Like many countries, Japan uses a 12-month calendar. The names are very simple. January is literally “Month one”, February is “Month two”, etc.
However, before the Meiji Restoration (mid-1800s) it was common to use an older 12-month system. These months’ names referenced the weather and the seasons (similar to the French Revolutionary calendar).
July is 文月.
文 refers to writing, text, letters or characters. (As in 文字 “letter/character”.)
月 means “month”.
In my previous post I talked about 七夕 (tanabata, “the Star Festival”). This July festival is famously celebrated by writing one’s wish on a piece of paper and tying it to a bamboo plant, which gives a clue as to the origins of 文月 “the month of writing”.
Calligraphy by Vicky 