Seasons through
シーズン through
On Earth, seasons are the result of Earth’s orbit around the Sun and Earth’s axial tilt relative to the ecliptic plane by an angle of approximately 23.4 degrees. A season is a division of the year based on changes in the number of daylight hours in a given region. As a result of European colonization, the meteorological seasons are based on the Gregorian calendar and customarily used almost throughout the world. The calendar-based method uses a four-season model to identify the relatively warmest and coldest seasons, which are separated by two intermediate seasons and are grouped in three whole months. The four seasons are generally recognized as Spring, Summer, Autumn or Fall, and Winter. A variety of dates and even exact times are used in different countries or regions to mark changes of the calendar seasons.
But Seasons have an enormous influence on the life forms they surround, such as vegetation and plant growth and dormancy; hibernation in animals; human behaviour and events such as mood and occasions.
Seasons: Through Haiku briefly introduces the audience to the world of haiku and re-categorises Seasons through traditional Japanese haiku by seasonal moods.
Contents 俳句 Haiku
季語 Kigo
歳時記 Saijiki
春
Joy, lively, growth, awe, ephemeral, encouragement, anticipation, passion, hope, excitement
夏
Annoyed, irritation, happiness, satisfaction, relaxing, adventurous, fickleness, temptation, lazy, motivated
秋
Abandoned, emptiness, cozy, uncertainty, reflecting, aging, ending, lonelinessleavings, worried
冬
Motionless, longing, calm, isolation, solitude, slow, boredom, sadness, discipline, helplessness
参照
References
俳句 Haiku is a four hundred year old type of short form nature orientated poetry that originated from Japan. Traditional Japanese haiku consist of three phrases that contain a kireji, or “cutting word,” and a kigo, which is a seasonal reference, on a type of Japanese phoneme, in a 5, 7, 5 pattern. Traditional Japanese haiku are about the changes during the seasons. Not only changes in nature but also the changes in the life of plants and animals, heaven and earth, and the daily life of humans within the society, like ceremonies, festivals, lifestyle and food. They express timeless, universal insights and focus on a brief moment in time, reflecting the events and emotional values of a particular time.
彼らは時代を超越した 普遍的な洞察を表現
In Japanese haiku, a kireji (cutting word) is used at し、出来事や感情的な the end of one of the three lines acting like punctu-
価値観を反映して、 あchange in focus from one thing tion and the cut is the ation in haiku. Kireji marks emphasis and juxtaposi-
it can affect how this cut works. It’s also one of the る瞬間に焦点を合わせ
to another. Your choice of kireji and where you put hardest to translate because there’s no direct equivalent in English, or most other languages.
ます特定の時間の。
They express timeless, universal insights and focus on a brief moment in time, reflecting the events and emotional values of a particular time.
俳句 Haiku is a four hundred year old type of short form nature orientated poetry that originated from Japan. Traditional Japanese haiku consist of three phrases that contain a kireji, or “cutting word,” and a kigo, which is a seasonal reference, on a type of Japanese phoneme, in a 5, 7, 5 pattern. Traditional Japanese haiku are about the changes during the seasons. Not only changes in nature but also the changes in the life of plants and animals, heaven and earth, and the daily life of humans within the society, like ceremonies, festivals, lifestyle and food. They express timeless, universal insights and focus on a brief moment in time, reflecting the events and emotional values of a particular time. In Japanese haiku, a kireji (cutting word) is used at the end of one of the three lines acting like punctuation in haiku. Kireji marks emphasis and juxtaposition and the cut is the change in focus from one thing to another. Your choice of kireji and where you put it can affect how this cut works. It’s also one of the hardest to translate because there’s no direct equivalent in English, or most other languages.
These words do not belong to the author of the poem, they do not belong to Basho or Issa or Kyorai. They belong to us. Seasonal words are our national treasures. They are like jewels, polished and made more precious by time. Some seasonal words have been in use since the Edo period. When we pick up one of these jewels and use it in a haiku, it is rich with history. They are the shared consciousness of our people. They capture the essence of Japanese life.”
