List of kigo


This is a list of kigo, which are words or phrases that are associated with a particular season in Japanese poetry. They provide an economy of expression that is especially valuable in the very short haiku, as well as the longer linked-verse forms renku and renga, to indicate the season referenced in the poem or stanza.

Japanese seasons

Until 1872, in the Japanese calendar, seasons traditionally followed the lunisolar calendar with the solstices and equinoxes at the middle of a season. The traditional and contemporary months are approximately one month apart from each other, with the traditional New Year falling between late January and early February. The traditional Japanese seasons are:
For kigo, each season is then divided into early, mid-, and late periods. For spring, these would be:

Saijiki and kiyose

Japanese haiku poets often use a saijiki, a book like a dictionary or almanac for kigo. An entry in a saijiki usually includes a description of the kigo itself, as well as a list of similar or related words, and a few examples of haiku that include that kigo. A kiyose is similar, but contains only lists of kigo. Modern saijiki and kiyose are divided into the four seasons and New Year, with some containing a further section for seasonless topics. Each section is divided into a standard set of categories, each containing the relevant kigo. The most common categories are:The season The sky and heavens The earth Humanity Observances Animals Plants
This is a list of both Japanese and non-Japanese kigo. If the kigo is a Japanese word, or if there is a Japanese translation in parentheses next to the English kigo, then the kigo can be found in most major Japanese saijiki.

Spring: 4 February – 5 May

The season

all spring

spring 'warmth'''''

early spring (February・First lunar month)

– First lunar month February – when using the solar calendarfirst day of spring – First solar term; approx. 4 Februaryusui – Second solar term; approx. 19 Februarysigns of spring shunkan – cold weather in early spring

mid-spring (March・Second lunar month)

Kisaragi – Second lunar month March – when using the solar calendarkeichitsu – Third solar term; approx 6 March. Literally translated "awakening hibernating insects", when insects come out of the ground, believed to occur on the first day of the lunar month.shunbun – Fourth solar term; approx. 20 March. Vernal equinox 'higan'''''

late spring (April・Third lunar month)

Yayoi – Third lunar month April – when using the solar calendarseimei – Fifth solar term; approx. 5 Aprilkokū – Sixth solar term; approx. 20 Aprilhanabie – chilly spring weather'fading of spring'''''

The sky and heavens

all spring

spring mist or haze hazy moon – 朧 oboro is a type of mist that obscures the moon; kanji composed of radicals for "moon" and "dragon" awayuki – light snowfallshunjin – frost and snow blown into the air by the spring wind

early spring (February・First lunar month)

kaiyose – west wind that blows seashells ashore; traditionally believed to occur on the night of the vernal equinox

mid-spring (March・Second lunar month)

haruichiban – the first strong southerly wind of the spring

late spring (April・Third lunar month)

wasurejimo – late frost

The earth

all spring

shunchō – pleasant tides of springyamawarau – a mountain covered in flower budsharu no umi – calm sea of spring

early spring (February・First lunar month)

usugōri or hakuhyō – thin ice

mid-spring (March・Second lunar month)

mizu nurumu – warming of water yukima – patch of ground without snow

late spring (April・Third lunar month)

naeshiro or nawashiro – seedbed

Humanity

Spring depression – all spring

Observances

Hanamatsuri, Buddhist festival celebrating the birth of Buddha, on 8 April.Hinamatsuri – a traditional Japanese festival for girls on 3 March.

Animals

frogs – all spring – noted for their loud singingskylarks – all spring – noted for their songs in flightswallows – mid-springtwittering – all spring – the chirping of songbirdsJapanese bush warbler – early spring – the bird is used as an example of sweet sounds. Uguisu were mentioned in the preface to the Kokin Wakashū. It is often associated with ume blossoms and new growth in early Japanese waka and is regarded as a harbinger of spring.
''''

Plants

plum blossom – early springcherry blossoms and cherry blossom-viewing – late spring – for the Japanese, cherry blossoms are such a common topic that in just mentioning blossoms in haiku it is assumed they are cherry blossoms. Hanami is an occasion for partying with friends or coworkers.

Summer: 6 May – 7 August

The season

dog daysmidsummer summer ; other combinations are to become like summer, end of summer. summer holidays primarily refers to the school holiday.
  • May, June, July
  • hot, hotness and hot day ; also, anything related to the heat, including sweat and in contemporary haiku, '''air conditioning'''

The sky and heavens

rainbow Rainy season – the Japanese rainy season, usually starting in mid-Junesea of clouds – late summerkiu – late summer – lit. "pleasure rain"; rain that falls after hot and dry weather'south wind'''''

The earth

  • shitatari – "dripping", referring to water trickling off rocks, moss, etc.
  • '''waterfall'''

Humanity

nap or siesta nudity

Observances

  • A-Bomb Anniversary – Either summer or autumn due to the proximinity between traditional and modern calendarsTango no sekku – traditional festival for boys on 5 May. Festival is applied to summer festivals of Shinto for purification. Traditionally, it referred to the festival of Kamo Shrine in Kyoto, however as kigo it can be applied to all local Shinto festivals.

