[For Seniors] Recommended! Seasonal Recreational Activities

spring breezeNEW!

Haiku and the seasonal word “spring wind” [spring seasonal word]

Even in spring, when there are many days of balmy warmth, sudden windstorms and rain can strike—yes, the spring storms.

They are natural phenomena brought by developing extratropical cyclones from around March to May, and many of them deepen the season and usher in the rainy spell to come.

You might even miss cherry-blossom viewing, lamenting, “All those blossoms have fallen…” The haru-ichiban, the first strong south wind of spring, could be called the leadoff batter of these spring storms, also known as May storms.

If you were to make a haiku of it, I think it would turn out well if you fashioned it to evoke a certain sense of bustle and clamor.

to feel like spring; to become spring-likeNEW!

Haiku and the seasonal word “harumeku” [spring seasonal word]

What makes you feel the arrival of spring? Is it when the water from the tap feels just a touch warmer, or when you notice buds beginning to form on the flowers swaying by the roadside? You might also think, “Ah, it’s spring,” when words like entrance ceremonies and graduation ceremonies appear around you.

The beauty of the expression “-meku” isn’t limited to spring, but it somehow carries a vigor that seems to spur on the breath of life.

It’s one of those seasonal words you’ll want to use more and more—whether as a casual greeting added to a letter or as the star of a favorite postcard.

Early springNEW!

[Haiku Stroll • Episode 52] These haiku poets keenly sense and express the seasons, never missing the small changes in familiar scenes. #haiku #haikureading #haikurecital

Haruasashi is a term that describes the early spring from early to mid-February, when the cold remains harsh even after Risshun has passed and true spring still feels distant.

In noun form, expressions like “asakiharu” or “senshun” are also possible, so choose based on balance with surrounding words.

Though warmth and cold coexist, the blooming of plum blossoms and the sprouting of butterbur buds evoke spring—this single word conveys the seasonal transition.

It carries a sense of expectation as signs of spring gradually appear and is a word that conveys the poignancy of a shallow, nascent spring.

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spring rainNEW!

Haiku and the seasonal word “harusame” [spring seasonal word]

You’ve probably heard the line “It’s a spring rain—let’s go and get wet,” spoken by Banzuiin Chōbei in the Kabuki play A Masterpiece: Banzuiin Chōbei.

Even if Kabuki is all Greek to you, for some reason that one line is familiar, isn’t it? And along with it, many people have become aware of the word “harusame,” or spring rain.

Spring rain is characterized by fine strands of rainfall that descend quietly, like a haze.

Mist and fog also evoke spring, so spring rain seems to sit along that same continuum.

There are many related seasonal words for spring rains as well, such as spring drizzle, rapeseed-blossom rains, and spring sleet.

They all carry a somewhat languid, wistful mood.

cherry blossomNEW!

Haiku of cherry blossoms

There are various theories, but it is said that wild species of cherry trees have existed in Japan since ancient times.

Representative wild species include Yamazakura and Oshima-zakura.

It’s understandable that something like a “sakura culture” runs through the DNA of the Japanese people, who have been gazing at blossoms blooming in spring for nearly 2,000 years.

Of course, in the world of haiku it is also one of the most frequently used seasonal words, and Matsuo Bashō’s famous line “Samasama no koto omoidasu sakura kana” (“Cherry blossoms that bring to mind all manner of things”) appears in many textbooks.

There are so many sakura-related seasonal words—such as hana no en (flower banquet), hanagoromo (flower robes), hana-zukare (flower weariness), yozakura (cherry blossoms at night), and hanami-bune (flower-viewing boats)—that they can’t all be listed here.

When composing a haiku, it’s better to avoid making the scenery overly grand.

plumNEW!

[Haiku Stroll • No. 164] Plum [White Plum]—a spring season word: A shark 🦈 in the garden where white plums bloom⁉️

I’ve heard that in Wakayama Prefecture, famous for its umeboshi, people feel the arrival of spring more from plum blossoms than from cherry blossoms.

Plum gardens open everywhere, and events and festivals related to plums are held throughout the region.

Plum blossoms can begin as early as late January.

Aransetsu’s haiku “Ume ichirin ichirin hodo no atatakasa” (One plum blossom—just about that much warmth) is so well-known it could be called the most famous plum-blossom haiku.

Of course, when you go out to view the plum blossoms, you’ll want to casually recite it.

By the way, despite containing the character for “plum,” both “sōbai” (early plum) and “kanbai” (winter plum) are winter season words, so don’t mix them up.

spring has come; the water grows warmNEW!

Haiku and the seasonal word “mizu nurumu” [spring seasonal word]

With the warm spring sunshine, the waters of rivers and lakes have begun to soften, and as a result, aquatic life such as fish and water plants has become more active.

“Mizu nurumu” (the water grows warm) is one of the truly springlike season words that directly tells us of spring’s arrival.

Ujō Busseki’s “Before I even noticed, the tap water, too, is warm” is an excellent verse that even those not especially interested in haiku can relate to.

And Seiton Yamaguchi’s “The bottom is visible, and nothing crawls there—water warming” is a line that quietly lets one feel the stillness of the haiku world.

There are many famous verses using this word, so I hope you’ll face this season word as a challenger.