Weekly Topics/Archive
October 2018
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Here it is October.
There are two perfect ideoms that describe this season in Japan.
One of them is “Atsusa Samusa mo Higan made”.
It means summer's heat or winter's cold doesn't last after the equinox.
Anoher one is “Ten Takaku Uma Koyuru Aki”.
It means “Autumn with the sky clear and blue, and horses growing stout”.
Such a nice season as it's not too hot and not too cold comes into full
swing.
[Note] perfect ideom that describe 〜 ; 〜を表現するのにぴったりの慣用句
ideom ; 慣用句、 Atsusa Samusa mo Higan made ; 暑さ寒さも彼岸まで
summer's heat or winter's cold doesn't last after the equinox ; 暑さ寒さも彼岸まで
last ; 続く、持続する、equinox ; 彼岸(春分、秋分＝昼と夜の長さがほぼ等しくなる時)
Autumn with the sky clear and blue, and horses growing stout ; 天高く馬肥ゆる秋
stout ; 太った、丈夫な、grow(get) stout(fat) ; 肥える、太る、come into full swing ; 本格化する
Though people in Japan called October “Kannazuki” in the old calendar,
it is also used
as another name even in new calendar.
There are various theories on the origin of the word “Kannazuki”, which
have still been unsettled.
[Note] theory ; 説、学説、Kannazuki ; 神無月、unsettled ; 未解決の、決着していない
As one of their theoriies, there is a myth of this sort that Oshi (御師
in Japanese) at Izumo
Taisha, the Izumo Grand Shrine spread throughout the country to increase its business.
A legend has it that this is the month when multitudinous gods across Japan
leave their homes
to gather at Izumo Taisha in order to discuss the following year's weather
and harvest of crops,
the workmanship of sake, marriage tie,etc.
But since gods gathered at Izumo Taisha, it is said that October was called
“Kamiarizuki” in
Izumo Province.
For more information, see wikipedia / Kannazuki.
[Note] myth ; 神話、俗説、通説、〜of this sort ; この手の〜、こんな〜、Oshi ; 御師
Izumo Taisha, the Izumo Grand Shrine ; 出雲大社
A legend has it that 〜 ; [that] 以下という伝説がある
multitudinous gods ; 非常に数多くの神々、八百万(やおよろず) の神、workmanship ; 出来具合
Kamiarizuki ; 神在月、 marriage tie ; 縁結び
Kenko-hoshi (Kenko YOSHIDA) wrote the following on the origin of the word
“Kannazuki”
in the Chapter 202 of his essay “Tsurezuregusa (Essay in Idleness)”.
Though October is called Kannazuki, I have never seen books describing
the reason why
Shinto festivals are not held because of the month when there are no gods
at shrines.
I have also never read such writings that are considered as the basis even
in Japanese classics.
But since Shinto ceremonies are not perforrmed at any shrines in Octoer,
this month might have
been called Kannazuki.
[Note] Kenko-hoshi (Kenko YOSHIDA) ; 兼好法師(吉田 兼好)
Tsurezuregusa (Essay in Idleness) ; 徒然草、 idleness ; 怠惰、無為、writings ; 文書
be considered as 〜 ; 〜と見なされる(考えられる)、Japanese classics ; 古典
As autumn begins to enfold, we are still in the typhoon season.
There were a lot of typhoons this year, weren't there?
I have already had two unfortunate accidents due to the typhoons.
One of them was due to typhoon No.12 which ran backward from east to west
between
July 28 and 29.
I went on a golf trip with friends to Karuizawa on July 28, but we were
forced to call off golfing
because of the rain and strong wind in the aftermath of the typhoon.
[Note] autumn begins to enfold ; 秋の気配が日々濃くなる、enfold ; 包む、くるむ
run backward ; 逆走する、be forced to 〜 ; 〜するのを余儀なくされる、〜せざるを得ない
call off ; (計画、予定など) 中止する、 in the aftermath of 〜 ; 〜の余波で
Another one was due to heavy typhoon No.24 which traveled through the
Japanese
archipelago on October 1.
In preparation for a cycling trip to Cuba scheduled for November, I intended
to go cycling to the
Izu highland area with the prospective participants for muscle training
at that day.
But I was forced to cancel it due to a traffic disturbance after the typhoon.
[Note] travel through the Japanese archipelago ; 日本列島を縦断する
in preparation for 〜 ; 〜に備えて、Izu highland area ; 伊豆高原地区
prospective participant ; 参加予定者、traffic disturbance ; 交通の乱れ
Furthermore, typhoon No.25 is approaching the Japanese archipelago.
Though I will take part in yachting off the coast of Ito on October 7 after
a long interval, I might
be affected by the typhoon again.
Even Autumn has both good and bad aspects, hasn't it ?
[Note] off the coast of 〜 ; 〜沖で、after a long interval ; 久しぶりに
have both good and bad aspects ; (主語には) 功罪の両面がある
“Autumn with the sky clear and blue, and horses growing stout”
Unlike in the case of Chinese, this idiom literally means in Japan that
the sky is clear and blue,
and horses grows up big and strong in autumn.
It's Koji Seigo ( idiom derived from histrical events) expressing that
autumn is a good season of
the year.
Oh, by the way, three grade 1 horse races(G1) are held by JRA in October.
They are Shuka Sho, Kikka Sho and Tenno Sho(autumn).
Though I had already given up beting on horse racing, it looks like they
are events that
horce-racing fans can't wait for.
[Note] Koji Seigo ( idiom derived from histrical events) ; 故事成語、by the way ;
ところで
grade 1 horse races(G1) ; G1レース、競馬の競走の中で最もランクの高い競走
JRA ; 日本中央競馬会 (Japan Racing Association)、Shuka Sho ; 秋華賞、Kikka Sho ; 菊花賞
bet on horse racing ; 競馬をやる、horce-racing fan ; 競馬ファン
can't wait for 〜 ; 〜が待ち遠しい
Many kinds of flowers bloom in October too.
In addition to general flowers such as cyrysanthemum, cosmos and Orange
osmanthus, etc., solidago altissima which is a pesky weed growing in clusters
in fields are also autumn flowers.
[Note] cyrysanthemum ; キク(菊)、Orange osmanthus ; キンモクセイ(金木犀)
solidago altissima ; セイタカアワダチソウ、pesky ; 厄介な、growing in clusters ; 群生する
Pls click the picture to see a full-size version
Women are as fickle as autumn weather.
The elderly people aged 75 or so reach the age developing dementia, and
so be careful not to
get stuck in your wife's fickleness.
[Note] Women are as fickle as autumn weather. ; 女心と秋の空(諺)
fickle ; 変わりやすい、気まぐれな、 develop dementia ; 認知症を発症する
get stuck in 〜 ; 〜で立ち往生する、fickleness ; 移り気
In Japan, October is called “Shokuyoku no Aki” or “Autumn appetite” since
it is the best
season for eating.
Be careful not to become overweight when you found yourself after you ate
too much delicious food.
Since autumn is also the best season for sports, so you should balance
yourself with moderate
exercise.
[Note] Shokuyoku no Aki / Autumn appetite ; 食欲の秋、become overweight ; 太りすぎる
balance oneself ; 身体のバランスを取る、moderate exercise ; 適度の運動
Japanese Diary archive / No.881−2018.10.03 / 「10月です」
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