Five seasonal festivals in Japan

Five seasons of Japan - Tamaki no sekku - no Kotobuki connecting people and people. We will honor Tamaki's farewell cuisine with a festival of mankind, a festival of Kami, a festival of Tanabata, a festival of Tanabata, a festival of Fuyang's festival.

Seasonal dishes from Tamaki that bring people togetherExperience flavors of the four seasons and traditional Japanese events that deepen family bonds.

Jinjitsu no SekkuJanuary 7 (Nanakusa no Sekku/Feast of the Seven Herbs of Health)

日本の五節句 人日の節句 - 山菜料理 玉貴

Starting the year praying with family for sound health

This festival came to Japan from China where in ancient times custom assigned the first days of new year to an animal that could not be killed on that day. They were the 1st (chicken day), 2nd (dog day), 3rd (sheep day), 4th (boar day), 5th (cow day), 6th (horse day), and 7th (human day).

日本の五節句 人日の節句 - 山菜料理 玉貴

'Nanakusa gayu,' praying for a year of sound health

Also called 'nanakusa no sekku,' this custom was brought over from China. On the day after 'jinjitsu' (human day), fortune-telling using grains was performed and the custom of eating 7 kinds of vegetables such as 'seri' (water dropwort) and 'nazuna' (sheperd's purse) to bring sound health was practiced. In the Edo period, Jinjitsu no Sekku was celebrated and a rice porridge containing these 7 vegetables was eaten.

日本の五節句 人日の節句 - 山菜料理 玉貴

Kazoku no Sekku

This is also called 'kazoku no sekku,' or the family festival, because the custom has continued of eating the 7-herb rice porridge for a year of health and longevity at the beginning of the year with all family members.

Joshi no SekkuMarch 3 (Momo no Sekku/Doll's Festival)

日本の五節句 上巳の節句 - 山菜料理 玉貴

Praying for girls to grow beautiful and healthy

Since peach blossoms bloom in spring, March 3 is also called 'Momo (peach) no Sekku.' This Joshi no Sekku is said to originate in ancient times from the Heian period when female nobility in Kyoto decorated and imitated the emperor's imperial palace to pray for health and ward off calamity.

日本の五節句 上巳の節句 - 山菜料理 玉貴

A seasonal festival of vivid color

This season is very popular with the Japanese who still practice the customs of the Doll's festival when hina dolls are displayed on tiered shelves, and nagashi-bina when prayers are written on paper dolls released on a river or the sea to protect against misfortune and pray for children's healthy growth.

日本の五節句 上巳の節句 - 山菜料理 玉貴

Tamaki hinazen dishes and hina dolls

Tango no Sekku (Boys' Festival)May 5 (Ayame no Sekku/Iris Festival)

日本の五節句 端午の節句 - 山菜料理 玉貴

Praying for energetic, healthy boys

After the Doll's festival, this festival is recognized as an event that prays for the growth of boys by flying carp streamers, but in ancient times it was the custom to hang irises and Japanese mugwort from the eves and float a bundle of irises in the bath.

日本の五節句 端午の節句 - 山菜料理 玉貴

Praying for boys to grow strong and vigorous

Similar to the Joshi no Sekku where beautiful, colorful hina dolls are displayed, this is a festival praying for the success of boys and thus the Tango no Sekku is notable for displaying the armor of valiant warriors and dolls of warriors that appear powerful. *In Yamagata, this is celebrated a month later in keeping with the lunar calendar.

日本の五節句 端午の節句 - 山菜料理 玉貴

Shichiseki no SekkuJuly 7 (Tanabata Festival)

日本の五節句 七夕の節句 - 山菜料理 玉貴

Shichiseki no Sekku, a summer tradition

This summer festival is cultivated by history and tradition. In this area, the festival includes Sendai Tanabata Festival, considered one of the 3 major festivals in Tohoku. Rain that falls on Tanabata is called 'sairuiu' and is thought to be the tears of the lovers, Orihime and Natsuhiko, who are kept apart. This love story has been well-known since long ago.

日本の五節句 七夕の節句 - 山菜料理 玉貴

''Chinowa kuguri,' a great purification rite for the summer

In addition, chinowa kuguri is held at the same time to exorcise sins and impurities at the New Year for the first half of the year. *In Yamagata, this is celebrated a month later in keeping with the lunar calendar.

日本の五節句 七夕の節句 - 山菜料理 玉貴

Choyo Kiku no SekkuSeptember 9 (Kiku no Sekku/Chrysanthemum Festival)

日本の五節句 重陽の節句 - 山菜料理 玉貴

Giving shape to a spirit of respect and kindness

In China, odd numbers are considered positive numbers that have good fortune, and 9 is considered to be the most positive. September 9, which has dual nines, was established as 'choyo.' In addition, since this was also the season that chrysanthemum bloom according to the lunar calendar, it was called the Chrysanthemum Festival. In court rituals, nobility would gather at the Hall for State Ceremonies to read poems and drink chrysanthemum sake to exorcise misfortune and pray for longevity.

日本の五節句 重陽の節句 - 山菜料理 玉貴

The date was judged from the waxing and waning of the moon, and agriculture was carried out accordingly

Rituals would be held on the eve of the 15th night with a full moon (lunar calendar). In Japan, moon-viewing dumplings and Japanese pampas grass were put out for decoration together with seasonal harvests, and feasts were held to appreciate the moon. *In Yamagata, this is celebrated a month later in keeping with the lunar calendar.

日本の五節句 重陽の節句 - 山菜料理 玉貴

Trivia about the five seasonal festivalsJanuary–September (months with dual odd numbers)

日本の五節句 上巳の節句 - 山菜料理 玉貴

The five seasonal festivals

'Goseku,' or the five seasons, in China referred to the turn of the seasons. Calendar days with dual odd numbers were picked with the aim of exorcising malevolence and receiving vitality from seasonal plants. In the Edo period, the shogunate government established these 5 turning of the seasons as official events/holidays. They are Jinjitsu no Sekku (Person Day), Joshi no Sekku (Doll's Festival), Tango no Sekku (Boys' Festival), Shichiseki no Sekku (Star Festival), and Choyo no Sekku (Chrysanthemum Festival).

Goseku, colored by seasonal plants and trees

The five seasonal festivals always include dishes, etc. using the plants and trees of that season, as noted below.

  • January 7 Jinjitsu no Sekku (Person Day): 7 herbs
  • March 3 Joshi no Sekku (Doll's Festival): Peaches
  • May 5 Tango no Sekku (Boy's Festival): Irises
  • July 7 Shichiseki no Sekku (Star Festival): Bamboo
  • September 9 Choyo no Sekku (Chrysanthemum Festival): Chrysanthemums

Seasonal gatherings that restore energy and deepen ties

During the five seasonal festivals, offerings appropriate to that season are given to the gods and those offerings are eaten together. Seasonal festivals are Shinto rituals, and as rituals for deepening ties among people (family) through prayer, they became entrenched in Japan's culture as valued opportunities to physically rest and refresh the spirit by eating nourishing foods. The celebrations of seasonal festivals are precious chances for families to gather members of all ages, from grandparents to grandchildren. Memories of family coming together to bless children's growth remain in one's heart forever. The repetition of seasonal celebrations naturally cultivate a spirit that values family ties.

Seasonal festivals provide a culinary taste of the four seasons and deepen bonds

The seasonal decorations unique to each festival produce a sense of the seasons. The original seasonal festivals were prized opportunities to deepen ties among people while enjoying seasonal dishes prepared with an abundance of seasonal foods that allow us to taste the four seasons.