August’s poetic names balance blazing daylight with late-summer consolations—lotus flowers at dawn, lanterns of Obon, and the first hints of autumn dusk.
August’s poetic names balance blazing daylight with late-summer consolations—lotus flowers at dawn, lanterns of Obon, and the first hints of autumn dusk.
| Gomei | Meaning |
|---|---|
| hazuki | Old lunar name of the 8th month |
| risshū | Beginning of autumn solar term |
| shosho | “Limit-of-Heat” solar term |
| shoshū | Early autumn |
| zansho | Lingering summer heat |
| shinryō | First touch of cool air |
| ryōfū | Cool breeze of early autumn |
| akikaze | Autumn wind |
| akiatsushi | Hot day despite autumn |
| yūsuzumi | Cooling oneself at dusk |
| bon | Bon festival period |
| urabon | Obon (Sanskrit origin name) |
| shōryō | Ancestral spirits returning |
| shōryōdana | Bon altar for spirits |
| shōryō-uma | Vegetable spirit-horses |
| shōryō-nagashi | Floating offerings for spirits |
| bon-odori | Bon dance |
| bontōrō | Paper lanterns for Bon |
| tōrō-nagashi | Floating lantern ceremony |
| okuribi | Bon fare-well bonfire |
| gozan | Five bonfire mountains in Kyoto |
| daimonji | “Daimonji” bonfire |
| myōhō | “Myōhō” twin-bonfires |
| funagata | Boat-shaped bonfire |
| toriigata | Torii-shaped bonfire |
| hidari-daimonji | Left “大” bonfire |
| akizemi | Autumn cicada |
| suzumushi | Bell-cricket |
| matsumushi | Pine-cricket |
| kōrogi | Field cricket |
| kutsuwamushi | Great green katydid |
| umaoi | Long-horned grasshopper |
| kusahibari | Ground cricket |
| akatonbo | Red dragonfly |
| iwashigumo | Mackerel-sky clouds |
| urokogumo | Scale clouds |
| akigumo | Autumn clouds |
| yūyake | Red evening sky |
| ryōzuki | Cool early-autumn moon |
| yonaga | Lengthening autumn nights |
| mushishigure | Chorus of autumn insects |
| susuki | Silver-grass before ears |
| obana | Plumed pampas |
| hagi | Bush clover |
| hatsuhagi | Season’s first hagi bloom |
| hagitsuyu | Dew on bush clover |
| kuzubana | Kudzu blossoms |
| shūkaidō | Japanese begonia |
| hōsenka | Balsam flower |
| ichijiku | Fig fruit |
| nashi | Pear |
| budō | Grapes in season |
| suimitsutō | Juicy white peach |
| edamame | Green soybean pods |
| tōmorokoshi | Sweet corn |
| tōgan | Wax-gourd |
| nigauri | Bitter melon |
| kachiwari | Cracked-ice refreshment |
| awa-odori | Awa dance festival |
| hanagasa | Flower-hat parade |
| nebuta | Nebuta float festival |
| bonbune | Boat offering for spirits |
| jizōbon | Children’s Jizō festival |
| mushikiki | Evening insect-listening outing |
| yokaze | Night breeze |
| mizukagami | Water mirror |
| hisho | Heat-escape (summering) |
| senkō-hanabi | Sparkler fireworks |
| kurage | Jellyfish drifting |
| hamachidori | Plover on the beach |
| zanshō2 | Afterglow in west sky |
| takanegumo | High mountain clouds |
| naruko | Bird-scare clappers |
| inanami | Waves in green rice |
| ochiayu | Downstream-running ayu |
| aoguri | Un-ripe green chestnut |
| hasuba-ame | Rain on lotus leaves |
| ryūsei | Shooting star (Perseids) |
| hoshizukiyo | Star-bright night |
| akitatsu | Autumn sets in |
| hechima | Luffa gourd |
| hechima-mizu | Luffa lotion |
| aoinne | Green ripening rice |
| akikusa | Various autumn grasses |
| gujō-odori | Gujō Bon dance |
| takisuzu | Coolness at a waterfall |
| kaya | Mosquito net |
| katabira | Unlined hemp kimono |
| suzukaze-itaru | “Cool wind arrives” micro-season |
| higurashi-naku | “Cold-cicada sings” micro-season |
