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Here, we take a brief look at how time measurement has been adapted to suit Japanese life.
See also our page of the Japanese times of the day
As can be seen on our sister page Days, Months and Seasons, the word "calendar" comes from observations of the moon. In contrast, the Japanese word for "calendar" is koyomi, which comes from observations of the sun.
The kanji character for koyomi is 暦, which has two radicals - 日 (sun) and 歴 (history, passage of time). Thus, 暦 symbolises the recording and tracking of days, months and years; essential for agriculture, festivals and daily life in premodern Japan.
The concept of koyomi dates back to ancient China, where early calendars were created based on astronomical observations. Japan historically used lunisolar calendars, heavily influenced by the Chinese system, until the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1873.
The current Japanese day names are based on Chinese names adopted during the Asuka period (approximately 552–710 AD). Before that, if there were any day names at all, ancient Japanese day names might have been tied to early Shinto beliefs or natural phenomena such as the phases of the moon. However, clear evidence from that early period remains elusive.
As the influence of Chinese culture and Buddhism increased in Japan, and their seven-day naming system was based on the astrological significance of the Sun and Moon, along with the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, water). The order of these elements was rearranged, and associated with the seven classical celestial bodies (Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn).
| Sunday | Hinode | 日出 | Sun | |
| Monday | Getsu | 月 | Moon | |
| Tuesday | Kaji | 火事 | Mars | fire |
| Wednesday | Mizu | 水 | Mercury | water |
| Thursday | Ki | 木 | Jupiter | wood |
| Friday | Kane | 金 | Venus | metal |
| Saturday | Tsuchi | 土 | Saturn | earth |
When Japan adopted the Gregorian calendar during the Meiji Restoration, some day names changed slightly. The suffix yōbi (曜日) (day of the week) was appended to each name, just as "-day" is a suffix of each day name in English.
| Sunday | Nichiyōbi | 日曜日 |
| Monday | Getsuyōbi | 月曜日 |
| Tuesday | Kayōb | 火曜日 |
| Wednesday | Suiyōbi | 水曜日 |
| Thursday | Mokuyōbi | 木曜日 |
| Friday | Kin'yōbi | 金曜日 |
| Saturday | Doyōbi | 土曜日 |
Since you've opened this page, you probably know that Japanese months are simply named numerically, from Month 1 (January) through to Month 12 (December). However, this was not always the case.
Current month names:
| 1 | (一月) | ichigatsu |
| 2 | (二月) | nigatsu |
| 3 | (三月) | sangatsu |
| 4 | (四月) | shigatsu |
| 5 | (五月) | gogatsu |
| 6 | (六月) | rokugatsu |
| 7 | (七月) | shichigatsu |
| 8 | (八月) | hachigatsu |
| 9 | (九月) | kugatsu |
| 10 | (十月) | jugatsu |
| 11 | (十一月) | juichigatsu |
| 12 | (十二月) | junigatsu |
The kanji 月 (gets(u)/gatsu/tsuki) comes from ancient Chinese script and represents the moon in pictographic form.
In early Chinese and Japanese culture, months were based on lunar cycles, so the word for "moon" naturally became associated with "month". The pronunciation of 月 in On’yomi (音読み) is gatsu.
The Kun’yomi (訓読み) reading of 月 is tsuki, but when Japan adopted the Chinese-style calendar system, months were numbered using Chinese readings (On’yomi) rather than traditional names. This is why gatsu (from Chinese yuè) became the standard pronunciation for months, rather than tsuki.
Traditional Japanese month names, before the Meiji Restoration:
| 1 | Mutsuki (睦月) | Month of harmony A time when family and friends gather to celebrate the New Year. |
| 2 | Kisaragi (如月 or 衣更着) | Month of additional clothing Possibly from kisaragu (着更着), meaning "wearing more layers" to stay warm. |
| 3 | Yayoi (弥生) | Month of new growth From iyaoyoi (弥生い), meaning "things growing more and more", referring to plants starting to sprout. |
| 4 | Uzuki (卯月) | Month of the deutzia blossoms Refers to the blooming of the u no hana (卯の花) or deutzia flowers. |
| 5 | Satsuki (皐月) | Month of rice planting From sanaetsuki (早苗月), meaning "month of early rice seedlings". |
| 6 | Minazuki (水無月) | Month of no water Despite the name, it actually means "month of water" because the kanji 無 (na) can function as a possessive, meaning "of" rather than "none". This refers to water being used for rice paddies, and of course, the start of the rainy season. |
| 7 | Fumizuki (文月) | Month of letters Possibly refers to the custom of writing poetry and letters during this month. |
| 8 | Hazuki (葉月) | Month of falling leaves Named for the time when leaves start falling, marking the transition to autumn. |
| 9 | Nagatsuki (長月) | Month of long nights Reflecting the longer nights as autumn deepens. |
| 10 | Kannazuki (神無月) | Month of no gods Based on the belief that all deities leave their local shrines to gather at Izumo Taisha, leaving other places "without gods." (In Izumo, it's called Kamiarizuki (神在月), meaning "Month of the Gods.") |
| 11 | Shimotsuki (霜月) | Month of frost As frost begins to appear, marking the approach of winter. |
| 12 | Shiwasu (師走) | Month of running priests Thought to come from shi (師, teachers/priests) + wasu (走, to run), referring to monks and teachers being busy with year-end duties. |
On 1 January 1873, Japan adopted the Gregorian calendar, replacing the lunar calendar (which had been in use for over a thousand years) with the Western solar calendar. At that time, the numerical naming system (ichigatsu, nigatsu, etc.) became the official way to refer to months.
