Lovely senior life

[For Seniors] Summer kigo: A list of famous seasonal words to enjoy while savoring their elegance

Social worker / Care workermoko
My name is Moko, a mother of three who admired my mother and worked in the care industry as a care worker and as a medical social worker (MSW) in a hospital. I will be drawing on my previous experience to write mainly about caregiving. Thank you in advance.

In summer, when the heat truly sets in, it’s a season that brings to mind uniquely Japanese scenes like sunflowers, rice planting, fireflies, and cicadas.

When you feature summer kigo (seasonal words) in haiku or senryu activities, they connect with each person’s memories and experiences, making conversations expand naturally.

This article introduces a wide range of summer kigo that are familiar and accessible for older adults.

Incorporating them into recreational activities at senior facilities may let participants enjoy discoveries like, “I didn’t know this word was a kigo too!” Why not find a favorite kigo and compose an original verse?

[For seniors] Summer seasonal words. A list of famous seasonal words (11–20) to enjoy while savoring the elegance

blue storm

Haiku and the seasonal word “aoarashi” [summer seasonal word]

blue storm

Seiran (also read as aoarashi) is a seasonal word referring to a strong wind that seems to sweep through, as if knocking down the vividly lush trees and grasses of early summer.

For those living in big cities, it might feel a bit distant.

You could think of it as the summer counterpart to spring’s haru-ichiban or hana-arashi.

Ryuta Iida’s haiku, “Seiran: a cow tethered on a precipice,” is a superb verse that depicts harsh nature and the vitality of life.

If one could compose such haiku with ease, writing haiku would surely be enjoyable.

It might also be nice to try composing together with terms like kazekauru (“fragrant wind”) or kunpū (“balmy breeze”) in mind.

Raise the rankinglower

Taki no namida pin ku

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In conclusion

Summer kigo include words like fireworks, evening showers, and cicadas—gentle stirrings for the senses. Simply speaking them aloud may let the summer air of those days drift back to you. Spend a moment with older adults savoring these seasonal words, and enjoy the changing seasons through language.