July’s gomei conjure the magic of midsummer nights—Tanabata star lore, rustling bamboo, and the very first cries of cicadas.
July’s gomei conjure the magic of midsummer nights—Tanabata star lore, rustling bamboo, and the very first cries of cicadas.
| Gomei | Meaning |
|---|---|
| fumizuki | Old lunar name of July |
| shōsho | Minor‐Heat solar term |
| taisho | Major‐Heat solar term |
| seika | High summer |
| ensho | Blazing heat |
| mōsho | Fierce heat |
| jokusho | Sultry damp heat |
| doyō | Dog-days before autumn |
| doyō-ushi | Day of the Ox in dog-days |
| doyō-unagi | Eel eaten at doyō |
| doyōboshi | Sun-drying of books & clothes |
| hoshimatsuri | Star Festival (Tanabata) |
| tanabata | Evening of the Seventh |
| hoshiai | “Meeting of stars” |
| orihime | Weaving Princess star |
| hikoboshi | Cowherd star |
| kengyūsei | “Ox-herd” star (Altair) |
| ginga | Milky Way |
| amanogawa | The Milky Way |
| sasakazari | Bamboo‐leaf decorations |
| tanzaku | Poem slips for wishes |
| sasabune | Bamboo-leaf boats |
| sasatanzaku | Tanzaku on bamboo |
| kikkōten | Ancient star-weaving rite |
| kasasagibashi | Bridge of magpies |
| hoshi-no-shizuku | “Drops of stars” |
| hanabi | Fireworks |
| ōhanabi | Grand fireworks display |
| uchiage-hanabi | Sky-rocket fireworks |
| sumidagawa-hanabi | Sumida-gawa Fireworks Festival |
| yoruhanabi | Night fireworks |
| asagao | Morning glory |
| kikyō | Balloon-flower |
| nemu | Silk-tree blossom |
| mukuge | Rose-of-Sharon |
| fuyō | Cotton-rose mallow |
| sarusuberi | Crape-myrtle |
| himawari | Sunflower |
| kōren | Red lotus in full bloom |
| kafū | “Lotus wind” |
| ukai | Cormorant fishing |
| ubune | Cormorant-fishing boat |
| ukagari | Torch for cormorant fishing |
| gion-matsuri | Gion Festival in Kyoto |
| yamahoko | Decorated festival floats |
| yoiyama | Eve of Gion parade |
| naginata-hoko | Naginata Float |
| hamo | Pike-conger |
| hamo-otoshi | Par-boiled hamo slices |
| doyō-nami | Summer swell at beaches |
| hamakaze | Seaside breeze |
| nagisa | Water’s edge |
| shiosai | Sound of surf |
| kaisuiyoku | Sea bathing |
| kingyo | Goldfish |
| kingyobachi | Goldfish bowl |
| fūrin | Glass & metal wind-bell |
| ryōrin | “Cool bell” |
| asasuzumi | Cool of early morning |
| hirusuzumi | Mid-day cool spot |
| yoryō | Night cool |
| uchimizu | Water sprinkling on ground |
| tokoroten | Sea-weed gel noodles |
| kuzukiri | Arrow-root starch noodles |
| mizuyōkan | Chilled bean-jelly |
| shiratama | Rice-flour dumplings |
| kuzumochi | Kuzu-starch cake |
| reicha | Chilled green tea |
| mugiyu | Barley infusion served cold |
| nettaiya | Tropical night |
| hoshisuzu | “Coolness among stars” |
| minamikaze | Southerly summer wind |
| hamahirugao | Seaside bindweed |
| aotonbo | Green damselfly |
| itotonbo | Needle damselfly |
| tonbodama | Glass “dragonfly” bead |
| semi | Cicada in general |
| hatsuzemi | First cicada heard |
| aburazemi | Large “oil” cicada |
| higurashi | Evening cicada |
| hōshizemi | Tree-top cicada |
| semishigure | Cicada rain |
| sassemi | Very early cicada |
| kōrimizu | Glass of shaved ice water |
| kakigōri | Shaved ice dessert |
| ryōchō | Cool summer dawn |
| natsugumo | Summer clouds |
| suichūgetsu | The moon reflected on water |
| yoiyami | Early evening darkness |
| hoshikuzu | Stardust |
| hoshika | “Fire of stars” |
| nasubana | Egg-plant blossoms |
| suika | Water-melon |
