February’s names convey “the fragrance before spring,” balancing lingering cold with the first stirring of life.
February’s names convey “the fragrance before spring,” balancing lingering cold with the first stirring of life.
| Gomei | Meaning |
|---|---|
| risshun | Beginning of spring solar term |
| usui | Rain-water solar term |
| ume | Plum blossoms |
| kōbai | Red plum |
| akebonobai | Dawn plum |
| garyūbai | Reclining-dragon plum |
| tanbai | Searching for plum blossoms |
| uguisu | Japanese bush-warbler |
| harutsugedori | Spring-announcing bird |
| hatsune | First song of bush-warbler |
| kōsetsu | Fragrant snow (plum petals) |
| tobiume | Flying plum |
| hakubai | White plum blossoms |
| kankō | Chilly fragrance (of plum) |
| kaoriume | Fragrant plum |
| kōbai2 | Scented plum |
| kanbai2 | Plum-viewing |
| umeichirin | Single plum blossom |
| umeniou | Plum’s scent |
| minuume | Unseen plum |
| umebiyori | Perfect day for plum blossoms |
| umemizuki | “Plum-viewing month” (archaic) |
| kisaragi | Traditional name of February |
| hatsuuma | First “horse day” festival |
| inarimōde | Inari shrine pilgrimage |
| hatsuuma-mochi | Rice cakes offered on Hatsu-uma |
| kinensai | Imperial “Harvest-prayer” rite |
| usuibina | Dolls displayed at Usui solar term |
| hinagashi | Sweets for Hina dolls |
| hinadōgu | Miniature furnishings for Hina display |
| uguisumochi | Green-soybean mochi |
| iridaizu | Roasted soybeans (Setsubun) |
| oniuchimame | “Demon-beating beans” |
| setsubun | Day before Risshun |
| tsuina | Heian court demon-chasing rite |
| oni-yarai | Expelling demons |
| fuku-wa-uchi | “Fortune in!” chant at Setsubun |
| oni-wa-soto | “Devils out!” Setsubun chant |
| ehōmaki | Sushi roll eaten facing lucky direction |
| risshun-daikichi | “Great fortune at Risshun” talisman |
| haruichiban | First strong south wind of year |
| yokan | Lingering cold after Risshun |
| zankan | Remaining winter chill |
| shunkan | Early-spring chill |
| asaake | Pale scarlet (plum bud colour) |
| fukinotō | Butter-bur sprout |
| nekoyanagi | Pussy-willow |
| yukiwari-sō | Snow-breaking flower |
| yukige | Snow-melt |
| hikari-no-haru | “Spring of light” |
| kochi | East spring wind |
| kazehikaru | Wind shining (glittering air) |
| kasumi | Haze |
| sōkasumi | Early haze |
| awagasumi | Pale haze |
| harugasumi | Spring haze |
| usurai2 | Thin ice |
| yoka | Plum “left-over flowers” |
| chakusui-un | Cloud touching water (mist) |
| harutonari | “Spring next door” |
| yukimagusa | Plants peeping through snow |
| kusamoe | First sprouting grass |
| mebuki | Budding |
| sawarabi | Early bracken fiddleheads |
| warabimochi | Bracken-starch jelly |
| yanaginome | Willow buds |
| mizunurumu | Water becomes lukewarm |
| yokō | Lingering winter sunlight |
| harumachizuki | “Month waiting for spring” |
| kōbaikō | Scent of red plum |
| tsukimachi | Waiting for the moon |
| kangetsu | Cold moon |
| oborozuki | Hazy moon |
| bōshun | Anticipating spring |
| kōshun | Toward spring |
| shinonome | Dawn glow |
| sōshunfu | “Early-spring air” (song title) |
| saekaeru | Cold snaps back |
| harumachidori | “Bird waiting for spring” |
| konomekaze | Wind over budding trees |
| samomo | Early peach buds |
| jōshi | Third day of third month (Hina) |
| tōkasui | Water tinted by peach blossoms |
| azeyaki | Burning field ridges |
| ōshukubai | “Bush-warbler resting plum” |
| sōbai2 | Early-blooming plum |
| aoyagi | Young green willow |
| konuka-ame | Fine drizzling rain |
| amazake | Sweet fermented rice drink |
| kanbeni | Cold-season rouge |
| setchūbai | Plum in snow |
| shunkō | Spring light |
| shunchū | Spring daytime |
| haruasashi | “Spring still shallow” |
| hōshun | Fragrant spring |
| uraraka | Bright and calm (spring sky) |
| momo-hajimete-saku | “Peach first smiles” (72 micro-season) |
| kasumi-hajimete-tanabiku | “Haze starts to drift” (72候) |
| uo-kōri-wo-izuru | “Fish rise up through ice” (72候) |
| baika-no-yuki | Plum-petal snow |
| yukiyanagi | Spiraea with white blossoms |
| sōō | Early cherry |
| kanzakura | Winter cherry |
| kawaduzakura | Kawazu early cherry |
| kōsetsuran | Freesia |
| kazehonoka | Faint spring breeze |
| shirauo | Icefish |
| wakame | New wakame seaweed |
| isobiraki | Opening of shore for harvesting |
| hatsuayu | First ayu sweetfish (in tank) |
| kansawara | Winter Spanish mackerel |