| fukaki-kiri-matō | “Thick fog rises” micro-season |
| wata-no-hanashibe-hiraku | “Cotton bolls first open” micro-season |
| tenchi-hajimete-samushi | “Heaven & earth first grow cool” micro-season |
| kokumono-minor | “Grains grow ripe” micro-season |
| risshū | First Day of Autumn |
| bon | Bon Festival |
| zansho | Lingering Summer Heat |
| shūsen kinenbi | End of War Memorial Day |
| heiwa | Peace |
| tōrō | Lantern |
| okuribi | Sending-off Fire |
| mukaebi | Welcoming Fire |
| tonbo | Dragonfly |
| hazuki | Hazuki (Poetic month name) |
| aki tatsu | Autumn Begins |
| urabon-e | Urabon-e (Bon Festival) |
| daimonji | Daimonji Bonfire |
| kisei | Homecoming |
| tōhanabi | Distant Fireworks |
| senkō hanabi | Sparkler |
| bon odori | Bon Dance |
| shosho | End of Heat |
| nagareboshi | Shooting Star |
| natsu no hate | End of Summer |
| shōryō-uma | Spirit Horse |
| taifū_august | Typhoon |
| aburazemi | Large Brown Cicada |
| higurashi | Evening Cicada |
| natsumatsuri | Summer Festival |
| asanagi | Morning Calm |
| yūnagi | Evening Calm |
| mukuge | Rose of Sharon |
| inabikari | Flash of Lightning |
| tōrōnagashi | Floating Lanterns |
| tsuyu_august | Dew |
| ryō ichimi | One Taste of Coolness |
| chinkon | Repose of Souls |
| kansha_august | Gratitude |
| akatonbo | Red Dragonfly |
| kuzu no hana | Kuzu (Arrowroot) Flower |
| ichijiku | Fig |
| banka | Late Summer |
| shinryō | First Coolness of Autumn |
| hakuro_august | White Dew |
| mu | Nothingness |
| uri | Gourd / Melon |
| agehanabi | Skyrocket Fireworks |
| natsuno no tsuyu | Dew in the Summer Field |
| akikaze_august | Autumn Wind |
| taimatsu_august | Torch |
| fusen | No War |
| natsu no tsuki | Summer Moon |
| gosenzo-sama | Honorable Ancestors |
| natsusugata_august | Summer Appearance |
| tamayura | Transient / Fleeting |
| hachigatsu | August |
| tsuioku | Remembrance |
| mandō-e | Ten Thousand Lantern Festival |
| ominaeshi_august | Patrinia scabiosifolia |
| kikyō_august | Bellflower |
| nemu_august | Silk Tree |
| himawari_august | Sunflower |
| shirasagi_august | White Egret |
| aki-donari | Autumn is Next Door |
| tsuyukeshi | Dewy |
| okuribon | Sending off for Bon |
| ikusanaki yo | A World Without War |
| yukiai no sora | Meeting Sky |
| neppū | Hot Wind |
| nochi no suzu | Later Coolness |
| hōzuki | Chinese Lantern Plant |
| gyokusen | Jade Cicada |
| tsukiokure-bon | Delayed Bon |
| okuri-tonbo | Sending-off Dragonfly |
| bon no tsuki | Bon Moon |
| sagisō | Egret Orchid |
| oniyuri | Tiger Lily |
| hanabi_august | Fireworks |
| fuyō | Cotton Rose Hibiscus |
| aki no kehai | A Hint of Autumn |
| shizuka_august | Quiet / Still |
| tsukikage | Moonlight |
| hōshizemi | Another name for Evening Cicada |
| omodaka | Threeleaf Arrowhead |
Obon (13–16 Aug) welcomes ancestral spirits, so names like “Bon-tōrō” (Festival Lantern) or “Mukae-bi” (Welcoming Flame) are common, while dawn gatherings may feature “Hasu-no-Ue” (On the Lotus) for the brief perfection of lotus blossoms. Fireworks inspire whimsical titles such as “Hanabi,” and the seasonal greeting “Yūsuzumi” (Evening Cool) appears on fans or tea bowls meant to be enjoyed after sunset. Although the heat still lingers, the calendar has tipped toward autumn (立秋 Risshū, around 7 Aug); subtle gomei like “Hatsu-Aki-Kaze” (First Autumn Breeze) remind guests that change has already begun, inviting a mood that is both festive and quietly wistful.