However, traditional month names are still used in poetry, literature, calligraphy and cultural references today.
Japan has four seasons, each with distinct weather, festivals and cultural significance.
Japanese people are renowned for their efficiency and precision in ensuring everything works seamlessly. It's been said that people standing on railway station platforms can correct the time on their watches by the arrival and departure of trains.
This orderliness extends to the seasons in Japan.
Japanese name: Haru 春).
Weather: Mild temperatures, gradually warming from winter.
Highlights: Cherry blossom (sakura) season, a major cultural event with flower-viewing picnics hanami. Start of the school and business year (April).
Festivals: The Doll Festival (hinamatsuri) on 3rd March, Golden Week holidays in late April–early May.
Japanese name: Natsu (夏).
Weather: Hot and humid, with the rainy season (tsuyu) in June.
Highlights: Fireworks festivals (hanabi taikai), summer festivals (matsuri), and mountain climbing (e.g., Mt Fuji).
Festivals: Gion Matsuri (Kyoto, July), Tenjin Matsuri (Osaka, July), Obon (mid-August).
Japanese name: Aki (秋).
Weather: Cool and comfortable, with clear skies.
Highlights: Stunning autumn foliage (koyo), especially in Kyoto, Nikko and the Japanese Alps.
Festivals: Moon-viewing festival (tsukimi), celebration for children aged 7, 5 and 3 (shichi-go-san) 15th November).
Japanese name: Fuyu (冬)
Weather: Cold, with snowfall in northern and mountainous regions.
Highlights: Skiing and snowboarding in Hokkaido and Nagano, beautiful illuminations.
Festivals: Sapporo Snow Festival (February), New Year celebrations (oshogatsu).
Each season in Japan has its own charm, and many people plan their trips around cherry blossoms in spring or autumn leaves in the autumn.
We need to strike out the word "distinct" from the opening sentence of this section on Seasons in Japan.
Global climate change has significantly affected Japan’s seasons, altering weather patterns, temperatures and seasonal events.
Sakura blooms now peak earlier than in the past, with some records showing blooming dates shifting by over a week due to rising temperatures. More frequent sudden temperature drops and unexpected storms.
Record-breaking heatwaves have become common, with some areas exceeding 40°C (104°F). Stronger and more frequent typhoons bring heavy rain, flooding and landslides. Heatstroke cases have risen sharply, especially among the elderly.
Koyo now peak later and are less vibrant in some regions due to warmer temperatures. September remains hotter for longer, pushing back the transition to autumn.
Less snowfall in traditionally snowy regions like Niigata and Nagano. Some ski resorts struggle with shorter seasons. Some areas see sudden, heavy snowfalls instead of steady seasonal snow.
You'll notice in the table that the five elements are in a different order from the two traditional Wu Xing cycles of:
When the Chinese adapted the Babylonian-Greek planetary system via the Silk Road (likely around the 3rd century) they matched the planets to elements using symbolic characteristics rather than strict Wu Xing cycles:
In reality, fewer people wear watches now, and the time shown on their smartphones is automatically updated based on signals from mobile networks. In turn, mobile carriers receive precise time data from atomic clocks and GPS satellites, ensuring accuracy.
And trains often leave later than scheduled, even if only by a few seconds, due to misbehaving travellers who delay departure, holding up the automatic doors while they struggle to board a packed train - even though they know the next train will arrive shortly and they'll be first in line.
That said, Japanese rail companies take special pride in running timely and efficient services.
You can see company interns and rookies spending all day guarding huge tarpaulins beneath cherry trees in the park, reserving the spot for the company party after the office closes. The future career of these "hanami guards" can depend on selecting and securing the best site, sometimes leading to fights with other guards.