When we hear the word sekku (seasonal festival / 節句), we often think of Hina-matsuri (Doll Festival / ひな祭り) in March or Children’s Day (子どもの日) in May. These are the days to celebrate the growth of children and pray for their future health and happiness.

However, these events were originally more than just festive celebrations—they were also traditional days for warding off evil spirits and misfortune.

There are five such seasonal festivals held throughout the year, not just the ones in March and May.

 

 

 

 

 

Sekku originated in ancient China as seasonal markers, based on days when odd numbers (considered auspicious in Yin-Yang philosophy) align—for example, the 3rd day of the 3rd month.

 

 

Odd numbers were associated with positive, yang energy, and the overlap of such numbers was thought to be especially lucky. However, according to the same philosophy, “when yang reaches its extreme, it turns into yin.” So, these auspicious days were paradoxically seen as times when one was vulnerable to misfortune, and people observed purification rituals to protect themselves.

 

Interestingly, although most sekku fall on dates with matching odd numbers (like 3/3 or 5/5), the first sekku of the year—Jinjitsu no Sekku—falls not on January 1st, but on January 7th. This is because New Year’s Day was already considered a major, separate celebration, and the custom of observing January 7th dates back to the Han Dynasty in China.

 

Even the familiar Hina-matsuri and Children’s Day originally involved rituals of spiritual cleansing. These traditional meanings are still present today in the customs that have been handed down over generations.

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Here is an overview of the five sekku, their alternative names, the dates they are observed, and examples of purification customs that continue today.
 

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Festival	Also Known As	Date	Purification Rituals Still Practiced
Jinjitsu no Sekku	Nanakusa no Sekku	January 7	Eating nanakusa gayu (seven-herb rice porridge) to promote health and prevent illness.
Jōshi no Sekku	Momo no Sekku, Hinamatsuri	March 3	Nagashi-bina: floating dolls downstream to carry away bad luck Hishimochi: colored rice cakes (pink for protection, green for longevity, white for purity) Shirozake: sweet rice wine, originally infused with peach blossoms to dispel evil
Tango no Sekku	Shōbu no Sekku, Children’s Day	May 5	Bathing in shōbuyu (iris-infused water), believed to ward off evil.
Tanabata no Sekku	Sasatake no Sekku	July 7	Nemurinagashi: a ritual to banish drowsiness and cleanse the body using water or paper dolls.
Chōyō no Sekku	Kiku no Sekku	September 9	Drinking kikuzake (sake with chrysanthemum petals), though now rarely practiced.

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Looking at these customs, it’s clear how closely our ancestors lived in tune with nature.
Their seasonal rituals reflect a deep awareness of the changing year and a desire to maintain well-being.
Each festival is not just a celebration, but a spiritual gesture, passed down through generations, that connects us with the rhythms of nature and the wisdom of the past.

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Category : Japanese Culture , text @en

Tag : 24 divisions of the solar year , 24sekki , corona virus , COVID-19 , COVID19 , Emergency , Japanese culture , season , tanabata , The coronavirus , 日本の文化