic "withered field" to point to his state of mind as his
life drew to an end.
旅に病んで夢は枯野をかけ廻る 芭蕉 tabi ni yande yume wa kareno o
kakemeguru ill on a journey my dreams roam around withered fields Bashō
枯野行く人や小さう見ゆるまで 千代女 kareno yuku hito ya chiisau miyuru
made someone crossing a withered field-visible until quite small Chiyojo
蕭条として石に日の入る枯野かな 蕪村 shj to shite ishi ni hi no iru kareno
kana so desolate the sun enters a stone in this withered field Buson
遠山に日の当りたる枯野かな 高濱虚子 toyama ni hi no ataritaru kareno
kana on a distant mountain the sun has struck a withered field Takahama
Kyoshi
火を焚くや枯野の沖を誰か過ぐ 能村登四郎 hi o taku ya kareno no oki o
tare ka sugu a bonfire burns . . . in depths of a withered field someone
passes Nomura Toshiro A bonfire is burning. In the background lies the
expanse of a wide, desolate field. Far off, someone is visible, walking
away into the distance. Perhaps this is a scene from the author's
experience, but more likely it is an imagined landscape, evoking someone
in the strange isolation of contemporary life.
水涸 みずかる mizu karu （みづかる）, water dries up / water dried up
川涸 かわかる kawa karu river dries/dried up
沼涸 ぬまかる numa karu marsh dries/dried up
池涸 いけかる ike karu pond dries/dried up
滝涸 たきかる taki karu waterfall dries/dried up
kori5 kori2 kori1 氷 こおり kōri （こほり）, ice
厚氷 あつごおり atsugōri thick ice
氷面鏡 ひもかがみ himo kagami mirror ice / ice-mirror When the
temperature outdoors falls to or below freezing, ice forms--a familiar
experience of winter in Japan. In homes where central heating is not the
rule (as is true throughout much of rural and even urban Japan), ice may
cover the surface of buckets or pots of water in the kitchen on a cold
winter morning. Garden ponds, marshes, and lakes freeze over. In the
mountains of the northern regions of Japan, ice becomes thick enough
that one can walk or skate on the surface. Some people enjoy cutting
holes in the ice on lakes to fish. In the far north, the ocean freezes. "Ice
lakes" (氷湖【ひょうこ】 hyko) and "iced sea" (氷海【ひょうかい】 hykai)
are season words under the topic "ice." When the cold is extreme, even
waterfalls freeze solid--"freezing waterfall" (凍滝【いてたき】 itetaki) and
"waterfall iced up" (滝氷る【たきこおる】 taki kru) are words used in
haikai for such phenomena. When rivers freeze over, brushwood may be
laid on the surface to form a temporary bridge, called an "ice bridge" (氷橋
【こおりばし】 kribashi). When the frozen surface of a river or lake shines
like a mirror it is called an "ice mirror".
折れ沈む竹のうへなる氷かな 蘭更 oreshizumu take no ue naru kri kana
over broken and sinking bamboo stalks this ice Rank
あかつきや氷をふくむ水白し 白雄 akatsuki ya kori o fukumu mizu shiroshi
dawn light . . . the water full of ice is white Shirao
せせらぎや氷を走る炊ぎ水 一茶 seseragi ya kori o hashiru kashigi mizu a
little stream: cooking water runs over the ice Issa
氷上を滑りし礫とどまれり 丘本風彦 hyj o suberishi tsubute todomareri
the stone sliding over the ice comes to a stop Okamoto Kazahiko A large
pond is frozen over. From its bank, children throw stones. These skid
across the ice before coming to a stop. The game is to see whose stone
slides the furthest.