季 語
A haiku traditionally contains a kigo, a word or phrase that symbolizes or implies the season of the poem and which is drawn from a saijiki, an extensive but prescriptive list of such words. Kigo are often in the form of metonyms and can be difficult for those who lack Japanese cultural references to spot. Kigo are used in the collaborative linked-verse forms renga and renku, as well as in haiku, to indicate the season referred to in the stanza. The association of kigo with a particular season may be obvious, though sometimes it is more subtle. These season words are valuable in expressing the feeling of change in a haiku. They carry a certain mood, an underlying emotional state of experiencing things that should be reflected in the haiku they are used in and indicating the season in which the haiku takes place. Since most kigo were defined before the advent of the modern calendar and adhere to the Asian lunar calendar, they do not always match the actual seasons we have now in Japan and the vast differences of seasons from Northern Hokkaido to Subtropical Okinawa. Yet for the conventions and purpose of writing haiku, we use the saijiki to determine the “season” of a kigo, the “Haiku Season”.
歳 時 記
Japanese saijiki are indispensable references for haiku writers. These dictionaries contain lists of kigo, as well as a list of similar or related words, and examples of haiku that use each kigo. Saijiki are divided into five parts, for each of the four seasons and the additional season of New Year, and then further divided into a standard set of categories: the season, the heavens, the earth, humanity, observances, animals and plants, and then the kigo are sorted within their proper category. As seasonal concepts and plant and animal species differ according to the region in Japan, saijiki can vary. The Japanese saijiki started in a time when the lunar calendar was used to track the changing seasons in Japan and has only been using the Gregorian calendar since 1874, but still refers to its kyureki (the old calendar), on many occasions. New saijiki were edited one after another. Saijiki of the new era, however, could not just attach the season words to similar dates of the solar calen -dar. The biggest problem caused by the change of calendar was the one-month discrepancy in correspondences of the four seasons and the twelve months. Seasonal festivals are important annual events today as in the past. When these seasonal festivals are moved to the “same” dates in the solar calendar, the seasons come about one month early. So even now we have a sort of timeslip of one month between the natural phenomenon and the kigo about them.
A Japanese saijiki is a handbook of the culture of Japan, a travelogue through their many festivals, a description of their food and drink, a celebration of their nature. A haiku poet studies his saijiki to make sure he finds the right kigo to express the mood he wants to convey with his poem.
Entries based on the Nyumon Saijiki by the Museum of Haiku Literature in Tokyo
歳 時 記
Japanese saijiki are indispensable references for haiku writers. These dictionaries contain lists of kigo, as well as a list of similar or related words, and examples of haiku that use each kigo. Saijiki are divided into five parts, for each of the four seasons and the additional season of New Year, and then further divided into a standard set of categories: the season, the heavens, the earth, humanity, observances, animals and plants, and then the kigo are sorted within their proper category. As seasonal concepts and plant and animal species differ according to the region in Japan, saijiki can vary. The Japanese saijiki started in a time when the lunar calendar was used to track the changing seasons in Japan and has only been using the Gregorian calendar since 1874, but still refers to its kyureki (the old calendar), on many occasions. New saijiki were edited one after another. Saijiki of the new era, however, could not just attach the season words to similar dates of the solar calen -dar. The biggest problem caused by the change of calendar was the one-month discrepancy in correspondences of the four seasons and the twelve months. Seasonal festivals are important annual events today as in the past. When these seasonal festivals are moved to the “same” dates in the solar calendar, the seasons come about one month early. So even now we have a sort of timeslip of one month between the natural phenomenon and the kigo about them.
A Japanese saijiki is a handbook of the culture of Japan, a travelogue through their many festivals, a description of their food and drink, a celebration of their nature. A haiku poet studies his saijiki to make sure he finds the right kigo to express the mood he wants to convey with his poem.
