Late New Year's :: Haiku of Japan #72
昼頃に元日になる庵かな
hiru-goro ni ganjitsu ni naru iori kana
close to noon
new years day starts
at my hermitage
(Tr. David LaSpina)
(Print by Tsuchiya Koitsu)
In Japan I think the ideal image is to great the New Year with the dawn. First sunrise! Then they will trek to the nearby shrine for the first shrine visit of the year, praying for good luck and buying charms. People are all about firsts with the new year.
Issa, however, embraces his laziness, letting us know he didn't even wake up till noon. With all the New Year's parties and drinking in the West, I think his sleeping in on this auspicious day wouldn't be as surprising to most of us.
❦
| Don't miss other great haiku in the Haiku of Japan series! |
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#1–10 — Haiku of Japan :: Collection #1
#11–20 — Haiku of Japan :: Collection #2
#21–30 — Haiku of Japan :: Collection #3
#31—40 — Haiku of Japan :: Collection #4
#41–50 — Haiku of Japan :: Collection #5
#51—60 — Haiku of Japan :: Collection #6
#61 — Turncoat Umbrella
#62 — Ten Autumns
#63 — Scattering Leaves
#64 — Gravekeeper
#65 — To Kill an Ant
#66 — Frosty Rose
#67 — Don't Give Up
#68 — Matsushima
#69 — Meeting With the Buddha
#70 — Winter Wind
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I post one photo everyday, as well as a haiku and as time allows, videos, more Japanese history, and so on. Let me know if there is anything about Japan you would like to know more about or would like to see.
| Who is David? | |
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 | David LaSpina is an American photographer lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time. |
I'm a big fan of haikus. I wish I spoke Japanese, because I'm sure it has a lot more meaning that gets lost in translation to English.
Just knowing Japanese actually wouldn't help much. Many haiku are full of allusion to ancient chinese poems, Chinese or Japanese events, mythology, religion, etc. It's tricky trying to track down all the connections. I try in some of my comments, but I'm sure I miss some too.
Hello friends! I like Japanese culture for a long time and I often hear the question: "Does Japan celebrate Lunar New Year?"
Japan used to celebrate Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year, but it was abolished in 1873 during the Meiji Restoration. The government wanted to modernize and westernize Japan and viewed the Lunar New Year as a symbol of the country's feudal past. Instead, they adopted the Gregorian calendar and celebrated the New Year on January 1st. Although the Chinese community in Japan still celebrates the Lunar New Year, it is not recognized as a national holiday. In addition, Japan has its own traditional New Year celebrations that focus on family gatherings, visiting shrines and temples, and eating traditional foods.