tsurara2 tsurara1 氷柱 つらら tsurara icicle
垂氷 たるひ taruhi hanging ice / icicle
生活 せいかつ seikatsu Daily Life
futon2 futon1 蒲団（布団） ふとん futon futon [Japanese-style quilted
bedding]
干蒲団 ほしぶとん hoshibuton quilt-drying / quilt-airing / (an) airing quilt
掛蒲団 かけぶとん kakebuton top quilt / coverlet
敷蒲団 しきぶとん shikibuton mattress / underquilt
掻巻 かいまき kaimaki sleeved futon
茎漬 くきづけ kukizuke pickled leaves and stems [of daikon, turnip, and
so on]
沢庵漬 たくあんづけ takuanzuke pickled daikon [Japanese white radish]
大根漬ける だいこんつける daikon tsukeru (to) pickle daikon
雑炊 ぞうすい sōsui （ざうすゐ）, mixed porridge
おじゃ oja boiled porridge
根深汁 ねぶかじる nebukajiru leek soup
葱汁 ねぎじる negijiru leek soup
風呂吹 ふろふき furofuki boiled daikon [or turnip]
冬構 ふゆがまえ fuyugamae winter maintenance
冬囲 ふゆがこい fuyugakoi winter enclosure
冬籠 ふゆごもり fuyugomori winter seclusion / winter confinement
炉開 ろびらき robiraki opening the hearth
大根干す だいこんほす daikon hosu (to) dry daikon [Japanese white
radish]
だいこ干す だいこほす daiko hosu (to) dry daikon
干大根 だいこん hoshidaikon dried daikon
切干 きりぼし kiriboshi cut and dried (daikon)
狩 かり kari hunting
猟解禁 りょうかいきん ryōkaikin opening of hunting season
狩猟 しゅりょう shuryō hunting
猟犬 りょうけん ryōken hunting dog(s) / hound(s)
猪狩 ししがり shishigari boar-hunting
鹿狩 しかがり shikagari deer-hunting [sometimes pronounced
ししがり shishigari and used interchangeably with the previous kigo]
網代 あじろ ajiro wicker fishnet
網代木 あじろぎ ajirogi wicker netting [the material]
網代守 あじろもり ajiromori fishnet-watcher takibi1
焚火 たきび takibi (open) fire / bonfire
朝焚火 あさたきび asa-takibi morning bonfire
夕焚火 ゆうたきび yū-takibi evening bonfire
夜焚火 よたきび yo-takibi nighttime bonfire
探梅 たんばい tanbai searching for plum blossoms
探梅行 たんばいこう tanbaikō plum-blossom-seeking excursion
息白し いきしろし iki shiroshi breath (is) white
白息 しろいき shiroiki white breath
木の葉髪 このはがみ ko-no-ha-gami leafy hair [old name for the tenth
lunar month; reflects leaves falling and lodging in one's hair]
年忘 としわすれ toshi-wasure year-end party [literally "year-forgetting"]
忘年会 ぼうねんかい bōnenkai year-end party / New Year's Eve party
行事 ぎょうじ gyōji Observances
顔見世 かおみせ kaomise season debut [of kabuki theater, in December]
歌舞伎の顔見世 かぶきのかおみせ kabuki no kaomise kabuki season debut
面見世 つらみせ tsuramise season debut [of kabuki]
足揃 あしぞろえ ashizoroe actors' lineup [a ritual before the season
debut; common to Kyoto and Osaka kabuki theaters]
七五三 しちごさん shichigosan Seven-Five-Three (Festival) [15 November;
shrine visit by children ages 7, 5, and 3]
七五三祝 しめいわい shimeiwai celebrating Seven-Five-Three
七五三の祝 しちごさんのいわい shichigosan no iwai Seven-Five-Three
congratulations toshi-no-ichi1
年の市 としのいち toshi-no-ichi year-end market/fair [in preparation for
New-Year holiday]
酉の市 とりのいち tori no ichi Rooster Market [held on the day of the
rooster in November]
一の酉 いちのとり ichi no tori first (day of the) rooster
二の酉 にのとり ni no tori second (day of the) rooster
三の酉 さんのとり san no tori third (day of the) rooster
酉の町 とりのまち tori no machi rooster town [that is, the Rooster
Market]
お酉さま おとりさま otori-sama Mr./Lord Rooster
熊手市 くまでいち kumade ichi lucky-rake market
おかめ市 おかめいち okame ichi Okame-mask market [mask represents 天
鈿女命【あまのうずめのみこと】 Ama no Uzume no Mikoto (also known
as Okame), goddess of mirth] basho-ki4 basho-ki3 basho-ki2
芭蕉忌 ばしょうき bashō-ki （ばせをき）, Bashō's (Death) Anniversary /
Bashō's Memorial Day [12th day of the 10th lunar month; 28 November
Gregorian; Matsuo Bashō (1644-94) is considered the first great master of
haikai]
時雨忌 しぐれき shigure-ki Winter-Drizzle Anniversary [for the time of year
when Bashō died]
桃青忌 とうせいき tōsei-ki Peach Green Anniversary [after one of Bashō's
longest-used pen names]
翁忌 おきなき okina-ki Venerable's Anniversary / Old Man's anniversary [in
haikai contexts, always refers to Bashō]
無村忌 ぶそんき buson-ki Buson's (Death) Anniversary / Buson's Memorial
Day [25th day of the 12th lunar month; 17 January Gregorian; Yosa
Buson (1716-84), second only to Bashō as a great haikai master]
春星忌 しゅんせいき shunsei-ki Spring Star Anniversary [after one of
Buson's artistic names]
動物 どうぶつ dōbutsu Animals
