二十四節気 「小寒」 Nijuushi-sekki 'Shokan'

When referring to the lyrics of Fujifabric, it is probably a good idea to have a glimpse of distinctive four seasons, the delicate weather, and the beauties of nature in Japan to be able to enjoy them at the full extent. For my dear friends living abroad, I am going to write trial posts over the coming year to introduce 24 solar terms  (二十四節気　nijuu-shi sekki) which mark weather cycles and seasonal events in Japan and other East Asian countries.

Nijuu-shi Sekki (二十四節気）
Nijuu-shi Sekki divides a year into 24 parts according to the position of the sun in an ecliptic plane. Although this method originated in China, it is still widely used in the rest of East Asian countries such as Japan. It adjusts the difference between the luni-solar calendars and actual seasonal and weather cycle.

'Shokan' 小寒
This year, Shokan (literally meaning "minor cold") begins on 5 January and ends on 19 January. There is a folklore saying "Ice of Shokan melts in Daikan (literally meaning 'major cold', it is from 20 January to 4th February)". In many areas in Japan, the temperature during Shokan is often lower than the one in Daikan. The 4th day of Shokan (in 2019, it is 8th January) is called 'Kanshiro' and there is a traditional belief that the weather on that day has a great influence on a harvest in that year. The 9th day is called "Kanku No Ame" (in 2019, it is 13th January) and the rain on that day is believed to be a sign of a good harvest.

From 'Shokan' to 'Setsubun' (3rd February) is the season of Kan (cold), the coldest season of the year. Since the ancient time, the chill during the period of this time has been believed to possess a charm of  the dignity and purity.

Today's Weather in Fujiyoshida
Highest Temperature: 3℃
Lowest Temperature: -8℃
mostly sunny, but cold


Today's song is "Kurofuku No Hito" ("A Man Dressed In A Mourning Black Suit") - the last song of the uploaded video. The lyrics is about a funeral on a cold winter day.