November’s gomei mark the threshold of winter—first frost, kiln-opening tea, and the ceremonial return of the sunken hearth (ro).
November’s gomei mark the threshold of winter—first frost, kiln-opening tea, and the ceremonial return of the sunken hearth (ro).
| Gomei | Meaning |
|---|---|
| shimotsuki | Old lunar name “month of frost” |
| kamikizuki | “Month when gods return” |
| rittō | Beginning of winter solar term |
| shōsetsu | “Light-Snow” solar term |
| shotō | Early winter |
| fuyutonari | “Winter at the neighbour” |
| shimobashira | Frost columns |
| shimogare | Frost-withered plants |
| shimomomiji | Leaves coloured deeper by frost |
| asashimo | Morning frost |
| shirashimo | Glittering white frost |
| shimoyozora | Frost-chilled night sky |
| shimobatake | Farmland whitened by frost |
| iteshizuku | Beads of frozen drip |
| hisame | Chilly sleet |
| usurai | Paper-thin first ice |
| kōriike | Pond beginning to freeze |
| sazanka | Sasanqua camellia |
| sazanka-hajimete-hiraku | “Sasanqua first open” micro-season |
| chi-hajimete-kōru | “Earth first freezes” micro-season |
| kinsenka-saku | “Narcissus gives scent” micro-season |
| tora-hajimete-tsurumu | “Tigers first mate” micro-season |
| sakufū-konoha-wo-harau | “North wind strips leaves” micro-season |
| tachibana-hajimete-kibamu | “Mandarin fruit turn yellow” micro-season |
| sakuhokufū | Biting north wind |
| kogarashigoe | Sough of the kogarashi gale |
| fuyugasumi | Winter haze |
| fuyubiyori | Bright calm winter day |
| kangyō | Chilly dawn |
| kangetsu | Cold-season moon |
| kansei | Winter-time bright stars |
| negiazayaka | Fresh-green winter scallions |
| daikonboshi | Sun-drying daikon radish |
| daikontaki | Temple daikon stew offering |
| kabumushi | Steamed turnip stuffed dish |
| hakusai-zuke | Pickled Chinese cabbage |
| nozawana | Nozawa turnip greens |
| kansoba | New winter buckwheat noodles |
| niiname-sai | Imperial harvest thanksgiving (23 Nov) |
| niiname-gohan | Rice offered at Niiname |
| kagurasuzu | Ritual bells in autumn kagura |
| kuchikiri | Opening the sealed tea-jar |
| tsubokiri | Alternative term for kuchikiri |
| hatsuro | First use of sunken hearth |
| robiraki | Hearth-opening tea gathering |
| hatsuzumi | Season’s first charcoal |
| yukiwa-zumi | “Snow-ring charcoal” |
| makizumi | High-grade pine charcoal for hearth |
| chatsubo-biraki | General term for tea-jar opening |
| fuyuchawan | Thick-walled winter chawan |
| fuyusōbi | Winter-blooming roses |
| kantsubaki | Winter camellia |
| kangiku | Late-blooming hardy chrysanthemum |
| kanran | Fragrant winter orchid |
| hatsutsubaki | Season’s first camellia |
| tsubaki-ochiba | Fallen camellia leaves |
| kareno | Withered autumn fields |
| karekodachi | Bare winter trees |
| karamatsu | Larch needles turning gold |
| fuyuzakura | Prunus subhirtella blooming now |
| zangiku | Late surviving chrysanthemums |
| kikukare | Withered chrysanthemum |
| fuyubotan | Forcing-grown peonies |
| wabisuke | Simple single-petal camellia |
| oshidori | Mandarin duck pair |
| aigamo | Domestic-wild cross ducks |
| fuyukamome | Gulls wintering inside bays |
| hakuchō-kitaru | Swans arrive from Siberia |
| hatsugamo | First wild duck sighted |
| muragamo | Flocks of ducks on water |
| fuyutsugumi | Wintering dusky thrush |
| mozu-naku | Shrike’s piercing autumn call |
| buriokoshi | “Buri-awakening” thunder |
| ankō | Anglerfish landed in cold seas |
| tara | Pacific cod in season |
| hatahata | Sandfish arriving with surf |
| kakinabe | Oyster hot-pot |
| fuguhatsu | First pufferfish of the season |
| fuyumikan | Satsuma mandarin ripening |
| yuzuhatsu | Season’s first yuzu harvested |
| hatsuyuki | First snowfall |
| yukimoyoi | Air heavy with promise of snow |
| fuyuginga | Brilliant winter Milky Way |
| fuyuhinata | Patch of warm winter sun |
| karesusuki | Withered pampas grass |
| ochizake | Spent salmon drifting downstream |
| fuyugasumibi | Lantern gleaming through winter haze |
| rokō | Fragrance of hearth charcoal |
| yonagacha | Tea enjoyed on lengthened nights |
| yobanashi | Evening hearth-side tea gathering |
| kotatsu-biraki | First setting-out of the kotatsu |
| satokagurayo | Night of village kagura |
| hōnen-odori | Good-harvest thanksgiving dance |
| chitose-mōde | Preparatory shrine visit for Shichi-Go-San |
| inokomochi2 | Rice cakes for “Boar-day” in mid-Nov |