| bonbori | Paper lamps for Hina dolls |
| hinabi | Doll-festival lights |
| tōfu | Peach-wood talisman |
| tōkakō | Incense of peach blossoms |
| nodoka | Tranquil early-spring day |
| nadarebai | Plum avalanche (mass bloom) |
| shizukuishi | Dripping water stone |
| hyōkai | Ice breakup |
| kaihyō | Ice thaw |
| yukigeshi | Disappearance of snow |
| meyanagi | Sprouting willow |
| shundei | Spring mud |
| hatsurai | First thunder of the year |
| yosetsu | Remaining snow patches |
| yukigekaze | Wind that melts snow |
| usukurenai | Light crimson (plum petal hue) |
| momoiro | Peach pink |
| kawaru | Fragrant spring |
| yanagiaomeku | Willows turning green |
| hatsuhibari | First skylark song |
| hibariagaru | Skylark ascending |
| kagerō | Heat shimmer |
| satsubame | Early-returning swallow |
| yodan | Left-over warmth |
| risshun | First Day of Spring |
| setsubun | Setsubun (Seasonal Division) |
| ume | Plum Blossom |
| uguisu | Japanese Bush Warbler |
| fuku wa uchi | Fortune In! |
| oni wa soto | Demons Out! |
| risshun daikichi | Great Luck on the First Day of Spring |
| zansetsu | Lingering Snow |
| kōbunboku | Tree that Favors Literature |
| hyōkai | Ice Melts |
| tanbai | Searching for Plum Blossoms |
| haru tatsu | Spring Begins |
| nekoyanagi | Pussy Willow |
| mame | Bean |
| yokan | Lingering Cold |
| masu | Measuring Box |
| tsuina | Demon-Quelling Ceremony |
| kisaragi | Kisaragi (Poetic month name) |
| kan'ake | End of the Cold Season |
| hīragi iwashi | Holly and Sardine |
| shitahoe | Green Shoots Below |
| tobiume | The Flying Plum |
| yukima | Rift in the Snow |
| mizu nurumu | The Water Warms |
| harutsugesō | Spring-Heralding Plant |
| oni | Demon / Ogre |
| fuku | Good Fortune |
| toshiotoko | Man of the Year |
| sakigake | Forerunner / Pioneer |
| kaihyō | Thawing Ice |
| kentō | Offering a Light |
| sōbai | Early Plum |
| kanbai | Winter Plum |
| kōbai | Red Plum Blossom |
| hakubai | White Plum Blossom |
| ōshukubai | Warbler's Lodging Plum |
| kenkoku kinenbi | National Foundation Day |
| harikuyō | Memorial for Needles |
| yukiore | Broken by Snow |
| hōshun | Heralding Spring |
| haru no kizashi | Signs of Spring |
| shōmon raifuku | Fortune Comes to a Laughing Gate |
| awayuki | Light Snow |
| kōri no kagami | Mirror of Ice |
| usugōri | Thin Ice |
| yukige | Snow Thaw |
| omizutori | Water-Drawing Ceremony |
| kinensai | Prayer for a Bountiful Year |
| yukiwarisō | Hepatica / Snow-breaking Plant |
| haru no yuki | Spring Snow |
| umegoyomi | Plum Calendar |
| kinome | Tree Buds |
| baigetsu | Plum Moon |
| sōshun | Early Spring |
| shunkan | Spring Cold |
| kunimi | Land Viewing |
| mikaikō | Unopened Crimson |
| setchūka | Flower in the Snow |
| tenmangū | Tenmangū Shrine |
| ichiyō | One Yang |
| ume ichirin | A Single Plum Blossom |
| yabai | Wild Plum |
| hatsuhana | First Flower |
| kan suzume | Winter Sparrow |
| baika | Plum Fragrance |
| gyōten | Dawn Sky |
| ginrei | Silver Peak |
| ehō | Auspicious Direction |
| makizushi | Rolled Sushi |
| oniuchimame | Demon-striking Beans |
| haru matsu | Waiting for Spring |
| harukaze kōri o toku | East Wind Melts the Ice |
| hyōmon | Ice Patterns |
| hiashi nobu | The Days Lengthen |
| umemi | Plum Blossom Viewing |
| haru no ibuki | Breath of Spring |
| kōō | Golden Oriole / Yellow Warbler |
| wakamizu | First Water of the Year |
| hikari no haru | Spring of Light |
| yukibare | Clearing After Snow |
| rōbai | Wintersweet |
| kanbeni | Winter Crimson |
| haru wa kinu | Spring Has Come |
| shunchō | Omen of Spring |
| toshitokujin | God of the Year's Virtue |
| fukōge | Scentless Flower |
| ai | Love |
| fukujusō | Adonis amurensis |
| saekaeru | Return of the Cold |
| kochi | East Wind |
| nehan'e | Nirvana Day Ceremony |
Seasonal words center on plum blossoms (ume), bush-warblers, Setsubun beans, and the solar term Risshun—the technical start of spring. A tea caddy may be called “Hatsukoi” (First Fragrance) after the sweet scent of a single blooming plum branch placed in the alcove; a bowl might be named “Fuyu-gure” (Winter Dusk) to acknowledge that frost still clings. The month’s dual mood—chill outside, promise within—encourages refined contrasts: charcoal fires glow warmly while scrolls quote poems on hidden buds and changing light, reminding guests that endurance soon yields to renewal.