The Season Risshun, beginning of spring Hinaga, day(s) lengthening Kyusho, Lunar New Year
The season Enchu, blazing midday Sho, (summer) heat Mugiaki, barley autumn
The Heavens Oboro, misty (night)/hazy (night) Kasumi, (spring) mist Shungetsu, spring moon
The heavens Kumo no mine, peaks of clouds Tsuyu, rainy season Niji, rainbow Kaminari, thunder
The Earth Haru ta, spring paddy field(s) Zansetsu, remaining snow Nurumu mizu, warmer waters Humanity Tanemaki, seed-planting Shiohi, low tide Noyaki, field-burning Observances Hina, (ceremonial) doll(s) Henro, pilgrim Uma matsuri, Horse Festival Animals Neko no koi, cats’ love Kawazu, frog(s) Uma no ko, foal/baby horse. Plants Ume, plum (blossoms) Hana, (cherry) blossoms Yanagi, willow(s)/weeping willow(s) Ochi-tsubaki, falling camellias Matsu kafun, pine pollen
春
spring
The earth Aota, green (rice) paddy/paddies Izumi, wellspring Taki, waterfall/cascade/rapids Humanity Yukata, summer kimono/yukata Mushiboshi, airing out Taue, rice planting Hanabi, fireworks
The season Aki no kure, autumn dusk/autumn twilight Onaga, long night(s) Sawayaka, fresh/refreshing/crisp Aki fukashi, autumn (is) deep The heavens Aki no koe, voices of autumn Iwashigumo, mackerel clouds Tsuki, moon Amanogawa, Milky Way Inazuma, heat lightning/lightning Tsuyu, dew The earth Hanano, flowery moor(s)/flower-field(s) Humanity Kakashi, scarecrow Inekari, rice reaping/rice harvesting
Observances Tango, boys day Matsuri, festival Gegomori, summer confinement
Observances Choyo, Chrysanthemum Festival Tanabata, Festival of the Weaver Urabon, Bon Festival/Lantern Festival
Animals Hototogisu, little cuckoo Hotaru, firefly/fireflies Semi, cicada/locust
Animals Shika, deer Wataridori, migratory birds
Plants Botan, tree peony U-no-hana, deutzia flowers Ukikusa, duckweed
夏
summer
Plants Asagao, morning-glory/glories Momiji, red leaves/red (maple) leaves Hagi, bush clover Susuki, pampas grass
秋
autumn
The season Koharu, little spring Tanjitsu, short day(s) Setsubun, seasonal divide The heavens Shigure, (winter) shower/drizzle Shimo, frost Yuki, snow The earth Kareno, withered field Kori, ice Tsurara, icicle Humanity Futon, futon Kari, hunting Takibi, (open) fire/bonfire Toshi-wasure, year-end party Observances Toshi-no-ichi, year-end market/fair Basho-ki, Basho’s Memorial Day Tsuramise, season debut (of kabuki) Animals Taka, hawk Fugu, puffer/blowfish/globefish Fuyubachi, winter bee/wasp Kaki, oyster(s) Plants Sazanka, sasanqua Kare-obana, withered pampas grass Ochiba, fallen leaves
冬
winter
Japanese haiku are a very emotional kind of poetry, but the emotional part is expressed through the skilful use of kigo. Each kigo has an emotional mood, which gives the author the opportunity to convey his emotion. The emotional background is explained in the saijiki and needs to be learned, just as we learn the vocabulary of a new language to be able to speak it properly.
日本の俳句はとても感情的 な種類の詩ですが季語を上 手に使うことで感情的な部 分が表現されます。 それぞれの季語には感情 的なムードがあり、作者に彼 の感情を伝える機会を与え ます。 感情的な背景は歳時記で 説明されており、正しく話す ことができるように新しい言 語の語彙を学ぶのと同じよ うに、学ぶ必要があります。
に ぎ や か
growth 一 時 的
excitement
喜 び passion
望 む
joy
ephemeral
成 長
awe
奨 励
encouragement
ま た 興 は 奮 hope
lively
期 待
anticipation
情 熱
Flutteringly Floating in the breeze A single butterfly
春
ひ ら ひ ら と 風 に 流 れ て 蝶 一 つ joy, lively growth, awe ephemeral encouragement anticipation passion, hope excitement
I got drunk, a sleep And wept on the dream A wild cherry blossoms
春
醉 ふ て 寐 て 夢 に 泣 き け り 山 櫻 joy, lively growth, awe ephemeral encouragement anticipation passion, hope excitement
An old silent pond A frog jumps into the pond Splash, silence again
春
古 池 蛙 飛 び 込 む 水 の 音
joy, lively growth, awe ephemeral encouragement anticipation passion, hope excitement
Underneath the trees Soups and salads are buried In cherry blossoms
春
木 の も と に 汁 も 膾 も 桜 か な