| sumitorimushi | Cricket kept to judge charcoal |
| rofusagi | Putting away the portable brazier |
| akioshimu | Reluctance at autumn’s end |
| fuyufukashi | “Winter deepens” |
| hoshisae | Crystal-clear starlight |
| fuyuurara | Beautiful mild winter day |
| taimatsuzake | Torch-light salmon fishing |
| kaiose2 | Wind that piles shells ashore |
| noyakeato | Scorched field after autumn burn |
| hasabiyori2 | Ideal sunny day for rice-rack work |
| okute2 | Late-ripening rice harvested now |
| shimoyocha | Tea shared on a frosty night |
| shimotsuki | Shimotsuki (Frost Month) |
| shichi-go-san | 7-5-3 Festival |
| banshū | Late Autumn |
| ochiba_november | Fallen Leaves |
| shigure_november | Autumn/Winter Shower |
| chitose-ame | Thousand-Year Candy |
| rittō | First Day of Winter |
| kuchikiri | Cutting the Seal (of a tea jar) |
| inoko-mochi_november | Boar Child Mochi |
| shōsetsu | Lesser Snow |
| kaeribana | Unseasonal Bloom |
| fuyu-donari | Winter is Next Door |
| sazanka | Sasanqua Camellia |
| teriha_november | Shining Leaves |
| ochibataki | Burning Fallen Leaves |
| kagura_november | Kagura (Sacred Dance) |
| tori no ichi | Rooster Fair |
| kumade | Decorative Rake |
| kuchiba | Decaying Leaves |
| uzumibi | Buried Embers |
| koharubiyori | Indian Summer |
| fuyujitaku | Winter Preparations |
| kamo | Wild Duck |
| inoko_november | Day of the Boar |
| fuyugamae | Preparing for Winter |
| suehiro_november | Folding Fan / Ever-widening Fortune |
| tsuwabuki | Leopard Plant |
| nishikigi | Winged Euonymus |
| hōnen_november | Bountiful Year |
| fukamariyuku aki | Ever-deepening Autumn |
| shiba_november | Brushwood / Firewood |
| kinrō kansha no hi | Labor Thanksgiving Day |
| niinamesai | Harvest Festival |
| zankō | Lingering Crimson |
| fuyumoe_november | Winter Sprouting |
| shikimatsuba | Pine Needle Mulch |
| momijigasane | Layered Maple Leaves |
| fukiyose | Wind-swept Gathering |
| fuyu no tsuki_november | Winter Moon (Early) |
| fuyuzare | Wintry Desolation |
| okina_november | Old Man |
| kangiku | Winter Chrysanthemum |
| fuyuzakura | Winter Cherry Blossom |
| kimamori | Tree Guardian |
| wabisuke_november | Wabisuke Camellia |
| ichō_november | Ginkgo |
| rittō no kō | Season of the Beginning of Winter |
| nowaki_november | Autumn Gale / Typhoon |
| ironaki kaze | Colorless Wind |
| kareno | Withered Field |
| karamatsu | Larch |
| shibagaki | Brushwood Fence |
| kōraku | Yellow Falling |
| kamiokuri | Sending off the Gods |
| kamiwatashi | God-sending Wind |
| sasanaki | Bush Warbler's Winter Cry |
| jūya | Ten Nights (Jūya-e) |
| fuyu momiji | Winter Maple Leaves |
| kuchikiri no iwai | Celebration of the Tea Jar Opening |
| ochatsubo dōchū | Honorable Tea Jar Procession |
| atsukan | Hot Sake |
| ohitaki | Sacred Bonfire Festival |
| kaomise | Kaomise (Face-Showing Performance) |
| hatsugōri | First Ice |
| konoha-ame | Rain of Tree Leaves |
| yama nemuru_november | The Mountains Sleep |
| yukitsuri | Snow Ropes |
| kamikaeri | Return of the Gods |
| kamimukae_november | Welcoming the Gods |
| shimobashira | Frost Columns |
| kaishi_november | Pocket Paper |
| chatsubo | Tea Jar |
| tanjitsu | Short Day |
| fuyugoshirae | Winter Preparations (alt. reading) |
| kazahana | Wind Flower (Snow Flurries) |
| fuyuhinata | Winter Sunshine |
| shimo momiji | Frosted Maple Leaves |
| kareha | Withered Leaves |
| kaerizaki | Blooming Again |
| robiraki | Opening the Hearth |
| kogarashi | Wintry Wind |
| zangiku_november | Lingering Chrysanthemums |
| bunka no hi | Culture Day |
| ichi no tori | First Rooster Day |
| ni no tori | Second Rooster Day |
| san no tori | Third Rooster Day |
| i no hi | Day of the Boar |
On Rō-iri (around 7 Nov) the hearth is reopened, symbolizing both physical and spiritual gathering-in; utensils may be named “Hatsu-gama” (First Kettle) or “Kiri-Hajime” (Opening Cut of Charcoal). Frosty dawns and bare branches inspire titles like “Shimo-no-Ato” (Trace of Frost), “Karasu-no-Ne” (Crow Cry), or “Sabishiro” (Winter Desolation). The year’s newly milled tea, aged since spring, is formally debuted in Kuchikiri-no-Chaji; caddies for this rite often carry names such as “Wakaki-Kusa” (Young Grass) that paradoxically recall the verdure now long gone. The gathering feels intimate: thicker tea (koicha), deeper flame, and scrolls on wabi themes prepare hearts for the hush of the coldest season.