Twenty-Four Seasons No. 12 [Great Heat] (Taisho)
The hottest time of the year.
This year, with the announcement of the end of the rainy season, the summer heat is in full swing.
The previous seasonal seasons, ``Shosho'' and ``Taisho,'' are collectively called ``Shochu,'' and it is also around this time that people send out ``Summer Greetings.''
The summer period according to the calendar begins on May 5th, ``Rikka''.
"Shoman"
"Boshu"
"Summer Solstice"
“Shorsho”
It will be called ``Taisho''.
From the next seasonal season, Risshu, it will be early autumn according to the calendar.
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Speaking of summer, it's summer festivals.
From July to August, many festivals (summer festivals) are held nationwide.
The origin of the festival is recorded in the myth of ``Ama no Iwatogakure'' in the Kojiki history book.
Since ancient times, Japan has had the idea of ``Yahoyorozu Gods,'' or ``Yahoyorozu Gods,'' which believe that gods reside in all things. The Japanese people, who lived in harmony with nature as an agricultural people, believed that gods resided in everything, including the sun, stars, clouds, oceans, mountains, rivers, animals, and plants.
<Amaterasu Omikami is the sun god who illuminates the world, and her younger brother is Susanoo no Mikoto (sea god).
Susano-onomikoto is a wild person who always causes trouble to those around him. Amaterasu Omikami was saddened by this and hid inside the rock. Without the sun god, the world became dark and full of disasters. The Yahoyorozu gods, who were at a loss, discussed their wisdom and held a ``binge'' in front of the rock door in order to invite the sun god. Attracted by the happy appearance, the sun god came out. And we were able to bring back a brighter world once again. ＞
No matter how dark a disaster may occur, if we all use our wisdom and have fun together, things will turn out for the better and there will never be a night that never ends.
They pray to these gods and hold festivals for them.
In the spring, we sow seeds in hopes of a bumper harvest, in the summer we pray for a rich harvest, and in the fall we harvest them in gratitude for the harvest. As I said,
It is also a season of abundant harvests and typhoons, so we pray for good health.
"Festivals" express people's inner thoughts and prayers as activities.
A place where you can interact with people in the community and society. Enjoying these ``festivals'' becomes wisdom for living, and joyfully tells the story of history and the present.
In recent years, there has been a tendency to refrain from holding festivals due to the coronavirus, but when the coronavirus is over and festivals are held again like before,
I sincerely hope that people can experience how bringing together people together with culture enriches their lives.
While it has become commonplace for our lives and habits to change, it is important to value the things that remain the same.
These are also the thoughts of people that are engraved along with history.
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At the time of the Great Heat, the 72nd weather was expressed as follows.
First appearance of paulownia flowers
Paulownia trees bloom pale purple flowers from April to May, and after the flowers finish, hard oval fruits begin to form.
It means that a flower will bear fruit = it will become a fruit.
Next condition <Tsuchiuruutemushi Atsushi>
This is the period when the moisture in the soil gets damp due to strong sunlight and it becomes hot.
This kind of heat and humidity is called ``jokusho'', which is a seasonal word for late summer.
The end of the year <Going during heavy rains (Going from time to time)>
When the rainy season ends and the days of intense heat end, typhoon season arrives.
From thunderstorms that slowly rise, there are also more sudden thunderstorms and showers.
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The family crest we will introduce today is
``Gosan no Paulownia'', named after the first sign of the great heat (34th)
Since ancient times, paulownia has been said to be the tree where the phoenix perches, and has been considered sacred.
In Japan, this symbol was stamped on coins by the Muromachi Shogunate, and was also used by various governments including the Shogunate, the Imperial Family, and the Toyotomi government, and is currently used as the emblem of the Japanese government (57 paulownia trees). (It is also used on the 500 yen coin.)
Paulownia trees have high vitality and grow quickly, so in Japan there was once a custom of planting a paulownia tree in the garden when a girl was born.
When a girl became an adult, she would make a chest of drawers out of the paulownia wood and give it to her as a wedding accessory.The custom came from this tradition, and it became a chest of drawers for brides.