September’s gomei celebrate clear, high skies, harvest abundance, and the luminous moon of mid-autumn.
September’s gomei celebrate clear, high skies, harvest abundance, and the luminous moon of mid-autumn.
| Gomei | Meaning |
|---|---|
| nagatsuki | Old lunar name of September (“long night month”) |
| kikuzuki | “Chrysanthemum month” |
| gengetsu | Another classical name for September |
| irotorizuki | “Month of deepening colors” |
| hakuro | “White Dew” solar term |
| shūbun | Autumn equinox solar term |
| akihigan | Autumn Higan week |
| higan-iri | First day of Higan |
| higan-ake | Last day of Higan |
| chōyō | Double-Nine festival (9 Sep) |
| kikubiyori | Perfect weather for chrysanthemums |
| kikuzake | Sake infused with chrysanthemum petals |
| kikukashu | Alternate name for kikuzake |
| kikujidō | Immortal of the chrysanthemum legend |
| kangiku | Chrysanthemum viewing party |
| kikumī | Informal chrysanthemum viewing |
| kikkaten | Chrysanthemum exhibition |
| kikuninngyō | Dolls made of chrysanthemum blooms |
| chiyomigusa | Classical name for chrysanthemum |
| kigiku | Yellow chrysanthemums |
| shiragiku | White chrysanthemum |
| nogiku | Wild field chrysanthemum |
| yamagiku | Mountain chrysanthemum |
| shion | Tatarian aster |
| ominaeshi | Patrinia scabiosifolia |
| ominaeshi-tsuyu | Dew on ominaeshi blossoms |
| nadeshiko | Pink (Dianthus) |
| hototogisō | Toad-lily |
| akibara | Autumn-blooming roses |
| kinmokusei | Osmanthus fragrans aurantiacus |
| higanbana | Red spider lily |
| manjushage | Sanskrit-style name for higanbana |
| sobabana | Buck-wheat flowers |
| inekari | Rice harvesting |
| inaho | Rice ears heavy with grain |
| shinmai | Newly hulled rice |
| karita | Just-harvested paddy |
| inekake | Sheaves hung on racks to dry |
| inazuma | Lightning over rice fields |
| inaho-bikari | Glint on ripened rice ears |
| hōjō | Abundant harvest |
| shinsoba | First soba of the year |
| sanma | Pacific saury |
| matsutake | Matsutake mushroom |
| hatsutake | Season’s first mushrooms |
| ginnan | Ginkgo nuts |
| kurigohan | Rice cooked with chestnuts |
| wasegaki | Early-ripening persimmon |
| kakibeni | Persimmon-red colour |
| akinasu | Autumn eggplant |
| meigetsu | The Harvest Moon |
| chūshū | Mid-autumn night (15 Sep 旧暦) |
| jūgoya | Fifteenth-night moon |
| tsukimi | Moon-viewing gathering |
| tsukimi-dango | Spherical rice cakes for moon-viewing |
| imomeigetsu | “Taro moon” |
| satoimo | Taro tuber |
| tsuki-usagi | Moon rabbit |
| tsukikage | Silver moonlight |
| tsukisuzu | “Coolness under the moon” |
| gekkakō | Tuberose fragrance at night |
| hoshimatsuri-kaze | Breeze on star-fest nights (Seven-Three nights post-Tanabata) |
| hatsukari | Season’s first wild goose |
| kari-wataru | Wild geese in flight |
| kari-no-koe | Honking of wild geese |
| sekirei-naku | “Wagtails sing” micro-season |
| tsubame-saru | “Swallows depart” micro-season |
| kusanotsuyu-shiroshi | “Dew whitens on grass” micro-season |
| kaminari-koe-wo-osamu | “Thunder ceases its voice” micro-season |
| mushi-kakurete-to-fusagu | “Insects close their doors” micro-season |
| mizu-hajimete-karuru | “Paddy water first dries” micro-season |
| ten-takashi | “Sky lofty and clear” |
| akibare | Crystal autumn fine weather |
| kōshū | “Lofty autumn” |
| akizora | Autumn sky |
| ten-takaku-uma-koyu | “Sky high |
| shiratsuyugusa | Grass beaded with white dew |
| tsuyukeshi | “Heavy with dew” |
| tsuyuzamu | Chill felt in dawn dew |
| asagiri | Morning mist |
| nowaki | Typhoon-type autumn storm |
| taifū-ikka | Clear sky after a typhoon |
| boragumo | “Mullet clouds” (altocumulus) |
| gankō | Geese lined in flight |
| mushikago | Bamboo insect cage |
| mushii | Insect vendors |
| mushiawase | Cricket-chirp contest |
| mushikagomado-kage | Shadow of insect cage on shōji |
| kinpū | “Golden wind” |
| inahonami | “Rice-ear waves” |
| mizuho | “Auspicious ears of rice” |
| shūshi | Autumnal wistfulness |
| yonagazuki | “Long-night month” |
| mushi-okuribi | Fire ceremony to chase crop pests |
| kangetsuyu | Bath taken before moon-viewing |
| tsukimachitō | Rural moon-waiting stone stupa |
