Han ge sho (半夏生：literally half summer live) is one of zassetsu (雑節) the miscellaneous solar terms in Japan. It is the term around when the medicinal herb named hange (半夏) or karasu bishaku (烏柄杓), crowdipper grow. This day was used be on the 11th day after geshi (夏至), the summer solstice, but nowadays it is the day the sun passes on the 100 degrees of the ecliptic longitude and it falls around July 2.
For farmers this is an important turning point. Depends on the regions farmers finish the farmwork by this day and take 5 days off. On this day it was said to fall the Mephitis from the sky, and people used to cover the wells to avoid them.
In Kansai (関西) area they have a custom to eat octopus, in Sanuki (讃岐) they eat udon (饂飩) noodle, and in Fukui (福井) they eat grilled mackerel on this day.
The rain falls around this time is called han ge ame(半夏雨), and it tends to rain heavily.
No comments:
Post a Comment