taka3 taka2 taka1 鷹 たか taka hawk
鷹渡る たかわたる taka wataru hawk(s) migrate
隼 はやぶさ hayabusa peregrine falcon [Falco peregrinus]
木菟 みみずく mimizuku （みみづく）, horned owl [Asio species]
ずく zuku horned owl
大木葉菟 おおこのはずく ōkonohazuku collared scops owl [Otus
bakkamoena]
水鳥 みずとり mizutori （みづとり）, waterfowl
浮寝鳥 うきねどり ukinedori bird(s) asleep on the water
鴨 かも kamo wild duck(s)
鴨渡る かもわたる kamo wataru wild ducks migrate [into Japan's
waterways] fugu5 fugu4
河豚 ふぐ fugu puffer / blowfish / globefish [Spheroides species]
ふく fuku puffer fish / blow fish
ふくと fukuto puffer fish / blow fish
ふぐと fuguto puffer fish / blow fish
牡蛎 かき kaki oyster(s)
冬の蜂 ふゆのはち fuyu no hachi winter bee/wasp
冬蜂 ふゆばち fuyubachi winter bee/wasp
凍蜂 いてばち itebachi freezing/frozen bee/wasp
植物 しょくぶつ shokubutsu Plants
帰り花 かえりばな kaeribana （かへりばな）, returning flowers
返り花 かえりばな kaeribana returning flowers [carries the overtone of
"fading"]
忘れ花 わすればな wasurebana forgetful flowers / forgotten flowers
[forgetful of the time of year / bloomed some time ago and
unexpectedly returned]
帰り咲 かえりざき kaerizaki return flowering / return of flowering
狂い咲 くるいざき kuruizaki off-season flowering [literally "confused
flowering"] sazanka7 sazanka5 sazanka1
山茶花 さざんか sazanka （さざんくわ）, sasanqua [Camellia sasanqua, a
member of the camellia family, but note its later bloom-time]
茶花 さざんか sazanka sasanqua [not to be confused with 茶花【ちゃば
な】 chabana, "tea flowers", an informal flower arrangement for tea
ceremony (not a season word)]
姫椿 ひめつばき himetsubaki sasanqua [literally "princess-camellia"]
小椿 こつばき kotsubaki sasanqua [literally "small camellia"]
八手のはな やつでのはな yatsude no hana Japanese aralia blossoms /
Japanese fatsia blossoms [Fatsia japonica]
柊の花 ひいらぎのはな hiiragi no hana （ひひらぎのはな）, holly
osmanthus blossoms / holly tea-olive blossoms [Osmanthus heterophyllus,
similar to English holly Ilex aquifolium]
茶の花 ちゃのはな cha no hana tea blossoms [Thea sinensis]
蜜柑 みかん mikan mikan / mandarin orange [fruit of the Citrus reticulata]
枇杷のはな びわのはな biwa no hana （びはのはな）, loquat blossom(s)
紅葉散る もみじちる momiji chiru （もみぢちる）, red leaves fall / colored
leaves fall
木の葉 このは ko-no-ha leaves of trees [noted for drying, falling, blowing
in wind]
木の葉散る このはちる ko-no-ha chiru tree-leaves fall
ochiba3 ochiba2 落葉 おちば ochiba fallen leaves
落葉焚 おちばたき ochiba-taki leaf fire
落葉掻 おちばかき ochiba-kaki leaf rake
落葉籠 おちばかご ochiba-kago leaf basket
枯木 かれき kareki withered tree(s) / leafless tree(s)
冬木立 ふゆこだち fuyu kodachi winter grove (of trees)
裸木 はだかぎ hadakagi naked/leafless trees
冬枯 ふゆがれ fuyugare winter withering
枯るる かるる karuru (to) wither / (to) be withered [in winter]
水仙 すいせん suisen （すゐせん）, narcissus [Narcissus tazetta]
枯菊 かれぎく karegiku withered chrysanthemums
菊枯る きくかる kiku karu chrysanthemums wither
枯蓮 かれはす kare-hasu withered lotus(es)
蓮枯る はすかる hasu karu lotuses wither / lotus withers
白菜 はくさい hakusai Chinese cabbage / bok choy [Brassica sinensis]
葱 ねぎ negi stone leek(s) [Allium fistulosum, also known as "Welch
onions"]
根深 ねぶか nebuka stone leek(s) [literally "root-deep"]
葉葱 はねぎ hanegi leafy leek(s)
大根 だいこん daikon daikon [the Japanese white radish, Raphanus
sativas, much used in cooking]
枯草 かれくさ karekusa withered plants [includes more than grasses]
草枯 くさがれ kusagare the withering of plants
枯尾花 かれおばな kare-obana （かれをばな）, withered pampas grass
[Miscanthus sinensis]
枯芒 かれすすき kare-susuki withered pampas grass
冬芒 ふゆすすき fuyu-susuki winter pampas grass
枯芝 かれしば kare-shiba withered lawn / withered turf
枯葎 かれむぐら kare-mugura withered creepers [refers to
金葎【かなむぐら】 kanamugura, Humulus japonicus], sometimes called
"Japanese hop(s)" or "Japanese hemp"]
石蕗の花 つわのはな tsuwa no hana （つはのはな）, rock butterbur
flowers / rock fuki flowers [literal renderings; Farfugium japonicum, also
known as 石蕗【つわぶき】 tsuwabuki; a garden variety, aureomaculata,
has spotted leaves and is called "leopard plant"]
冬萌 ふゆもえ fuyu-moe winter sprouts [first green sprouts under winter-
withered plants]
TEA
Ceremony
TEA Art
TEA Culture
E A S T 東西 W E S T C H A N O Y U C E N T E R |