Nanakusa no Sekku (七草の節句 – The Festival of Seven Herbs)
Nanakusa no Sekku
七草の節句
Today, January 7, is Nanakusa no Sekku (七草の節句).
今日、1月7日は七草の節句です。
Since nana (七) means “seven,” kusa (草) means “grass” or “herb,” and sekku (節句) means “seasonal festival,” the literal meaning of Nanakusa no Sekku is “The Seasonal Festival of Seven Herbs.”
「七」は “seven”、「草」は “grass” や “herb”、「節句」は “seasonal festival” を意味するので、「七草の節句」の文字どおりの意味は “Seasonal Festival of Seven Herbs” となります。
Here, nanakusa (七草/七種 – “seven herbs”) represent the seven types of wild herbs and flowers seen in early spring, known as haru no nanakusa (春の七草 – “seven herbs of spring”).
ここで「七草」は、特に「春の七草」と呼ばれる、春の早い時期に見られる7種類の野草・野菜を指します。
On this day, Japanese people have the custom of eating nanakusa gayu (七草粥 – “seven herb rice porridge”), a porridge containing the seven spring herbs, praying for a year of good health.
日本人はこの日、春の七草を入れたおかゆ「七草粥」を食べて、一年の無病息災を願う習慣があります。
Let us pray for a healthy and vibrant year ahead.
今年も一年、元気に過ごせることを願いましょう。
