Japan’s Unique Monthly Naming Tradition

Interestingly, just a month after I relocated to Japan last year, I learned that in Japanese, the 12 months are not simply called January, February, March, and so on. Instead, the months are named using counted months. This naming system in Japan is influenced by both modern and traditional elements.

In the modern system, the months are simply numbered and named by adding the word “月” (gatsu, meaning month) after the number. For example:

January is referred to as 1月 (いちがつ, Ichigatsu)
February is 2月 (にがつ, Nigatsu)
March is 3月 (さんがつ, Sangatsu)
April is 4月 (しがつ, Shigatsu)
May is 5月 (ごがつ, Gogatsu)
June is 6月 (ろくがつ, Rokugatsu)
July is 7月 (しちがつ, Shichigatsu)
August is 8月 (はちがつ, Hachigatsu)
September is 9月 (くがつ, Kugatsu)
October is 10月 (じゅうがつ, Jūgatsu)
November is 11月 (じゅういちがつ, Jūichigatsu)
December is 12月 (じゅうにがつ, Jūnigatsu)

This straightforward system follows the Western calendar, reflecting Japan’s adaptation of the Gregorian calendar in 1873. However, Japan also has a rich tradition of poetic names for each month, rooted in the lunar calendar used before modernization.

These poetic names often reference seasonal changes, festivals, or natural events. They are:

1. January – 睦月 (むつき, Mutsuki) – “Month of Affection” or “Harmonious Month”
2. February – 如月 (きさらぎ, Kisaragi) – “Month of Changing Clothes”
3. March – 弥生 (やよい, Yayoi) – “Month of New Life”
4. April – 卯月 (うづき, Uzuki) – “Month of Deutzia Blossoms”
5. May – 皐月 (さつき, Satsuki) – “Month of Early Rice Planting”
6. June – 水無月 (みなづき, Minazuki) – “Month of Water” (despite its name, it means the month when rice fields need water)
7. July – 文月 (ふみづき, Fumizuki) – “Month of Letters” or “Month of Learning”
8. August – 葉月 (はづき, Hazuki) – “Month of Leaves”
9. September – 長月 (ながつき, Nagatsuki) – “Month of Long Nights”
10. October – 神無月 (かんなづき, Kannazuki) – “Month Without Gods” (it is said the gods gather in Izumo, leaving other regions without deities)
11. November – 霜月 (しもつき, Shimotsuki) – “Month of Frost”
12. December – 師走 (しわす, Shiwasu) – “Month of Priests Running” (referring to the busy time for priests at the end of the year)

This poetic naming system reflects Japan’s rich cultural and traditional roots alongside the modern calendar structure. Additionally, similar numbering systems are also used in other countries, such as China, South Korea, and Vietnam, due to historical influence from China and the shared use of the lunar calendar in the past.

I prefer the modern naming system for its simplicity, but I also find the traditional poetic naming system more beautiful. Do you agree?

#JapaneseMonths #JapaneseCulture #ThaiMonths #CulturalInfluences