The Four Seasons and the Seasonal Calendar of the Japanese Ryokan
Stretching lengthwise from north to south, with numerous
hilly areas and mountain ranges, Japan has four distinct
seasons due to the wide regional differences in climate,and is also influenced by the seasonal monsoon winds
occurring between the Asiatic Continent and the Pacific
Ocean. In the spring, the entire country becomes brightly
colored with cherry blossoms ( sakura ), which start toflower in Okinawa and the wave of blossom travels
northward. Once the rainy season (known as tsuyu ) isover and summer sets in, the whole of Japan, with the
exception of Hokkaido, enters a season of high temperature and high humidity, and you will be able to hear
cicadas singing almost everywhere. In the fall, thelandscapes become dyed in autumnal tints of gold andcrimson beginning in the mountains, and the peoplebusily harvest rice and other crops in the rural districts. Inthe winter, cold seasonal winds blow in from theContinent, bringing heavy snowfall to a large area facing
the Japan Sea stretching from Hokkaido to the Hokuriku
District, with some of the heaviest snowfalls in the world.
Spring, summer, autumn, winter - the Japanese havealways looked upon these seasonal transitions withspecial emotions. These include a sense of awe toward
the mighty power of Mother Nature, and are also
associated with the concept of reincarnation as the cycleof rebirth, which in turn relates to our concept oflife and death. Life newly born in spring, thrives insummer, bears fruit in autumn, and withers away inwinter toward death. But once spring arrives again,
new life is born and the cycle turns once again. TheJapanese people have long sought the meaning of
human life and death in the rhythms of nature.
Many times in the past, Japan has been hit by natural
catastrophes including earthquakes, typhoons, heavy
snowfall, floods, and starvation. And it was widelybelieved that such phenomena were caused by the angerof the deities of nature, which explains our awe of nature.
With such underlying thoughts, the Japanese receive theblessings of each season with gratitude, and haveadopted lifestyles suited to each season, thereby
fostering values and an aesthetic appreciation of the fourseasons. Furthermore, we have honored the bond
between man and nature, and between one person andanother, and it is considered a virtue to treat otherpeople first before thinking of oneself. This spirit inherent

to the Japanese has been passed down over thegenerations, and it can still be found in a more limited
form in Sad‐o (art of ceremonial tea), Kad‐o (art of flowera r r a n g e m e n t ) , haiku p o e m s , Kabuki ( t r a d i t i o n a ldrama performed by male actors), Sum‐o wrestling,Shinto rituals (called Shinji ), and traditional events.
As mentioned earlier, Japanese architecture, Japanesegardens and Japanese cuisine are indeed fruits borne by
the spiritual culture unique to Japan, evolving anddeveloping on the fundamental concept of the four
seasons as perceived by the Japanese people. TheJapanese ryokan is a lodging house peculiar to Japan
integrating all such fruits, and is a treasure-house ofdiverse traditions reflecting Japanese culture.
The Japanese ryokan also has four distinct seasons. This
does not merely refer to the changes in the landscapes.
For instance, in Sh‐o gatsu * (the New Year), special
decorations are set up such as matsu-kazari (New Year'spine decoration) and shime-nawa (a sacred twisted straw
rope of Shintoism), with Osechi* ry‐
o ri served, and people
enjoying mochi-tsuki (pounding rice into cake). At
Setsubun*, mame-maki (throwing beans for driving away
the devil ) is carried out in a ritual to pray for good healthand protection from disasters and calamities. In theguestrooms, kake-jiku (hanging scrolls) and flowers arereplaced to suit each season of the year. Iris leaves arefloated in the bathtubs on Sekku*, and yuzu (Japanesecitron) are floated in the bath at winter solstice, to pray
for the healthy growth of children and good health during
the cold months respectively. At Tanabata *, bamboo
branches are set up for tying tanzaku (long, narrow stripsof colored paper) with one's wishes written on, and at thetime of Ch‐
u sh‐
u * no Meigetsu (full moon in mid-autumn),
tsukimi-dango dumplings are served for viewing the fullmoon. Events associated with these traditional
ceremonies are carried out nationwide in most ryokan
based on the customs of each locality. Of course, various
means are used to convey the seasons throughout theryokan as well as in the food served, allowing the guests
to fully admire the beauty of the four seasons together
with kach‐o -f‐u getsu (flowers and birds, wind and themoon). Moreover, each ryokan has its own practices andcustoms, such as offering pleasant surprises that will beremembered by the guests, with the Okami paying
courtesy calls on the guests and serving house sake andmeals in their rooms, or offering souvenirs.
Furthermore, in all districts and local regions of thecountry, there are numerous traditional festivals andcelebratory events which are still carried out today ineach season, and annual events attracting large numbersof tourists are much talked about. Ryokans contributing
to the promotion and revitalization of their local areas
have close ties with local society, and often play leadingor supporting roles in organizing festivals, so if you
happen to be staying at a ryokan on the day of a festival,
you will doubtless have an exciting and memorableexperience. The majority of festivals originated in thepeople offering prayers or gratitude to the deities for anabundant harvest of crops including rice and farm
products as well as large catches of fish, and they areworth watching for they include strange festivals as wellas very large festivals. The summer fireworks displayswith a strong local flavor organized for the people in thecool of the evening, the cherry-blossom viewing (hanami)in the spring, and excursions for viewing the gold andcrimson leaves (momiji-gari ) in late autumn - all serve tofurther enhance the four seasons of Japan.
Some ryokans stage marriage ceremonies, and if you arelucky enough to chance upon a wedding, you might beable to catch a glimpse of the traditional Japanese-stylematrimonial ceremony conducted faithfully in accordancewith ancient customs.
■ Sh‐o gatsu : New Year - January, also known as Mutsuki(meaning 'month of harmonious relations'). Today,January 1st to 7th is called Matsu-no-uchi when New
Year is celebrated.
■ Osechi : special dishes served in the New Year orSekku (the five annual festivals of Japan)■ Setsubun : the day preceding the risshun (the first dayof spring), rikka (the first day of summer), rissh‐o (thefirst day of autumn), ritt‐o (the first day of winter), andthe Setsubun cited above refers to the day before
risshun.
■ Sekku : the Sekku here refers to the Tango no Sekku(Boys' Festival) on May 5th.
■ Tanabata : the Star Festival held on July 7th.
■ Ch‐ush‐
u : around mid-September every year, corresponding to August 15th according to the lunar calendar.

花火は夏の風物詩

夏と秋は恒例の祭りで賑わう

冬、雪化粧した老舗旅館

A fireworks display is symbolicof summer.

Lively annual festivals in summer andautumn.

An old-established ryokan covered in snow in winter.

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