April’s names sparkle with sakura—a brief, breathtaking perfection that defines Japanese spring.
April’s names sparkle with sakura—a brief, breathtaking perfection that defines Japanese spring.
| Gomei | Meaning |
|---|---|
| uzuki | Old lunar name of April |
| seimei | Clear-bright solar term |
| kokū | Grain-rain solar term |
| hanamatsuri | Buddha’s Birthday festival |
| kanbutsu | Bathing-Buddha rite |
| amacha | Sweet hydrangea tea |
| hachijū-hachi-ya | 88th night from Risshun |
| chatsumi | Tea-leaf picking |
| shincha | First tea of the year |
| hatsuzumi | First plucking |
| wakacha | Young tea |
| wakaba-ame | Rain on fresh leaves |
| wakabakaze | Breeze through fresh leaves |
| wakabahi-kari | Light on young leaves |
| aoba | Fresh green leaves |
| aobayami | Deep shade of new foliage |
| komorebi | Sunlight through leaves |
| koshitayami | Gloom beneath trees |
| ryoku-u | Green rain |
| ryokufū | Green wind |
| kunpū | Fragrant spring breeze |
| aoarashi | Blue-green gale |
| shinryoku | Fresh verdure |
| yamawakaba | Young mountain leaves |
| santekimidori | Mountains dripping green |
| moegi | Budding wood |
| wakakaede | Young maple leaves |
| moegiiro | Light yellow-green |
| hatsumidori | Season’s first green |
| kakitsubata | Iris laevigata |
| fuji | Wisteria blossoms |
| fujinami | Waves of wisteria |
| fujidana | Wisteria trellis |
| husafuji | Wisteria bunch |
| fujiiro | Wisteria purple |
| shitō | Purple wisteria |
| nodafuji | Noda wisteria cultivar |
| yamafuji | Wild wisteria |
| zanka | Late lingering blossoms |
| hanamizuki | Dogwood blossoms |
| ringobana | Apple blossoms |
| gengé | Chinese milk-vetch |
| tsutsuji | Azalea |
| kirishima-tsutsuji | Kirishima azalea cultivar |
| yamatsutsuji | Wild azalea |
| yamabuki | Kerria blossoms |
| yamabukimizu | Water reflecting kerria |
| takenoaki | “Bamboo autumn” (yellow leaves) |
| takenoko | Bamboo shoot |
| wakatake | Young bamboo |
| midoritake | Green bamboo |
| unohana | Deutzia blossom |
| unami | Ripples of deutzia |
| unoka | Scent of deutzia |
| botan | Peony |
| botan-hanasaku | “Peonies bloom” micro-season |
| shakuyaku | Chinese peony |
| nawashiro | Rice-seedling bed |
| shirokaki | Ploughing seedbed |
| ichiyō | Ichiyō late cherry cultivar |
| shōgetsu | Shōgetsu cherry cultivar |
| fugenzō | Fugen-zō cherry cultivar |
| kanzan | Kanzan double cherry |
| gyoikō | Gyoikō green cherry |
| yōkihi | Yōkihi cherry cultivar |
| yōkō-zakura | Yōkō cherry cultivar |
| ukon | Ukon yellow cherry |
| kamatari | Kamatari cherry cultivar |
| zui-u | Auspicious spring rain |
| seki-shun | Lamenting end of spring |
| yoshi-hajimete-shōzu | “Reeds first sprout” micro-season |
| shima-yamite-nae-izuru | “Frost ends |
| genchō-itaru | “Swallows arrive” micro-season |
| kōgan-kitasu | “Wild geese fly north” |
| niji-hajimete-arawaru | “First rainbow appears” |
| mimizu-izuru | “Earth-worms surface” |
| kato | Tadpoles |
| wakashiba | New lawn grass |
| kigime | Buds on every tree |
| aoyanagi-ame | Rain on green willows |
| ryūjo | Willow fluff |
| ryūryoku | Willow green |
| ryūtei | Willow-lined bank |
| sumire | Violet |
| tōka | Purple paulownia bloom |
| aomugi | Green barley ears |
| shinjukō | Light on fresh trees |
| hinaga | Lengthening days |
| kazekaoru | Wind carrying fragrance |
| mugibue | Barley-leaf whistle |
| ichigobana | Strawberry blossoms |
| hanazukare | Fatigue after blossom viewing |
| kashinfū | Wind heralding flowers |
| sasanaki | Sparrow-like warbler call |
| yomogitsumi | Picking mugwort leaves |
| aoume | Green unripe plums |
| mitsubachi | Worker honey-bee |
| zuika | Auspicious falling snow-flakes of petals |
| kakitsubata2 | Alternate name for iris |
| kaeru-hajimete-naku | “Frogs first croak” micro-season |
