The Beauty of Japanese: The Lovely Names of the Months from January to December ♡

2020.06.07 published

Wonderful Alternate Names for Each Month

Each month from January to December has an established old calendar name known as "Wafūgeki-mei."

Mutsuki, Kisaragi, Yayoi, Uzuki, Satsuki, Minazuki, Fumizuki, Hazuki, Nagatsuki, Kannazuki, Shimotsuki, and Shiwazuki.

These are beautiful names for the months that evoke a sense of atmosphere.

While these twelve words are the most famous old calendar names,

there are also several alternate (other) names for each month, which are very beautiful in Japanese, and I thought it would be wonderful to know them as a Japanese person, so I would like to introduce them ♡

*Alternate Names for January (Mutsuki)*

"Iwaidzuki" (祝月)

A celebratory month

"Samidorizuki" (早緑月)

The month when greenery begins to increase

"Kasumisomezuki" (霞染月)

"Tarōzuki" (太郎月)

The month suggesting the beginning of things

"Hatsusorazuki" (初空月)

The month when the first sky of the new year can be seen

*Alternate Names for February (Kisaragi)*

"Umeamizuki" (梅見月)

The month that announces the arrival of plum blossoms

"Ogusaohtizuki" (小草生月)

The month when small grass flowers start to bud

"Reigetsu" (麗月)

A month good for anything

"Yukikiezuki" (雪消月)

The month when snow melts away

"Hatsuhanazuki" (初花月)

The month when plum blossoms bloom

*Alternate Names for March (Yayoi)*

"Yumeimizuki" (夢見月)

The month when the dreaming plant (sakura!) blooms

"Hinazuki" (雛月)

The month of Hina Matsuri

"Haruoshimizuki" (春惜月)

The month when spring ends

"Sahanazakizuki" (早花咲月)

The month when grass and trees are lush

"Sakurazuki" (桜月)

The month when sakura blooms

"Hanamizuki" (花見月)

The month when cherry blossoms bloom, and we enjoy hanami

*Alternate Names for April (Uzuki)*

"Unohanazuki" (卯花月)

The month when the uo flower blooms

"Hanakorizuki" (花残月)

The month just before early summer

"Konohatorizuki" (木葉採月)

The month for gathering mulberry leaves for silkworms

"Uezuki" (植月)

The month for planting rice

"Natsuhazuki" (夏初月)

The month marking the beginning of summer

*Alternate Names for May (Satsuki)*

"Samidarezuki" (五月雨月)

The month marking the arrival of the rainy season

"Inanaezuki" (稲苗月)

The month for planting rice seedlings

"Itsuirozuki" (五色月)

"Sanaezuki" (早苗月)

The month for rice planting

"Yokurange" (浴蘭月)

The month to bathe in water containing orchid grass to cleanse impurities and disasters

"Tachibanazuki" (橘月)

The month when Tachibana flowers (sacred flowers that announce the start of farming) bloom

"Tsukimizuzuki" (月不見月)

The month when the moon is rarely seen due to the rainy season

*Alternate Names for June (Minazuki)*

"Narukamizuki" (鳴神月)

The month when thunder echoes

"Kazemachizuki" (風待月), "Matsukazezuki" (松風月)

The month when the heat makes us long for a breeze

"Suzukuredzuki" (涼暮月)

The month for cool evenings

"Semihatzuki" (蝉羽月)

The month when we wear thin clothing like cicada wings

"Tokonatsuzuki" (常夏月)

The month bustling with summer flowers

*Alternate Names for July (Fumizuki)*

"Tanabatasuki" (七夕月)

The month with Tanabata

"Nanayozuki" (七夜月)

The month with Tanabata

"Ryogetsu" (涼月)

The month feeling refreshing

"Ominaeshizuki" (女郎花月)

The month when ominaeshi blooms

"Medaiizuki" (愛逢月)

The month when Orihime and Hikoboshi are said to love each other

"Shingetsu" (親月)

The month for visiting parents’ graves

"Tōgetsu" (桐月)

The month when Paulownia flowers bloom

"Rangetsu" (蘭月)

The month when Fujibakama flowers bloom

"Fumihirogedzuki" (文披月)

The month to unveil and present documents (writing)

*Alternate Names for August (Hazuki)*

"Tsubamesarizuki" (燕去月)

The month when swallows that came in spring return to the south

"Benisomezuki" (紅染月)

The month when trees turn red

"Akikazezuki" (秋風月)

The month when autumn winds blow

"Kozometzuki" (木染月)

The month trees become richly colored

"Sōgetsu" (壮月)

The month when flowers and grass are flourishing

"Karikizuki" (雁来月)

The month when geese migrate from the north

*Alternate Names for September (Nagatsuki)*

"Momijizuki" (紅葉月)

"Nezamizuki" (寝覚月)

A month when nights are long, leading to waking often

"Irodorizuki" (色どり月)

The month when tree leaves turn colors

"Kikuzakizuki" (菊開月)

The month when chrysanthemum flowers bloom

"Chikusuidzuki" (竹酔月)

"Seijozuki" (青女月)

The month when goddesses appear with frost or snow

*Alternate Names for October (Kannazuki)*

"Hatsushimizuki" (初霜月)

The month when the first frost falls

"Kamiariduki" (神在月)

The month when the eight million gods from all over the nation gather in Izumo, referred to as Kamiarizuki only in Izumo

"Kamisarizuki" (神去月)

Conversely, it represents the month when the eight million gods return home, referred to as Kamisarizuki outside of Izumo

"Kaminakarizuki" (雷無月)

The month with few thunderstorms

"Shigurezuki" (時雨月)

The month when shigure (drizzles) frequently fall

*Alternate Names for November (Shimotsuki)*

"Kagurazuki" (神楽月)

The month when Kagura (sacred dance) is practiced

"Yukimachizuki" (雪待月)

The month when preparations for winter are completed and we await the snowfall

"Ryūsenzuki" (竜潜月)

The month when heroes and wise people remain hidden

"Kamikirizuki" (神帰月)

The month when gods who gathered at Izumo Taisha return to their homeland

*Alternate Names for December (Shiwazuki)*

"Harumachizuki" (春待月)

The month when we await spring

"Kagirizuki" (限月)

The last month of the year

"Kuragokozuki" (暮来月)

"Rōgetsu" (臘月)

The term for the end of the year is "ro" meaning end

"Gokuzuki" (極月)

The month when the year draws to a close

"Toshizumikizuki" (年積み月)

The month when we add another year

*Things I'd Like to Use When Writing Letters*

I have introduced the alternate names for each month from January to December.

I discovered some names for the first time, and I felt the depth of the Japanese language.

I would like to use these names when writing formal letters or postcards for seasonal greetings ♩