joy, lively growth, awe ephemeral encouragement anticipation passion, hope excitement
I am one Who eats his breakfast Gazing at morning glories
春
朝 顔 に 我 は 飯 食 ふ 男 か な
joy, lively growth, awe ephemeral encouragement anticipation passion, hope excitement
In this world We walk on the roof of hell Gazing at flowers
春
世 の 中 は 地 獄 の 上 の 花 見 か な joy, lively growth, awe ephemeral encouragement anticipation passion, hope excitement
In the bamboo grove The yellow spring sunlight I look up at it
春
竹 林 に 黄 な る 春 日 を 仰 ぎ け り joy, lively growth, awe ephemeral encouragement anticipation passion, hope excitement
One day a nameless spring mountain began to smile
春
暗 闇 の 眼 玉 濡 ら さ ず 泳 ぐ な り joy, lively growth, awe ephemeral encouragement anticipation passion, hope excitement
Spring rain The frogs’ bellies Aren’t yet wet
春
春 雨 や 蛙 の 腹 は ま だ ぬ れ ず
joy, lively growth, awe ephemeral encouragement anticipation passion, hope excitement
The spring haze The scent already in the air The moon and ume
春
春 も や や 気 色 と と の ふ 月 と 梅 joy, lively growth, awe ephemeral encouragement anticipation passion, hope excitement
Try to plant As for a child A little wild cherry tree
春
植 う る 事 子 の ご と く せ よ 児 桜 joy, lively growth, awe ephemeral encouragement anticipation passion, hope excitement
fickleness
冒 険 的
satisfaction 刺 激
誘 惑
や る lazy 気 気 ま ぐ れ
annoyed
adventurous
リ ラ ッ ク ス
motivated
満 足
irritation temptation
happiness 怠 惰
幸 福 イ ラ イ ラ す る
The short summer night The dream and real Are same things
夏
短 夜 や 夢 も 現 も 同 じ こ と
annoyed, irritation happiness, satisfaction relaxing, adventurous fickleness, temptation lazy, motivated
An evening spot For calling fireflies Planting a willow
夏
蛍 よ ぶ 夜 の れ う と や さ し 柳
annoyed, irritation happiness, satisfaction relaxing, adventurous fickleness, temptation lazy, motivated
Nowhere to go The dwellings of ants In the summer rain
夏
行 衛 無 き 蟻 の 住 居 や さ つ き 雨 annoyed, irritation happiness, satisfaction relaxing, adventurous fickleness, temptation lazy, motivated
The canola flowers The moon in the east The sun in the west
夏
菜 の 花 や 月 は 東 に 日 は 西 に
annoyed, irritation happiness, satisfaction relaxing, adventurous fickleness, temptation lazy, motivated
Turbulent the sea Across to Sado stretches The Milky Way
夏
荒 海 や 佐 渡 に よ こ た ふ 天 河
annoyed, irritation happiness, satisfaction relaxing, adventurous fickleness, temptation lazy, motivated
Plagued by fleas and lice I hear the horses stalling Right by my pillow
夏
蚤 虱 馬 の 尿 す る 枕 も と
annoyed, irritation happiness, satisfaction relaxing, adventurous fickleness, temptation lazy, motivated
Willow bare Clear stream dried up Rocks here and there
夏
柳 散 清 水 涸 石 處 々
annoyed, irritation happiness, satisfaction relaxing, adventurous fickleness, temptation lazy, motivated
The cluster amaryllis Lean all together Over the water
夏
曼 珠 沙 華 そ ろ ひ 傾 く 水 の 上
annoyed, irritation happiness, satisfaction relaxing, adventurous fickleness, temptation lazy, motivated
Now gathering Now scattering Fireflies over the river
夏
か た ま る や 散 る や 蛍 の 川 の 上 annoyed, irritation happiness, satisfaction relaxing, adventurous fickleness, temptation lazy, motivated
In a wasteland Life is multiplying The heat
夏
蓬 生 に 命 か け た る 暑 哉
annoyed, irritation happiness, satisfaction relaxing, adventurous fickleness, temptation lazy, motivated
Flitting fireflies Another annoying night In the house
夏
と ぶ 蛍 家 の う る さ き 夜 也 け り annoyed, irritation happiness, satisfaction relaxing, adventurous fickleness, temptation lazy, motivated
反 endings 映 エ uncertainty
adandoned
reflecting
エ ー ジ ン
心 配
不 確 実 性
cozy
ン デ ィ ン
空 虚
aging
emptiness
居 心 地 の 良 い
leavings
loneliness 放 棄 さ れ た
孤 独
worried
去
In September The sky wears A lined kimono
秋
長 月 の 空 色 袷 き た り け り
abandoned emptiness, cozy uncertainty reflecting, aging ending, loneliness leavings, worried
On a withered branch A crow has stopped Autumn evening
秋
