Japanese calendar

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Koinobori, flags decorated like koi, are popular decorations around Children's Day
Koinobori, flags decorated like koi, are popular decorations around Children's Day
This mural on the wall of a Tokyo subway station celebrates Hazuki, the eighth month.
This mural on the wall of a Tokyo subway station celebrates Hazuki, the eighth month.

Since January 1, 1873, Japan has used the Gregorian calendar, with local names for the months and mostly fixed holidays. Before 1873, a lunisolar calendar was in use, which was adapted from the Chinese calendar.[1] Japanese eras are still in use.

Contents

[edit] Years

Since the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, three different systems for counting years have or had been used in Japan:

Of these three, the first two are still in current use; Japan-Guide.com provides a convenient converter between the two. The imperial calendar was used from 1873 to the end of World War II.

[edit] Months

The modern Japanese names for the months literally translate to "first month", "second month", and so on. The corresponding number is combined with the suffix -gatsu (month):

  • January - 一月 (ichigatsu)
  • February - 二月 (nigatsu)
  • March - 三月 (sangatsu)
  • April - 四月 (shigatsu)
  • May - 五月 (gogatsu)
  • June - 六月 (rokugatsu)
  • July - 七月 (shichigatsu)
  • August - 八月 (hachigatsu)
  • September - 九月 (kugatsu)
  • October - 十月 (jūgatsu)
  • November - 十一月 (jūichigatsu)
  • December - 十二月 (jūnigatsu)

(Note that using Arabic numberals, as 3月, is extremely common in everyday communication, almost the norm.)

In addition, every month has a traditional name, still used by some in fields such as poetry; of the twelve, shiwasu is still widely used today. The opening paragraph of a letter or the greeting in a speech might borrow one of these names to convey a sense of the season. Some, such as yayoi and satsuki, do double duty as given names (for women). These month names also appear from time to time on jidaigeki, contemporary television shows and movies set in the Edo period or earlier.

The name of month: (pronunciation, literal meaning)

  • January - 睦月 (mutsuki, affection month)
  • February - 如月 or 衣更着 (kisaragi or kinusaragi, changing clothes)
  • March - 弥生 (yayoi, new life; the beginning of spring)
  • April - 卯月 (uzuki, u-no-hana month; the u-no-hana is a flower, genus Deutzia)
  • May - 皐月 or 早月 or 五月(satsuki, fast month)
  • June - 水無月 (minatsuki or minazuki, month of water — the 無 character, which normally means "not", is here ateji, that is, used only for the sound "na". In this name the na is actually a possessive particle, so Minazuki means "month of water," not "month without water.")
  • July - 文月 (fumizuki, book month)
  • August - 葉月 (hazuki, leaf month)
  • September - 長月 (nagatsuki, long month)
  • October - 神無月 (kaminazuki or kannazuki, which just as with Minazuki, means "month of gods", not "month without gods.") In Izumo province, modern-day Shimane Prefecture, this is emended to 神有月 or 神在月 (kamiarizuki, roughly "month with gods"), as all the gods are believed to gather there for an annual meeting at the Izumo Shrine.
  • November - 霜月 (shimotsuki, frost month)
  • December - 師走 (shiwasu, priests run; it is named so because priests are busy making end of the year prayers and blessings.)

[edit] Subdivisions of the month

Japan uses a seven-day week, aligned with the Western calendar. The seven day week, with names for the days corresponding directly to those used in Europe, was brought to Japan around 800 AD. The system was used for astrological purposes and little else until 1876, shortly after Japan officially adopted the Western calendar. Fukuzawa Yukichi was a key figure in the decision to adopt this system as the source for official names for the days of the week. The names come from the five visible planets, which in turn are named after the five Chinese elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, water), and from the moon and sun (yin and yang).

Japanese Romanization Element English name
日曜日 nichiyōbi Sun Sunday
月曜日 getsuyōbi Moon Monday
火曜日 kayōbi Fire (Mars) Tuesday
水曜日 suiyōbi Water (Mercury) Wednesday
木曜日 mokuyōbi Wood (Jupiter) Thursday
金曜日 kin'yōbi Metal/Gold (Venus) Friday
土曜日 doyōbi Earth (Saturn) Saturday

Japan also divides the month roughly into three 10-day periods. Each is called a jun (旬). The first is jōjun (上旬); the second, chūjun (中旬); the last, gejun (下旬). These are frequently used to indicate approximate times, for example, "the temperatures are typical of the jōjun of April"; "a vote on a bill is expected during the gejun of this month."

