The 1st of the 24 Solar Terms
Risshun (Beginning of Spring)
The arrival of spring.
It is the beginning of the season.
Risshun is the first solar term in the 24 solar terms.
While the cold of winter still lingers, the weather gradually warms, and the breath of spring can be felt everywhere.
Risshun and the next solar term, Usui (Rainwater), are considered early spring.
Risshun was also the day when the seasons began and a "New Year" when a new year started. For this reason, many shrines nationwide hold Risshun festivals, and many auspicious events are held.
1. Risshun (Beginning of Spring)
In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve precedes New Year's Day,
but Risshun has Setsubun.
In Japan today, the culture of celebrating "Risshun" and "Lunar New Year" has declined, and "Ehomaki" and "bean throwing" at Setsubun are more familiar. In recent years, culture and lifestyles have changed rapidly, and environmental issues are also being widely discussed, but even as society as a whole changes, I feel more grateful for the rotation of the seasons and the universality of nature.
Our human lives are always enriched by seasons and culture. Let's enjoy another year like this.
◆Celebration of [Spring]◆
Risshun, as a New Year's celebratory custom, often includes elements meaning "inviting good fortune and warding off evil."
We invite good fortune with auspicious names to celebrate "Risshun."
●Risshun Daikichi●
The vertically written characters for "Risshun Daikichi" also read "Risshun Daikichi" from behind. It is said that if you stick it on your entrance, even if an oni (demon) enters your house, it will read "Risshun Daikichi," mistake it for outside the house, and leave. Thus, it is used as an amulet against evil.
●Risshun Asa-shibori●
This is an auspicious sake, where the unrefined sake is pressed all night from Setsubun and the freshly pressed sake from early morning on Risshun is purified at a shrine.
●Risshun Wagashi●
Wagashi made on Risshun are called "Risshun Namagashi." A representative example is "Risshun Daikichi Mochi." Red beans and mochi are said to have the effect of warding off impurities, and the round shape of mochi signifies bringing things to a smooth conclusion. It is considered auspicious to eat all of it on the same day.
●Risshun Tofu●
Eating tofu on Setsubun is believed to ward off various evils, and eating it on Risshun, called Risshun Daikichi Tofu, is said to invite health into the body and bring happiness. When eating it on Setsubun and Risshun, it is said to be best to eat it "white," so it is recommended to eat it with salt instead of soy sauce.
2. Hatsu-uma (First Day of the Horse)
On the first Day of the Horse after Risshun, grand Hatsu-uma Taisai festivals are held at Inari Shrines nationwide.
This day is celebrated as the festival day of Inari shrines, as it is believed to be the day the deity of Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto descended. Farmers widely worship Inari as the god of rice, with the word "Inari" originating from "Ina-nari" (rice harvest). Prayers are also offered for business prosperity and family safety.
Additionally, there is a custom of eating "Oinarisan" during the Hatsu-uma Taisai.
Foxes are enshrined as messengers of the gods at Inari shrines, leading to the custom of offering fried tofu, which is a favorite food of foxes. It seems this influence is why "Inari sushi" is common in Eastern Japan, while "Oinarisan" is more prevalent in Western Japan.
In 2023, Hatsu-uma falls on Sunday, February 5th.
3. Displaying Hina Dolls
The cultural practice of celebrating "Momo no Sekku" (Doll's Festival) by displaying Hina dolls to wish for healthy growth is held annually on March 3rd.
◆When should Hina dolls be displayed?◆
It is said to be best to display Hina dolls after Setsubun, which marks the turning point of the season, and between [Risshun] and the next solar term, [Usui]. It is also said to be good to choose an auspicious day after Setsubun (after warding off demons).
Is it bad to display them from January?
Some people consider it unlucky because it falls under "Mitsukigake" (a three-month period).
※ "Mitsukigake" is said to be unlucky because it means that hardship will stick to you for three months. However, some regions celebrate the festival according to the old calendar, so there is no need to particularly worry about "Mitsukigake."
◆"My Hina" dolls for oneself◆
There is no age limit for displaying Hina dolls, and since they act as a substitute for oneself to take on misfortune, many people take them with them when they get married. In recent years, not only young girls but also women of all ages display "My Hina" dolls as seasonal decorations for themselves.
4. Climate
As it is called "the beginning of spring," the season gradually starts to shift. For this reason, it is characterized by many expressions related to the climate.
◆Haru Ichiban (First strong southerly wind of spring)
Haru Ichiban refers to the first southerly wind that blows widely between Risshun and Shunbun (Spring Equinox). If the temperature rises after this wind blows, it is recognized as Haru Ichiban. It is one of the well-known signs of spring.
◆Kan-ake no Ame (Rain after the cold season)
Kan-ake no Ame refers to the rain that falls around Risshun, after about a month has passed since the start of the coldest period in January, and the cold season ends.
