Japanese calendar

The name of month: (pronounciation, literally meaning)

January - 睦月 (mu tsuki)
February - 如月 or 衣更着 (kisaragi[?])
March - 弥生 (yayoi)
April - 卯月 (uzuki)
May - 皐月 or 早月 (satsuki)
June - 水無月 (minatsuki or minazuki, no water month)
July - 文月 (fumi zuki)
August - 葉月 (ha zuki)
September - 長月 (naga tsuki, long month)
October - 神無月 (kan'na zuki, no god month)
November - 霜月 (shimo tsuki)
December - 師走 (shiwasu, teachers run)

Only 師走 is still used nowadays.

The list of national holidays:

January 1 - Ganjitsu New Year's Day (since 1948)
The second monday in January - Seijin no hi Coming of Age Day. Until 1999, the day is on January 15 (since 1948)
February 11 - Kenkoku kinen' bi[?] National Foundation Day[?])
March 21 - Vernal Equinox Day (since 1966) The day may vary according to the law.
April 29 - Midori no hi Greenery Day[?] (since 1989)
May 3 - Constitution Memorial Day[?] (since 1948)
May 4 - National holiday (since 1985)
May 5 - Kodomo no hi[?] Children's Day[?] (since 1948)
July 20 - Marine Day[?] (since 1995)
September 15 - Keirou no hi Respect for the Aged Day[?] (since 1966)
September 22 - national holiday (since 2003). This day appears occasionally according to the law. The day is predicted to appear in 2009 unless the law remains same.
September 23 - Autumnal Equinox Day (since 1948)
The second monday in October - Health and Sports Day[?] (since 1966)
November 3 - National Culture Day[?] (since 1948)
November 23 - Labor Thanksgiving Day[?] (since 1948
December 23 - The Emperor's Birthday[?] (since 1989)

This table includes 雑節 (Zassetsu), 二十四節気 (24 Setsuki) and some others.

January 5 - 寒の入り Kannoiri
January 5 - 小寒 Shoukan'
January 17 - 冬土用 Fuyu doyou[?]
January 20 - 大寒 Daikan'
February 3 - 節分 Setsubun[?]
February 4 - 立春 Risshun'[?] (literally meaning standing spring)
February 19 - 雨水 Usui
March 6 - 啓蟄 Keichitsu
March 16 - 春社日 haru sha nichi
March 18 - 春彼岸 haru higan'[?]
March 21 - 春分 Shun'bun'[?]
April 5 - 清明 Seimei
April 17 - 春土用 haru doyou[?]
April 20 - 穀雨 Kokuu
May 2 - 八十八夜 hachijyu hachi ya 88 nights
May 6 - 立夏 Rikka[?] (literally meaning standing summer)
May 21 - 小満 Shouman'
June 6 - 芒種 Boushu
June 11 - 入梅 Nyu bai (literally meaning entering tsuyu[?])
June 21 - 夏至 Gesshi[?]
July 2 - 半夏生 Hange shou
July 7 - 小暑 Shousho
July 15 - 中元 Chugen[?]
July 15 - お盆 Obon
July 20 - 夏土用
July 23 - 大暑 Taisho
August 8 - 立秋 Risshuu[?]
August 23 - 処暑 Shosho
September 1 - 二百十日 (Ni-hyaku to ka, 210 days)
September 8 - 白露 Hakuro
September 11 - 二百二十日 (Ni-hyaku hatsu ka, 220 days)
September 20 - 秋彼岸 aki higan'[?]
September 22 - 秋社日 aki sha nichi
September 23 - 秋分 Shuubun[?]
October 8 - 寒露 Kannro
October 20 - 秋土用 aki doyou[?]
October 23 - 霜降 Soukou
November 7 - 立冬 Rittou[?]
November 22 - 小雪 Shousetsu
December 7 - 大雪 Taisetsu
December 22 - 冬至 Touji[?]

(Except 中元 (chugen) and お盆 (obon), days vary according to the year.)

Some of these names are still used quite frequently in everyday life in Japan. It is common that daily weather reports use 冬至 (Touji).

五節句

January 7 - 人日 (Jinjutsu[?]), 七草の節句
March 3 - 上巳 (Jyoushi[?]/Jyoumi), 桃の節句
May 5 - 端午 (Tango), 端午の節句
July 7 - 七夕 (Sichiseki/Tanagata[?])
September 9 - 重陽 (Chouyou), 菊の節句

External Links

Koyomi no page (http://koyomi.vis.ne.jp/mainindex.htm) in Japanese
Koyomi no hanashi (http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~nm9m-hsy/koyomi/) in Japanese

See also: Calendar, Japanese era name

wikipedia.org dumped 2003-03-17 with terodump