twelfth lunar month EDO

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::　

The Twelfth Lunar Month　十二月 juunigatsu - 師走 shiwasu -

In the old lunar calendar of the Edo period,

spring lasted from the first month to the third,
summer from the fourth month through the sixth,
autumn from the seventh month through the ninth,
winter from the tenth month through the twelfth.

. WKD : The Asian Lunar Calendar and the Saijiki .


. Edo Saijiki　江戸歳時記 .



source :　art.jcc-okinawa.net/okinawa/edonosiki


Why is the bamboo (take) of the kadomatsu (matsu) cut slant?
The story of Tokugawa Ieyasu and his enemy, Takeda Shingen.
. kadomatsu 門松 pines decorations at the gate .


. toshi no ichi 年の市 year's end fair .
Where people could by all kinds of decorations for the New Year.


. hikizuri mochi 引き摺り餅 pounding mochi ricecakes .


. toshikoshi soba 年越し蕎麦　/ 年越しそば　buckwheat noodles .
eaten on the last day of the last lunar month, to pass into the new year with this auspicious food.


. mamemaki 豆まき、豆撒き throwing beans .
to drive out the demons and bad luck of the old year, now done on February 3 (setsubun 節分) .


under construction
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

- - - - - H A I K U and S E N R Y U - - - - -

On the 13th day of the last lunar month, everybody had to clean their homes, samurai and townspeople and all. This was done not only at home but in temples and shrines too. With long bamboo poles and sakaki sacred branches the bad influences of the passing year, the vicious demons hiding somewhere in the corners and the roof beams, were cleared away, together with the real soot.
Thus the town was ritually cleaned and ready to welcome the new year.


source :　mookie/ohishi-nyohuuten.

susudake uri 煤竹売 seller of cleaning bamboo
- - - - -take uri　竹売り babmoo vendors

After the daily cleaning the leaders were usually lifted up high by all (dooage　胴上げ).


source :　avis.ne.jp/~wakaomi/douage

On the left is the cleaning, on the right top the high lifting of a person. You can see his legs in the air.


. susu harai susuharai 煤払 cleaning off soot .

By the way, on the next day in 1702, the 47 samurai attacked the home of Kira Kozukenosuke and killed him.
Two of the spies to check on his whereabouts on this day was clad as a bamboo vendors.

煤竹を売りに来たのはたけ林
susutake o uri ni kita no wa takebayashi

to sell bamboo for cleaning
the vendors came
(in great numbers like) a bamboo grove

. Chushingura 忠臣蔵 and the 47 ronin　.


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::



- - - To join me on facebook, click the image !

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

. Edo Saijiki　江戸歳時記 .


. - Doing Business in Edo - 商売　- Introduction .

. senryu, senryū 川柳　Senryu poems in Edo .


[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::