New Year's Cleaning :: Haiku of Japan #73
極月や箱階段の薄埃
gokugetsu ya hako kaidan no usubokori
end of the year
on the step-chest
a thin layer of dust
—Keiji Ishida
(Tr. David LaSpina)
("Cleaning" by Kason Suzuki)
I probably should have posted this one before the new year, but oh well. It's still considered a New Year's haiku, so it works.
In the West we have spring-cleaning. In Japan they have New Year's cleaning. You may think this makes little sense—after all, it is still cold outside—but remember in the old Japanese calendar, New Years was celebrated at the beginning of spring, so when this tradition started in Japan it was spring-cleaning. It is that New Year's cleaning that Ishida is referring to here.
The step-chest bears some mentioning. I'm not sure if we have these in the West (feel free to correct me in the comments). It is a set of drawers that could double as a staircase. Very interesting object. I don't think they are so common these days in newer houses, but you will still see them in old houses.
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| 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
#71 — Born Lucky
#72 — Late New Year's
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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. |
@dbooster wonderfull art and amazing culture in your paint
Thanks for the comment, but please actually read the post before you comment. You skipped over both the haiku, which is the main point of the post, and the credit for the print, which is by Kason Suzuki.
I don't think I've ever seen a set of drawers like that in the US before- most stairs are built into a structure, so some might have storage built into them. Have you seen one of these in use? Where to the stairs usually lead to? Or are they portable, and used like a stepping stool?
I have, in older houses and in some places in Kyoto. As to if they are portable or not, it depends. If they are being used as the house staircase to the second floor then no, they really can't be moved once placed. In some cases, however, they are used just as a normal chest of drawers, in which case they could be portable. So it depends.
Beautiful, happy New year @dbooster!
Glad you enjoyed. Thank you @lakshmi :)
Oh this speaks to my clean freak heart. I adore Spring Cleaning. There is something so satisfying about starting with a very messy space and making it sparkling and orderly. As for the step chests, I haven't seen any antique sorts like those, but newer children's bedroom sets offer raised beds with a desk or dresser underneath and the steps leading up are a chest of drawers. I love those, though.
That is kind of a similar idea, then.
I can understand the love of cleaning. But I usually get so caught up in things, I don't make time for cleaning. You should see our house: my wife keeps everywhere clean, but then enter my office and it's a mess.
I’m pretty bad about the day to day stuff. I have a tendency to want to do absolute perfection or nothing at all lol.