八十八夜
Hachiju-hachi-ya (the eighty-eighth day after the beginning of spring)
日本でかつて使われていた旧暦は、太陽暦の要素を取り入れて作った太陰暦でした。旧暦では季節を正しく示すために1太陽年を24等分し、それぞれの等分点に名称が与えられていました。これらの等分点は二十四節気(にじゅうしせっき)と総称され、このうち春の始まりに当たる日を立春(りっしゅん)と呼びました。旧暦ではさらに季節の移り変わりを分かりやすく示す日として、節分・入梅・二百十日・土用・彼岸などの雑節(ざっせつ)が設けられていました。八十八夜はこれらの雑節の一つで、立春から数えて88日目に当たる日のことです。現行の太陽暦(グレゴリウス暦)では5月2日頃に当たり、日本では季節が春から夏に移り変わる時期です。この頃はさわやかな天候が続き、新緑が大変美しい時季です。また、この頃は茶摘みに適した時季でもあります。
Japan used to use a lunar calendar that included some of the elements of the solar calendar. The old calendar divided one solar year into twenty-four portions of equal length in order to precisely indicate the seasons. The twenty-four dividing points between the seasons were known as nijushi-sekki in Japanese, and each of them had its own name. Risshun was one of those 24 dividing points. Risshun is still known as the first day of spring according to the old calendar. The old calendar set more dates and periods in addition to the 24 dividing points in order to appropriately indicate the change of seasons. These dates and periods that include setsubun, nyubai, nihyaku-toka, doyo, and higan were called zassetsu in Japanese. Hachiju-hachi-ya was one of those dates and periods. Hachiju-hachi-ya fell on the eighty-eighth day after the first day of spring (risshun). This date falls on the second of May according to the Gregorian calendar that is currently used. Spring is nearly over in Japan at this time of the year and summer is coming. It is a beautiful season full of fresh green leaves and clear skies. It is also the best season for picking tea.
多くの農家が八十八夜の前後に苗代に稲の苗を植えたり畑作物の種まきを行います。ただしこれはあくまでも目安にすぎず、南北に長い日本列島ではこれらの農作業を行う時期は地域によってかなり異なります。
Japanese farmers generally plant rice seedlings in seedbeds around hachiju-hachi-ya. The seedbeds for rice seedlings are called nawashiro in Japanese. They also sow their fields with many different farm products including vegetables and flowers in the same period. This is the standard period, and it is not appropriate for planting seedlings and sowing seeds in some parts of Japan because the climate varies in Japan from the north to the south.
立春の前日。新暦では2月3日または4日に当たる。
setsubun
Setsubun refers to the day before the first day of spring (risshun). Setsubun falls on the 3rd or the 4th of February on the calendar today.
入梅(にゅうばい)
梅雨(つゆ)の始まりに当たる日。新暦では6月10日頃。
nyubai
Japan has a rainy season, which is called tsuyu in Japanese, between spring and summer. Nyubai refers to the first day of the rainy season. Nyubai falls around the 10th of June on the calendar today.
二百十日(にひゃくとおか)
立春から数えて210日目に当たる日。新暦では9月1日頃。この日の前後には台風が来ることが多いと言われる。
nihyaku-toka
Nihyaku-toka refers to the 210th day after the first day of spring (risshun). Nihyaku-toka falls around the 1st of September on the calendar today. Japan is frequently struck by typhoons around .
土用(どよう)
立夏・立秋・立冬・立春の前のそれぞれ18日間を土用と呼ぶ。一般的には、立秋(新暦の8月8日頃)の前の18日間を指す。
doyo
Doyo refers to each of the eighteen-day periods before the first days of summer, fall, winter, and spring. Doyo, however, generally refers to the eighteen-day period before the first day of fall. The first day of fall is called risshu in Japanese, and it falls around the 8th of August on the calendar today.
彼岸(ひがん)
春分・秋分のそれぞれ3日前から3日後までの計7日間。
higan
Higan refers to the seven-day periods that include the vernal equinox and the autumnal equinox in the middle. Higan begins three days before each equinoctial day and lasts for seven days.
苗代(なわしろ)
稲の苗を育てるための田。苗代で育てられた稲の苗は、初夏の頃に水田に植え替えられる。この作業を田植えと呼ぶ。
nawashiro
A refers to a bed for rice seedlings. When the rice seedlings grow, they are transplanted into the rice paddies. Rice seedlings are usually transplanted in the early summer, and the transplantation is called taue in Japanese.
