＜prologue＞
I started a blog called “The Baby Boomer Generation’s Miscellaneous Blog”（Dankai-sedai no garakutatyou:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳） in July 2018, about a year before I fully retired. More than six years have passed since then, and the number of articles has increased considerably.
So, in order to make them accessible to people who don’t understand Japanese, I decided to translate my past articles into English and publish them.
It may sound a bit exaggerated, but I would like to make this my life’s work.
It should be noted that haiku and waka （Japanese short fixed form poems） are quite difficult to translate into English, so some parts are written in Japanese.
If you are interested in haiku or waka and would like to know more, please read introductory or specialized books on haiku or waka written in English.
I also write many articles about the Japanese language. I would be happy if these inspire more people to want to learn Japanese.
my blog’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳 | 団塊世代が雑学や面白い話を発信しています
my X’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多帳（@historia49) on X
(Reference) Original article in Japanese
・「猫の恋」「猿酒」「神の旅」「花盗人」「遍路」などの面白い季語
I previously wrote an article introducing interesting seasonal words like “turtle cries” and “mountains laugh,” but there are many more.
Therefore, this time I would like to introduce some interesting seasonal words such as “cat’s love,” “monkey sake,” “god’s journey,” and “flower thief.”
1. Cat’s Love
“Cat’s Love” is a seasonal word for “spring.”
It refers to a cat that is consumed by love. Day and night in spring, they sometimes raise their fur and sometimes make strange noises, displaying the frenzy of love. Male cats begin to become restless around February, seeking females, and sometimes males fight each other over females.
“Sub-seasonal words” include “cat’s love for a mate,” “cat in love,” “cats mating,” “frolicking cat,” “cat’s husband,” “cat’s wife,” “cat’s vow,” “spring cat,” “playful cat,” and “visiting cat.”
Example poems are as follows:
* How terrifying, the cat’s love crumbles the stone wall. – Masaoka Shiki
* The cat in love has become so thin, only its eyes are thin. – Natsume Soseki
* A cat in love licks itself on the seashore. – Yamaguchi Seishi
* When the cat’s love ceases, the hazy moon shines in the bedroom. – Matsuo Basho
・おそろしや石垣崩す猫の恋 正岡子規
・恋猫の眼（まなこ）ばかりに痩せにけり 夏目漱石
・身を舐めて戀の猫ゐる海の濱 山口誓子
・猫の戀やむとき閨（ねや）の朧月 松尾芭蕉
2. Monkey Sake
“Saruzake” (monkey sake) is an autumn seasonal word.
It’s made from nuts stored by monkeys that naturally ferment in tree hollows or rock crevices when rain and dew collect, turning into a sake-like drink. While hunters and woodcutters supposedly tasted it as a miraculous medicine, it’s also a fantastical seasonal word, evoking an atmosphere of life deep in the mountains.
A related seasonal word is “mashirazake” (monkey sake).
Example haiku include:
* Saruzake, the bottom of the pot buried in hearth ashes – Kawato Hekigoto
* Perhaps there are even flakes of snow melting away in the saruzake – Akimoto Fushio
* The saruzake is cleared by the nightly moon – Sato Koryoku
* Perhaps they brewed sake that closely resembled saruzake – Mizuhara Shūōshi
・猿酒や炉灰に埋る壺の底 河東碧梧桐
・猿酒に消ゆる小雪もありぬべし 秋元不死男
・猿酒は夜毎の月に澄みぬらん 佐藤紅緑
・猿酒にさも似し酒を醸しけむ 水原秋櫻子
3. The Journey of the Gods
“The Journey of the Gods” is a seasonal word for “winter.”
In the tenth month of the lunar calendar, the gods of various provinces depart on a journey to gather at Izumo Taisha Shrine. This is based on the legend that they predetermine the marriages of men and women for the following year. After their consultations, the gods return to their respective provinces on the last day of the tenth month.
Originally, the gods of the rice fields returned to the mountains after bringing the autumn harvest.
Examples of haiku include:
* The gods’ journey, with even the reeds playing the flute – Takahama Kyoshi
* The gods, having left the capital, spend their days traveling – Matsuo Basho
* Do not tame the gods, preparing for their journey – Kobayashi Issa
* The gods of Katsuragi are also departing, a light night shower – Rosen
・蘆の葉も笛仕る神の旅 高浜虚子
・都出て神も旅寝の日数哉 松尾芭蕉
・旅じたく神の御身をせはしなや 小林一茶
・かつらぎの神もおたちか小夜しぐれ 露川
4. The Flower Thief
“Flower thief” is a seasonal word for “spring.”
It refers to someone who, captivated by the beauty of cherry blossoms, breaks off a branch and steals it. This is a refined thief, and the title can be found in Kyogen plays.
An example haiku is as follows:
・I wish to ask the flower thief about his heart. – Shiro
・問ひたきは花盗人のこゝろかな 士朗
5. Pilgrimage
“Henro” (pilgrimage) is a seasonal word for “spring.”
It refers to the Shikoku Pilgrimage, a pilgrimage to the 88 sacred sites within Shikoku that Kobo Daishi (Kukai) visited.
From March to May, centered around the cherry blossom season in April, pilgrims wear white robes, carrying a sutra box, a walking stick, prayer beads, and a bell, and wear a hat inscribed with “Dōkō Ninin” (two traveling together). This signifies that they are always on the pilgrimage with Kobo Daishi.
Sub-seasonal words include “henro-yado” (pilgrim’s lodging), “zenkon-yado” (good deed lodging), “henro-michi” (pilgrim’s path), “henro-gasa” (pilgrim’s hat), “henro-jo” (pilgrim’s staff), “Shikoku-jun” (Shikoku pilgrimage), “ichikoku-jun” (one-country pilgrimage), “shima-shikoku” (island Shikoku), and “hana-henro” (flower pilgrimage).
Note that the seasonal word “aki-henro” (autumn pilgrimage) is used for autumn pilgrimages.
Example haiku are as follows:
– A light blue cloth covers the hair of a female pilgrim. – Nakamura Kusatao
– The pilgrim’s lodging draws abundant water from the valley. – Takano Soto
– The dust that passes by, concealing the pilgrim. – Takahama Kyoshi
– The pilgrim’s lodging, spacious and lit with lamps, awaits. – Awano Seiho
・布浅黄女人遍路の髪掩ふ 中村草田男
・谷水をゆたかに引けり遍路宿 高野素十
・お遍路をかくして過ぎし埃かな 高浜虚子
・ひろびろと灯を入れて待つ遍路宿 阿波野青畝