[edit] Days of the month

Each day of the month has a semi-systematic but irregularly formed name:

1 一日 tsuitachi (sometimes ichijitsu) 17 十七日 jūshichinichi
2 二日 futsuka 18 十八日 jūhachinichi
3 三日 mikka 19 十九日 jūkunichi
4 四日 yokka 20 二十日 hatsuka (sometimes nijūnichi)
5 五日 itsuka 21 二十一日 nijūichinichi
6 六日 muika 22 二十二日 nijūninichi
7 七日 nanoka 23 二十三日 nijūsannichi
8 八日 yōka 24 二十四日 nijūyokka
9 九日 kokonoka 25 二十五日 nijūgonichi
10 十日 tōka 26 二十六日 nijūrokunichi
11 十一日 jūichinichi 27 二十七日 nijūshichinichi
12 十二日 jūninichi 28 二十八日 nijūhachinichi
13 十三日 jūsannichi 29 二十九日 nijūkunichi
14 十四日 jūyokka 30 三十日 sanjūnichi
15 十五日 jūgonichi 31 三十一日 sanjūichinichi
16 十六日 jūrokunichi  

(Note that using Arabic numberals, as 14日, is extremely common in everyday communication, almost the norm.)

Tsuitachi is a worn-down form of tsukitachi, which means the first of the month. In the traditional calendar, the last day of the month was called 晦日 misoka. Nowadays, the terms for the numbers 28-31 plus nichi are much more common. However, misoka is much used in contracts, etc., specifying that a payment should be made on or by the last day of the month, whatever the number is. The last day of the year is 大晦日 ōmisoka (the big last day), and that term is still in use.

[edit] National holidays

Main article: Holidays of Japan

Notes: Single days between two national holidays are taken as a bank holiday. This applies to May 4, which is a holiday each year. When a national holiday falls on a Sunday the next day that is not a holiday (usually a Monday) is taken as a holiday.

Date English name Local name Romanization
January 1 New Year's Day 元日 Ganjitsu
2nd Monday of January Coming-of-age Day 成人の日 Seijin no hi
February 11 National Foundation Day† 建国記念の日 Kenkoku kinen no hi
March 20 or March 21 Vernal Equinox Day 春分の日 Shunbun no hi
April 29 Shōwa Day * 昭和の日 Shōwa no hi
May 3 Constitution Memorial Day * 憲法記念日 Kenpō kinenbi
May 4 Greenery Day * みどりの日 Midori no hi
May 5 Children's Day * 子供の日 Kodomo no hi
3rd Monday of July Marine Day 海の日 Umi no hi
3rd Monday of September Respect for the Aged Day 敬老の日 Keirō no hi
September 23 or September 24 Autumnal Equinox Day 秋分の日 Shūbun no hi
2nd Monday of October Health-Sports Day 体育の日 Taiiku no hi
November 3 Culture Day 文化の日 Bunka no hi
November 23 Labour Thanksgiving Day 勤労感謝の日 Kinrō kansha no hi
December 23 The Emperor's Birthday 天皇誕生日 Tennō tanjōbi

† Traditional date on which according to legend Emperor Jimmu founded Japan in 660 BC.

* Part of Golden Week

[edit] Timeline of changes to the national holidays

  • 1948 - The following national holidays were introduced: New Year's Day, Coming-of-Age Day, Constitution Memorial Day, Children's Day, Autumnal Equinox Day, Culture Day, Labour Thanksgiving Day.
  • 1966 - Health and Sports Day was introduced in memory of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Vernal Equinox Day was also introduced.
  • 1985 - Reform to the national holiday law made May 4, sandwiched between two other national holidays also a holiday.
  • 1989 - After Emperor Showa died on January 7, the Emperor's Birthday became December 23 and Greenery Day took place of the former Emperor's birthday.
  • 2000, 2003 - Happy Monday System (ハッピーマンデー制度 Happī Mandē Seido) moved several holidays to Monday. Starting with 2000: Coming-of-Age Day (formerly January 15), and Health and Sports Day (formerly October 10). Starting with 2003: Marine Day (formerly July 20), and Respect for the Aged Day (formerly September 15).
  • 2005, 2007 - According to a May 2005 decision, starting with 2007 Greenery Day will be moved from April 29 to May 4 replacing a generic national holiday (国民の休日 kokumin no kyūjitsu?) that existed after 1985 reform, while April 29 will be known as Shōwa Day.
  • 2009 - September 22 may become sandwiched between two holidays, which would make this day a national holiday.

[edit] Seasonal days

Some days have special names to mark the change in seasons. The 24 Sekki (二十四節気 Nijūshi sekki) are days that divide a year in the Lunisolar calendar into twenty four equal sections. Zassetsu (雑節) is a collective term for the seasonal days other than the 24 Sekki. 72 Kō (七十二候 Shichijūni kō) days are made from dividing the 24 Sekki of a year further by three. Some of these names, such as Shunbun, Risshū and Tōji, are still used quite frequently in everyday life in Japan.

[edit] 24 Sekki

Days can vary by ±1 day. See also: Jieqi.

