Japan Culture Navi 日本語
Micro-season 8 of 72Insects Awaken

Peach Blossoms Begin to Smile

桃始笑ももはじめてさく

桃の花が咲きはじめる

SpringMarch 11〜March 15

EN

In English

Peach blossoms open. The old word for a flower opening is "to smile," which is why the characters say the peach is laughing.

桃の花が咲きはじめる。花が開くことを昔は「笑う」と言ったため、漢字では桃が笑っていることになる。

The solar term it belongs to

Insects AwakenけいちつKeichitsu is when insects that spent the winter underground come back out. The two characters literally mean "opening" and "hibernating creatures."

Japanese culture around March