| hiyashi-uri | Chilled melon |
| yūniji | Evening rainbow |
| tenki-ame | Sun-shower |
| mizuburo | Cold bath |
| ryōsei | “Cool star” |
| hōzuki | Chinese lantern plant |
| hōzuki-ichi | Ground-cherry fair |
| mukaebi | Welcoming bonfire |
| mizunasu | Juicy pickling eggplant |
| shinsō/ tokoroten | Agar noodles (alt. kanji) |
| asanagi | Calm morning sea |
| yūnagi | Calm evening sea |
| tanabata | Tanabata (Star Festival) |
| gion matsuri | Gion Festival |
| hasu | Lotus |
| amanogawa | Milky Way |
| semi | Cicada |
| yūdachi | Evening Shower |
| umibiraki | Opening of Beaches for the Season |
| fumizuki / fuzuki | Fumizuki (Poetic month name) |
| asagao | Morning Glory |
| kaminari | Thunder |
| fūrin | Wind Chime |
| uchiwa | Uchiwa (flat fan) |
| kōri | Ice |
| orihime | Orihime (Vega) |
| hikoboshi | Hikoboshi (Altair) |
| tanzaku | Tanzaku strips |
| yoiyama | Eve of the Main Festival (Gion) |
| hiyayakko | Chilled Tofu |
| sōmen | Sōmen Noodles |
| yūsuzumi | Enjoying the Evening Cool |
| nōryō | Enjoying the Cool |
| kakigōri | Shaved Ice |
| natsuyasumi | Summer Vacation |
| kingyo | Goldfish |
| himawari | Sunflower |
| hamabe | Beach / Shore |
| nami | Wave |
| shōsho | Lesser Heat |
| taisho | Greater Heat |
| kikkōden | Festival of Pleading for Skills |
| kaji no ha | Kaji (Paper Mulberry) Leaf |
| sasa kazari | Bamboo Decorations |
| hoshiai | Meeting of Stars |
| kasasagi no hashi | Magpie Bridge |
| enrai | Distant Thunder |
| kumo no mine | Peak of the Clouds |
| uchimizu | Sprinkling Water |
| tsuyuake | End of the Rainy Season |
| shirasagi | White Egret |
| sunahama | Sandy Beach |
| doyō | Doyō (Midsummer period) |
| unagi | Eel |
| yukata | Yukata |
| yoimatsugusa | Evening Primrose |
| ginga | Galaxy / Milky Way |
| bakufu | Great Waterfall |
| aozora | Blue Sky |
| semishigure | Cicada Chorus |
| hoshizukiyo | Starlit Night |
| seiryō | Refreshing Coolness |
| ryōfū_july | Cool Breeze |
| mizukagami | Water Mirror |
| funaasobi | Boating |
| garasu | Glass |
| kikyō | Bellflower |
| nemu | Silk Tree |
| suika | Watermelon |
| byakuren | White Lotus |
| tsuyukusa | Asiatic Dayflower |
| chinowa | Chinowa (reed hoop) |
| nagoshi no harae | Summer Passing Purification |
| hamayū | Crinum Lily |
| enten | Scorching Sun / Blazing Sky |
| tokonatsu_july | Everlasting Summer/Pinks |
| kōrimizu | Ice Water |
| umi | Sea / Ocean |
| hirugao | Bindweed |
| mizu-asobi | Playing in the Water |
| yomise | Night Stall / Night Fair |
| tamasudare | Zephyranthes |
| seifū_july | Pure Breeze |
| miyama | Deep Mountains |
| ryō ichimi | One Taste of Coolness |
| tsukimisō | Evening Primrose (alternative) |
| yamaboko / yamahoko | Yamaboko Floats |
| sarusuberi | Crape Myrtle |
| seseragi | Babbling Brook |
| shimizu | Pure Spring Water |
The centerpiece of early July is Tanabata (7 July), when the Cowherd and Weaver stars are said to meet across the Milky Way; utensil names such as “Hoshi-kuzu” (Stardust), “Ama-no-gawa” (River of Heaven), or “Tanzaku” (Wish-paper Strip) mirror the romance. Open-weave bamboo baskets, reed screens, and shallow glass or celadon bowls temper the heat, while gomei like “Semigoe” (Cicada Voice) or “Sasakaze” (Bamboo Breeze) underline aural coolness. The ambience is light and airy—scrolls are written on silk gauze, guests carry fans, and the host lingers over the sound of water to suggest refreshment that is felt more in the mind than on the skin.