Like many countries, Japan uses a 12-month calendar. The names are very simple. January is literally “Month One”, February is “Month Two”, etc: 一月 = January 二月 = February 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 toContinueContinue reading “卯月(uzuki) “April” (archaic)”
Tag Archives: Japanese calligraphy
🌸 桜 (sakura) “cherry blossoms” 🌸
It’s cherry blossom season in (parts of) Japan! Cherry blossoms are arguably the most beloved of Japanese flowers, and even feature on the 100 coin. In springtime many Japanese people like to do 花見 (Hanami) “viewing cherry blossoms”, sometimes taking the excuse to have a party and drink under the trees.
陰陽 (in-yō) “yin-yang”
Yin is dark, cold, receptive, magnetic. Yang is light, hot, giving, active. Both are present in everything. Rather than being opposites, they are two sides of the same coin. A cup is Yang, but the empty space inside is Yin. Daoists believe that everything contains the seed of its opposite; in this way Yin andContinueContinue reading “陰陽 (in-yō) “yin-yang””
春分 (shun-bun) “Spring Equinox”
In Japan, 春分 (shun-bun) spring equinox is a national holiday. The week which contains spring equinox is called “o-higan”. This has connections with Buddhism, and on this day many people visit spend time with their families and visit their family grave. “Bota-mochi” (rice cake covered in sweet bean paste) is traditionally eaten on this day.
珈琲 (kōhī) “coffee”
Japanese language students will know that “coffee” is usually written in katakana: コーヒー However it does have a kanji! (Or rather, it’s made of 2 kanji): 珈琲 These kanji are what is known as ateji – kanji which are used to phonetically represent foreign loan words. In many cases, the ateji are chosen primarily forContinueContinue reading “珈琲 (kōhī) “coffee””
弥生 (yayoi) “March” (archaic)
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). March is:ContinueContinue reading “弥生 (yayoi) “March” (archaic)”
Writing foreign names in Japanese
Japanese has a separate writing system for writing foreign words. It’s called katakana and it’s mostly used for foreign loan words such as kōhī (coffee), pan (bread) and gorufu (golf). It’s also used for foreign names. If your name isn’t originally written in kanji (the logographic characters used in Japan, China, and to a lesserContinueContinue reading “Writing foreign names in Japanese”
梅 (umé) plum
It will soon be blossom season in Japan! By far the most famous of Japanese blossoms are cherry blossoms, but they’re not the first spring flower to bloom. Plum blossom usually start appearing as early as mid-February. Although not as dramatic as the more-famous cherry blossoms, they are well-loved for their subtle beauty. The imageContinueContinue reading “梅 (umé) plum”
如月 (kisaragi) “February” (archaic)
Like many countries, Japan uses a 12-month calendar. The names are very simple. January is literally “Month One”, February is “Month Two”, etc: 一月 = January 二月 = February 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 toContinueContinue reading “如月 (kisaragi) “February” (archaic)”
鬼 (oni) “Demon”
Sometimes translated as “demon”, “devil” or “ogre”, an oni is a traditional Japanese monster typically depicted as wearing a tiger pelt and carrying an iron club. They usually have red or blue skin and horns. They are popular characters in Japanese fairy tales and legends. In early February the annual bean-throwing festival is practiced toContinueContinue reading “鬼 (oni) “Demon””
Calligraphy by Vicky 