Animals

cicada – late summer – known for their crieslesser cuckoo – all summer – a bird in the cuckoo family noted for its songjellyfish mosquito 'snake'''''

Plants

lily lotus flower orange blossoms sunflower wisteria tachibana orange iris – early summer water lily – mid and late summer.

Autumn: 8 August – 6 November

The season

autumn ; other combinations are autumn has come, autumn is ending, autumn being gone.August, September and October end of September, end of autumn.

The sky and heavens

Milky Way – most visible in Japan in autumn. It is also associated with Tanabata.moon – all autumnTsukimi – mid-autumn – the word "moon" by itself is assumed to be a full moon in autumn. Moon-viewing 'typhoon'''''

The earth

Field of flowers Shiranui 'Harvested rice fields'''''

Humanity

scarecrow rice harvest Imonikai leaf peeping – a common group activity

Observances

Tanabata grave-visiting Bon Festival mukaebi – bonfires welcoming the ancestorsandbon odori.
The traditional date of Tanabata is 7th day of the 7th month of the Japanese calendar, which falls in early Autumn. The modern use of the Gregorian one has moved the observance to 7 July, which has resulted in a dispute as to whether Tanabata should be treated as a summer kigo.

Animals

insects, mainly it implies singing one. crickets – all autumn – noted for the singing of the males.bell cricket walker's cicada 'Deer'''''

Plants

nashi pear Chaenomeles peach persimmon apples grapes colored leaves – late autumn – a very common topic for haikufirst colored leaves – mid-autumnshining leaves – late autumnleaves turning color – mid-autumnleaves start to fall – late autumn

Winter: 7 November – 3 February

The season

winter, using "winter" in a haiku adds a sense of chilliness, bleakness, and seclusion to the poem.November, December and January cold and 'coldness'''''

The sky and heavens

snow Indian summer – a period of unseasonable warmth, usually in late autumn to early winterfrost-covered trees north wind – indicating the coming of cold weathershigure – rain in late autumn or early winter

The earth

yama-nemuru – lit. "sleeping mountain", evoking a sense of stillness in the mountainskitsunebi – a type of atmospheric ghost light mostly associated with winterwinter landscape – Evokes the sense of a "winter wonderland"

Humanity

snow-viewing – late winter – a popular group activity in Japan.fugu soup Anglerfish hotpot calendar vendor – preparation for the new year.asazuke – lightly pickled vegetables'breath vapor'''''

Observances

Christmas　 – this is a modern kigo and uncommon in the Edo period.New Year's Eve, and the New Year's Eve party Kan – days from 5–6 January until 4–5 February, originating from the Chinese 24 seasonal periods. Also daikan a period that begins around 20 January.

Animals

crane swan badger rabbit wolf hibernation whale watching – the number of whales off the coast peak at different times of the year depending on the region. In Japan, whales are most often seen during the winter.oyster 'waterfowl sleeping on water'''''

Plants

winter chrysanthemum daffodil ornamental kale false holly fallen leaves 'dry leaves'''''

New Year

As in many other cultures, the Japanese New Year is an important time of year for celebrations and there are many activities associated with it that may be mentioned in haiku. Before Japan began using the Gregorian calendar in 1873, the Japanese New Year was at the beginning of spring. Many of these terms reflect the traditional calendar system.

The season

Japanese New Year New Year New Year's Day New Year's Day – refers to the dawn or morning of New Year's DayOld Year Little New Year – traditionally celebrated on the 15th day of the month during the full moonWomen's New Year – same as above, referring to women who were too busy to celebrate the actual new year, especially in Osaka and Kyoto regions.

The sky and heavens

First Day First Sky – the sky on New Year's morningfirst laughter – indicating good fortune
  • Each day of first week of the new year is treated as kigo, such as the seventh day of the new year.

Humanity

kadomatsu – a traditional decoration usually made of pine and bamboo that is placed on the gate or outer doorway toshidama – the custom of giving pocket money to childrentoso – a ritual mulled sake only drunk on New Year's Dayosechi – traditional Japanese New Year's Day foodzōni – a traditional vegetable broth with mochi
  • Festival of Seven Herbs – a festival centered around eating seven-herb congee first writing – the first calligraphy written around the New Year

Observances

Namahage – a ritualized folktale in Akita PrefectureHatsumōde – the first visit of the year to a Shinto shrineNew Year's Sumo Tournament First Poetry Reading Ehōmairi – visit to a shrine or temple that lies in an auspicious direction

Animals

yomegakimi – a euphemism for mouse, used for the first three days of the New Yearfirst sparrow – the first sparrow helps welcome the New Yearfirst sound – the first cry of an animal in the New Yearfirst cockcrow 'Japanese spiny lobster'''''

Plants

'young greens'''''

Helpful lists of species

Birds