枯 枝 に 烏 の と ま り け り 秋 の 暮 abandoned emptiness, cozy uncertainty reflecting, aging ending, loneliness leavings, worried
Autumn Parting as we go, clams opening To Futami
秋
蛤 の 二 見 に 別 れ 行 く 秋 ぞ
abandoned emptiness, cozy uncertainty reflecting, aging ending, loneliness leavings, worried
The white bush clovers Drop the dewdrops Frequently
秋
白 萩 の し き り に 露 を こ ぼ し け り abandoned emptiness, cozy uncertainty reflecting, aging ending, loneliness leavings, worried
The tachibana trees The wind is old-fashioned At Hase village
秋
橘 や 風 ふ る く さ き 長 谷 の 里
abandoned emptiness, cozy uncertainty reflecting, aging ending, loneliness leavings, worried
The autumn sky Is cut in two By the big chinquapin tree
秋
秋 空 を 二 つ に 断 て り 椎 大 樹
abandoned emptiness, cozy uncertainty reflecting, aging ending, loneliness leavings, worried
The autumn grass Wilts at once Playing with it
秋
秋 草 の す ぐ 萎 る る を も て あ そ び abandoned emptiness, cozy uncertainty reflecting, aging ending, loneliness leavings, worried
Waving the pampas grass At the Shinjuku station I said goodbye
秋
浅 茅 生 や 小 路 の 中 に 女 郎 花
abandoned emptiness, cozy uncertainty reflecting, aging ending, loneliness leavings, worried
The moon in the water Broken and broken again Still it is there
秋
砕 け て も 砕 け て も あ り 水 の 月 abandoned emptiness, cozy uncertainty reflecting, aging ending, loneliness leavings, worried
Along this road Goes no one This autumn eve
秋
こ の 道 や 行 く 人 な し に 秋 の く れ abandoned emptiness, cozy uncertainty reflecting, aging ending, loneliness leavings, worried
Deep autumn My neighbor How does he live, I wonder
秋
秋 深 き 隣 は 何 を す る 人 ぞ
abandoned emptiness, cozy uncertainty reflecting, aging ending, loneliness leavings, worried
motionless 落 ち 着 い て
孤 独
helplessness
動 か な い
ス ロ ー
規 律
calm isolation
sadness
悲 longing し solitude み 無 力
boredom
退 屈
憧 れ
隔 離
discipline
slow
The distant mountain Catch the sun The desolate field
冬
遠 山 に 日 の 当 た り た る 枯 野 か な motionless longing, calm isolation, solitude boredom, slow sadness, discipline helplessness
Cawa-cawa In a large and loose way The winter crow
冬
か わ か わ と 大 き く ゆ る く 寒 鴉 motionless longing, calm isolation, solitude boredom, slow sadness, discipline helplessness
The first cold shower Even the monkey seems to want A little coat of straw
冬
初 し ぐ れ 猿 も 小 蓑 を ほ し げ 也 motionless longing, calm isolation, solitude boredom, slow sadness, discipline helplessness
The old man of the temple Splitting wood In the winter moonlight
冬
寒 月 に 木 を 割 る 寺 の 男 か な
motionless longing, calm isolation, solitude boredom, slow sadness, discipline helplessness
The winter river Not enough water For four or five ducks
冬
冬 川 や 家 鴨 四 五 羽 に 足 ら ぬ 水 motionless longing, calm isolation, solitude boredom, slow sadness, discipline helplessness
Watching first snowfall In a rotten mood Shinano Mountain
冬
む つ か し や 初 雪 見 ゆ る し な の 山 motionless longing, calm isolation, solitude boredom, slow sadness, discipline helplessness
On Musashi Plain Who are they Eating pufferfish soup
冬
む さ し の に 誰 々 た べ ぬ 鰒 汁
motionless longing, calm isolation, solitude boredom, slow sadness, discipline helplessness
My natto shares My pillow My night’s sleep
冬
納 豆 と 同 じ 枕 に 寝 る 夜 哉
motionless longing, calm isolation, solitude boredom, slow sadness, discipline helplessness
The winter fly I spare, the cat Snatches
冬
冬 の 蝿 逃 せ ば 猫 に と ら れ け り motionless longing, calm isolation, solitude boredom, slow sadness, discipline helplessness
First snowfall Atop the rice bag A little lamp
冬
は つ 雪 や 俵 の う へ の 小 行 灯
motionless longing, calm isolation, solitude boredom, slow sadness, discipline helplessness
In dream world Was I laughing at a turtle Winter seclusion
冬
夢 の 世 と 亀 を 笑 ふ か ふ ゆ 篭
motionless longing, calm isolation, solitude boredom, slow sadness, discipline helplessness
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Nature hath a soul as well as features James Thomson