| niibashirimizu | Fresh spring water for moon tea |
| hasakage | Shadow of rice racks at sunset |
| takesudare-zuki | Moonlight through bamboo blinds |
| kikuzumi | “Chrysanthemum charcoal” |
| tsukinowa-ishi | “Moon-ring stone” used in roji |
| kangetsubashi | “Moon-viewing bridge” |
| tsukimachibune | Boat from which to await the moon |
| tsukimi | Moon Viewing |
| chōyō | Chōyō (Chrysanthemum Festival) |
| suzumushi | Bell Cricket |
| kiku_september | Chrysanthemum |
| nagatsuki | Nagatsuki (Poetic month name) |
| susuki | Pampas Grass |
| chūshū no meigetsu | Mid-Autumn Harvest Moon |
| shūbun | Autumnal Equinox |
| aki no nanakusa | Seven Flowers of Autumn |
| kisewata | Cotton on Chrysanthemums |
| kikuzake | Chrysanthemum Sake |
| tsuki usagi | Moon Rabbit |
| nadeshiko | Fringed Pink (Dianthus) |
| fujibakama | Thoroughwort |
| kuzu_plant | Kuzu / Arrowroot Plant |
| kari | Wild Goose |
| imo meigetsu | Taro Moon |
| nochi no tsuki | Later Moon |
| mame meigetsu | Bean Moon |
| keirō no hi | Respect for the Aged Day |
| rindō | Gentian |
| waremokō | Great Burnet |
| hatsukaze | First Wind of Autumn |
| aki no iro | Colors of Autumn |
| mushi no ne | Sound of Insects |
| aki no sora | Autumn Sky |
| shika no ne | Cry of the Deer |
| jūgoya | Fifteenth Night |
| jūsan'ya | Thirteenth Night |
| hatsukari | First Geese of the Season |
| shiragiku | White Chrysanthemum |
| kigiku | Yellow Chrysanthemum |
| urokogumo | Mackerel Sky (Cirrocumulus) |
| aki no yama | Autumn Mountain |
| hatsu momiji | First Autumn Colors |
| aki no mizu | Autumn Water |
| nagori no natsu | Lingering Remnants of Summer |
| aki no yo | Autumn Night |
| mochidzuki | Full Moon |
| mugetsu | Moonless (on a moon-viewing night) |
| ugetsu | Rainy Moon (on a moon-viewing night) |
| shinnyo no tsuki | Moon of Truth |
| hatsutsuyu | First Dew of the Season |
| hakuro_sept | White Dew |
| chōju | Longevity |
| katsura_september | Katsura Tree/Cinnamon Tree (in moon context) |
| inaho | Ear of Rice |
| aki no koe | Voice of Autumn |
| kikujidō_gomei | Kikujidō (Chrysanthemum Boy) |
| mizuhiki_plant | Mizuhiki (Persicaria filiformis) |
| tsukikusa | Moon Plant |
| kariwatashi | Goose-Herding Wind |
| nihyaku-tōka | 210th Day |
| kinuta | Fulling Block |
| nowaki_sept | Autumn Gale / Typhoon |
| nochinoashitanokiku | Chrysanthemum the Morning After |
| kangetsu | Moon Contemplation |
| yumiharizuki | Waxing/Waning Moon (Bow Moon) |
| tsuyuzamu | Dewy Cold |
| hanano | Field of Autumn Flowers |
| hagi no tsuyu | Dew on the Bush Clover |
| matsuyoi | Waiting for the Evening/Moon |
| ganraikō | Amaranth |
| mizu sumu | Water Clears |
| hageitō | Joseph's Coat Amaranth |
| sōrai | Refreshing Sound of the Wind |
| sayaka | Clear |
| inazuma | Lightning |
| nihyaku-hatsuka | 220th Day |
| shūkō | Autumn Light |
| minori_sept | Ripening / Bearing Fruit |
| mushishigure | Insect Shower |
| kikumakura | Chrysanthemum Pillow |
| enkō sorugetsu | Monkey Trying to Catch the Moon's Reflection |
| hagi | Bush Clover |
| yonaga | Long Nights |
| kōrogi | Cricket |
| kiku no sekku | Chrysanthemum Festival |
| akibare_sept | Clear Autumn Weather |
| tsukikage | Moonlight |
| kosumosu_sept | Cosmos |
| shūrei | Clear and Beautiful Autumn Day |
| tsuyukusa | Asiatic Dayflower |
| hounen | Bountiful Year |
| iwashigumo | Cirrocumulus Clouds |
| gumi_sept | Oleaster / Dogwood Berry |
| mozu | Shrike |
| amanogawa | Milky Way |
| ominaeshi | Patrinia scabiosifolia (re-contextualized) |
| kikyou | Bellflower (re-contextualized) |
Two classical observances shape the month: Tsukimi (moon-viewing) around the harvest moon and the Chrysanthemum Festival (Chōyō, 9 Sept). Tea utensils may be named “Meigetsu” (Bright Moon), “Kangetsu-dai” (Moon-Viewing Platform), or “Kiku-no-Shizuku” (Chrysanthemum Dew), suggesting refined clarity. Cool night air, insect music, and newly ripened rice appear in poetic names like “Inaho” (Rice Ears) or “Suzumushi” (Bell Cricket). Scrolls quote Tang and Heian poems on the pure void of autumn, sweets are shaped like rice sheaves or silver‐white pampas grass, and the overall tone is serene gratitude for a season briefly balanced between heat and chill.