Doll display in Kyoto
March stars at the third end of the season of 雨水 Usui (Rainwater), and continues though 啓蟄 Keichitsu (Wakening of Insects) > 春分 Shunbun (Spring Equinox), ending on the first day of the micro-season "Distant Thunder"within 春分 Shunbun. I know this might sound a bit complicated, but do not worry, you will will soon understand it. Remember we are talking about two parallel calendars: side by side. One a solar calendar: January to December, other the Ancient Calendar (China/Japan> we use the Japanese names. Chinese ones differ a bit) based on the moon, where you have basically 24 seasons. Each of these seasons are subdivided: 72 in total, of about 4 days each. The names above ^ are divisions belonging amongst the 24 seasons, within each them we have five seasons 😅 . Sorry about that 😄
So, March! Hello March! one of my favourites.
We saw how in February, the Yang energy wakes up. Even if under the snow, great energy starts to wake up! Why? The sun starts to get closer to the earth each day.
On the 3rd of March we celebrate Hinamatsuri, the Doll's or Girls Festival.
(There are several reasons for establishing this date, but basically it is because Japan is till immerse in tradition that looses itself in the night of China. Concepts of auspicious or inauspicious still dictate dates to make certain moves in Japan. So there is something specially auspicious in the chō (double) dates -with unpair numbers: 3,5,7,9 - such as 5th of May that will be Boy's Day or Children's Day.
Time ago they were days for 禊 misogi, purification rituals, (generally performed in the ocean or at places where rivers meet the ocean).
There is, as we saw, a "progression" of Spring, marked by the signs and the produce it delivers. Most of the people out of Japan -and sometimes even Japanese-, associate spring with cherry blossom, but that is what I call a reductionism. It is true that cherry trees have so many varieties, some even bloom at the end of January, like the kanhizakura, some in autumn. But because of the importance of sequence and seasons, because of the importance of the Way of Tea, that keeps us focus in the relevance of moment, we believe that each period needs its “honors”.
So within spring, first, comes the moment when Ume -plum- trees have buds and the uguisu -warbler- that live in the mountains come down to the valley. It is still cold! But his song is like a promise that tell us, oh life goes on!
Ume-plum-blooms and after “delicate white flowers petals fall on the dark tiles” . But "ume" means that anything “plum” is appropriate, so we will be focus on the entire plum world, even if fruits are not ripe just yet, a palate cleanser sorbet made ume-boshi and would be fabulously sophisticated.
Soon momo -peach- flowers will be here as almost a total symbol of Hinamatsuri, Doll’s Festival, which celebrates girls. Everything is about pink, light green and white. Dolls inherited for generations are exhibited, at home, in shrines and communities. We have clams in all forms, but a favourite is with rice or steamed with sake. A special kind of"sushi", hirashi sushi -scattered ingredients-, amazake (fermented rice drink)and seasonal wagashi (Japanese sweets). Bamboo shoots start coming up juicy and tender. Then comes Sakura -Cherry Blossom-. Some poets wrote about the beauty of Ume and Momo over Sakura. In a way is less “noisy” so belongs to a more Wabi appreciation, more “so” - in the calligraphy categories of “so-gyo-shin” Then sakura would be more “shin” if you wish...
Plum blossom and "Here be Dragons" book. Find out more here!
Clams steamed with sake ( Japanese rice wine).
Amazake (Japanese fermented rice drink) and arare (Japanese rice puffs).
So in a way e could say, that this time of the year is the highlight of Spring. Because once the cherry blossom start, is a sign that Spring is finishing. What a contradiction it seems! But that is the true spirit of 物の哀れ-mono no aware-, the pathos of things, the ever fleeting essence of life.
©All rights reserved Alejandra Olivera
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