◆Kan no Modori (Return of the cold)
Kan no Modori refers to the phenomenon where the cold temporarily returns towards the end of spring, after it has become quite warm. When temperatures drop some time after Risshun, it is called Kan no Modori. It is often caused by low-pressure systems occurring on the Sea of Japan side, and is a phenomenon that tends to occur in the latter half of April.
5. "Spring is bitter" - Eat seasonal foods
Eating seasonal foods is considered very reasonable for our bodies as we live within the seasons.
As the saying goes, "Spring is bitter," eating bitter spring wild vegetables is an important element in expelling waste products and fats accumulated in the body during winter and adjusting the body to the spring climate.
A representative food for the Risshun period is "fukinoto" (butterbur sprouts). Fukinoto, which peeks out from under the snow in early spring, has a unique aroma and refreshing bitterness. In addition, Mitsuba (Japanese parsley with roots) and snap peas are also spring vegetables. For fish, shira-uo (ice goby), sawara (Spanish mackerel), and nishin (herring) are representative spring fish. Please try to incorporate at least one seasonal item into your diet.
6. Celebrations of Spring around the World
February is known globally for having the most festivals, and celebrating the arrival of spring has become an important custom and event throughout the year, praying for bountiful harvests and good health.
In Europe and America, the day marking the arrival of spring is also cherished and celebrated.
Risshun, which is the beginning of spring, is celebrated as "the day 40-day-old Christ visited the temple with the Virgin Mary," and there is a custom of burning Christmas trees to mark the end of the Christmas season.
In addition, carnivals are held worldwide as events to celebrate the arrival of spring. A "carnival" is a Shrovetide festival, originally a festival to pray for abundant harvests and fertility in spring. Before Easter, there is a period of temperance called "Lent," and carnivals are grand feasts held before it begins. Examples include the Rio Carnival, the Nice Carnival, the Venice Carnival, and the Nice Carnival.
6. National Foundation Day
February 11th is Japan's National Foundation Day.
National Foundation Day is a day to celebrate the establishment of the nation's foundation.
It was established in 1966 (Showa 41) as "a day to remember the nation's founding and cultivate a love for the country."
February 11th is the day Emperor Jimmu, Japan's first emperor, ascended the throne.
Emperor Jimmu is a figure from the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, Japan's oldest historical records. The Kojiki describes how the gods and the nation (land) of Japan were born. From this, it is thought that "National Foundation Day" is not related to a historically factual founding but is a day to commemorate the event itself.
It marks the 2681st year since the founding of Japan.
National Foundation Day exists in countries around the world, and the date and name of the holiday are characteristically derived from the circumstances of their founding.
〇China (National Day)
China's National Foundation Day is "National Day" on October 1st. It commemorates Mao Zedong's declaration of the establishment of the People's Republic of China in Tiananmen Square on October 1, 1949. While China has a long history, often referred to as "4,000 years of Chinese history," the date of modern China's establishment is considered distinct from the length of its history. In China, a week-long holiday including National Day is observed, and on National Day itself, firecrackers are set off and events are held across the country.
〇America (Independence Day)
In America, July 4th is designated as "Independence Day." It commemorates the signing of the American Declaration of Independence at the Continental Congress held in 1776. Independence Day is also known as "Independence Day," and for the week including Independence Day, fireworks and concerts are held across America.
〇France (Bastille Day)
France's National Foundation Day is "Bastille Day" on July 14th. It is derived from the storming of the Bastille prison and the liberation of political prisoners on July 14, 1789, which marked the beginning of the French Revolution and symbolized the end of absolute monarchy and the beginning of the republic for the people. On July 14th, fireworks are launched across France, and a military parade is held in Paris.
During [Risshun], the 72 micro-seasons are expressed as follows:
First Micro-season (Hatsukō) - The 1st Micro-season: Tōfū Kōri o Toku (East Wind Melts Ice)
Around February 4th to February 8th, 2023
When the spring wind begins to melt the ice on rivers and lakes.
It is the time when fuki (butterbur) flowers begin to peek out from the snow-covered ground amidst the harsh cold. This is a joyful period that gradually lets us feel the approaching spring.
Next Micro-season (Jikō) - The 2nd Micro-season: Uguisu Naku (Bush Warblers Sing)
Around February 9th to February 13th, 2023
When bush warblers begin to sing in the mountain villages.
The song of the bush warbler heralds early spring. It is one of Japan's three best singing birds, and it is said that hearing its song brings good fortune.
In early spring, its song is hesitant, but it becomes beautiful as spring progresses. Also, the bush warbler visits plum trees to sip nectar from plum blossoms, and this scene is so picturesque that it has become a proverb, "ume ni uguisu" (bush warbler on a plum branch), used to describe things that harmonize beautifully.
Last Micro-season (Makkō) - The 3rd Micro-season: Uo Kōri Izuru (Fish Leap from Ice)
Around February 14th to February 18th, 2023
When fish leap from broken ice.