| koinobori | Carp streamer |
| usuzakura | Pale cherry blossoms |
| hika | Scattered flying petals |
| hanafubuki | Blizzard of Blossoms |
| kanbutsu-e | Buddha's Birthday Ceremony |
| hanamatsuri | Flower Festival |
| amacha | Sweet Tea (Hydrangea Tea) |
| seimei | Clear and Bright |
| kokuu | Grain Rains |
| sekishun | Regret for Passing Spring |
| yuku haru | The Passing Spring |
| ranman | In Full Bloom / Glorious |
| sakuragari | Cherry Blossom Hunting |
| hana no en | Blossom Banquet |
| chō no mai | Dance of the Butterfly |
| hanaikada | Flower Raft |
| hazakura | Leafy Cherry Tree |
| yamabuki | Kerria Japonica |
| hana no kage | Beneath the Blossoms |
| nyūgaku | School Entrance |
| genge | Chinese Milkvetch |
| miyakowasure | Gymnaster savatieri |
| oborozuki | Hazy Moon |
| hanagumori | Overcast Cherry Blossom Weather |
| sakuragawa | Cherry Blossom River |
| hanamidō | Flower Hall |
| tanjōbutsu | Infant Buddha Statue |
| kaidō | Flowering Crabapple |
| kawazu | Frog |
| hanakagari | Blossom Bonfire |
| uzuki | Fourth Lunar Month |
| haru no yoi | Spring Evening |
| osozakura | Late-blooming Cherry Tree |
| yaezakura | Double-flowered Cherry |
| nodoka | Tranquil / Peaceful |
| shunchū | Spring Daytime |
| ichigo ichie | Once in a Lifetime Encounter |
| hana no shizuku | Dewdrop on a Blossom |
| zanka | Remaining Blossoms |
| hanabira | Petal |
| tsubosumire | a type of Violet |
| matsu no hana | Pine Flower |
| kame | Turtle |
| tanishi | River Snail |
| kato | Tadpole |
| īsutā | Easter |
| fukkatsusai | Easter Feast |
| furījia | Freesia |
| chūrippu | Tulip |
| harukoma | Spring Colt |
| sakuramochi | Sakura Mochi |
| hanabie | Spring Chill During Blossom Season |
| yoshinoyama | Mount Yoshino |
| shidarezakura | Weeping Cherry |
| hana no yuki | Snow of Blossoms |
| tokiwa | Evergreen |
| haru no no | Spring Field |
| haru no umi | Spring Sea |
| sakuradai | Cherry Blossom Sea Bream |
| hibi kore kōjitsu | Every Day is a Good Day |
| hanamori | Blossom Guardian |
| hana kurenai | Crimson Blossom |
| haru no tsuki | Spring Moon |
| haru no kure | Spring Dusk |
| hyakka | A Hundred Flowers |
| nashi no hana | Pear Blossom |
| ringo no hana | Apple Blossom |
| wasurenagusa | Forget-me-not |
| panjī | Pansy |
| māgaretto | Marguerite |
| kōchō | Plowing Bird |
| haru no kawa | Spring River |
| mugi-tsubame | Barley Swallow |
| kawazu no kassen | Battle of Frogs |
| haru no ta | Spring Paddy |
| shunjin | Spring Dust |
| asebi no hana | Andromeda Blossom |
| isoginchaku | Sea Anemone |
| shunrai | Spring Thunder |
| waka-ayu_april | Young Ayu Sweetfish |
| hanaikada (shokubutsu) | Helwingia japonica (plant) |
| hana akari | Glow of Blossoms |
| sakurabito | Cherry Blossom Person |
| hanadayori | Flower News |
| jūsan-mairi | Thirteen-Year-Old Shrine Visit |
| shimizu_april | Pure Spring Water |
| haru no hi | A Spring Day |
| hana no tsuyu | Dew on the Blossom |
| tōsei | Treading on the Green |
| shunshoku | The Colors of Spring |
| hanamushiro | Flower Mat |
| wakamidori_april | Young Green |
| fuji no tsubomi | Wisteria Bud |
| jinmu tennō sai | Emperor Jinmu Festival |
| hakuun | White Clouds |
| ryūryoku kakō | Willows are Green, Flowers are Red |
Cherry blossoms, misty mountains, and the start of the academic year make April gomei especially buoyant. Utensils may bear names like “Hana-fubuki” (Blizzard of Blossoms) or “Yo-zakura” (Night Cherry), evoking petals that carpet garden stones and even drift into the water jar. Scrolls quote Saigyō or Bashō on impermanence, prompting guests to savor the bowl of tea as one would a single falling petal. Light green bamboo shoots and the season’s first young vegetables appear in sweets, reinforcing the momentary yet exhilarating burst of life.