[edit] Zassetsu

Day Kanji Romaji Comment
January 17 冬の土用 Fuyu no doyō  
February 3 節分 Setsubun The eve of Risshun by one definition.
March 21 春社日 Haru shanichi Also known as 春社 (Harusha, Shunsha).
March 18 - March 24 春彼岸 Haru higan The seven days surrounding Shunbun.
April 17 春の土用 Haru no doyō  
May 2 八十八夜 Hachijū hachiya Literally meaning 88 nights (since Risshun).
June 11 入梅 Nyūbai Literally meaning entering tsuyu.
July 2 半夏生 Hangeshō One of the 72 Kō. Farmers take five days off in some regions.
July 15 中元 Chūgen Sometimes considered a Zassetsu.
July 20 夏の土用 Natsu no doyō  
September 1 二百十日 Nihyaku tōka Literally meaning 210 days (since Risshun).
September 11 二百二十日 Nihyaku hatsuka Literally meaning 220 days.
September 20 - September 26 秋彼岸 Aki higan  
September 22 秋社日 Aki shanichi Also known as 秋社 (Akisha, Shūsha).
October 20 秋の土用 Aki no doyō  

Shanichi days can vary as much as ±5 days. Chūgen has a fixed day. All other days can vary by ±1 day.

Many zassetsu days occur on multiple seasons:

  • Setsubun (節分) refers to the day before each season, or the eves of Risshun, Rikka, Rishū, and Rittō; especially the eve of Risshun.
  • Doyō (土用) refers to the 18 days before each season, especially the one before fall which is known as the hottest period of a year.
  • Higan (彼岸) is the seven middle days of spring and autumn, with Shunbun at the middle of the seven days for spring, Shūbun for fall.
  • Shanichi (社日) is the Tsuchinoe (戊) day closest to Shunbun (middle of spring) or Shūbun (middle of fall), which can be as much as -5 to +4 days away from Shunbun/Shūbun.

[edit] Seasonal festivals

The following are known as the five seasonal festivals (節句 sekku, also 五節句 go sekku). The Sekku were made official holidays during Edo era.

  1. January 7 (1/7) - 人日 (Jinjitsu), 七草の節句 (Nanakusa no sekku)
  2. March 3 (3/3) - 上巳 (Jōshi, Jōmi), 桃の節句 (Momo no sekku)
    雛祭り (Hina matsuri), Girls' Day.
  3. Tango (端午): May 5 (5/5)
  4. July 7 (7/7) - 七夕 (Shichiseki, Tanabata), 星祭り (Hoshi matsuri )
  5. September 9 (9/9) - 重陽 (Chōyō), 菊の節句 (Kiku no sekku)

Not Sekku:

[edit] Rokuyō

The rokuyō (六曜) are a series of six days that supposedly predict whether there will be good or bad fortune during that day. The rokuyō are still commonly found on Japanese calendars and are often used to plan weddings and funerals, though most people ignore them in ordinary life. The rokuyō are also known as the rokki (六輝). In order, they are:

Kanji Romanization Meaning
先勝 Senshō Good luck before noon, bad luck after noon. Good day for beginnings (in the morning).
友引 Tomobiki Bad things will happen to your friends. Funerals avoided on this day (tomo = friend, biki = pull, thus a funeral might pull friends toward the deceased). Typically crematoriums are closed this day.
先負 Senbu Bad luck before noon, good luck after noon.
仏滅 Butsumetsu Symbolizes the day Buddha died. Considered the most unlucky day. Weddings are best avoided. Some Shinto shrines close their offices on this day.
大安 Taian The most lucky day. Good day for weddings and events like shop openings.
赤口 Shakkō The hour of the horse (11 am - 1 pm) is lucky. The rest is bad luck.


The rokuyō days are easily calculated from the Japanese Lunisolar calendar. Lunisolar January 1st is always senshō, with the days following in the order given above until the end of the month. Thus, January 2nd is tomobiki, January 3rd is senbu, and so on. Lunisolar February 1st restarts the sequence at tomobiki. Lunisolar March 1st restarts at senbu, and so on for each month. The last six months repeat the patterns of the first six, so July 1st = senshō, December 1st is shakkō and the moon-viewing day of "August 15th" is always a "butsumetsu."

This system did not become popular in Japan until the end of the Edo period.

[edit] April 1

The first day of April has broad significance in Japan. It marks the beginning of the government's fiscal year.[2] Many corporations follow suit. In addition, corporations often form or merge on that date. In recent years, municipalities have preferred it for mergers. On this date, many new employees begin their jobs, and it is the start of many real-estate leases. The school year begins on April 1. (For more see also academic term)

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Japanese Calendar History. National Diet Library, Japan (2002). Retrieved on 2007-03-19.[ National Diet Library, Japan "The Japanese Calendar"-Calendar History 2]
  2. ^ THE JAPANESE FISCAL YEAR AND MISCELLANEOUS DATA (PDF). Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (2003). Retrieved on 2007-10-08.

[edit] External links