March 3rd, a spring landscape.

Original Text

On March 3rd, the weather was clear and bright. The peach blossoms are just beginning to bloom. Willow trees, in particular, are very beautiful at this time of year. However, it is even more charming when they are still tightly closed. When they fully open, they look unsightly. After the flowers have fallen, you can see their true form. It is delightful to pick a long branch of cherry blossoms that are blooming beautifully and place them in a large vase. The sight of someone wearing a kimono standing near the cherry blossom tree, whether it's a guest or one of my brother's colleagues, evokes a feeling of wanting to have children, which is very charming. Birds and insects flutter around nearby, creating a beautiful scene. Although the leaves on the trees are not yet fully grown, their vibrant green color adds to the beauty of the sky, which seems clear but has a slight haze. As dusk approaches, and as night falls, if you listen carefully, you might hear the faint cry of a cuckoo bird in the distance, although I'm not sure what that feeling is.

Modern Japanese Translation

On March 3rd, the sun shines brightly and peacefully. The peach blossoms are about to begin blooming. The willow trees will become increasingly beautiful from now on. Even the buds that are still wrapped in thin shells have a unique charm, but the appearance of leaves that have fully spread is not pleasing. After the flowers fall, they appear unpleasant. It is also charming to see beautifully bloomed cherry blossoms arranged in a large vase for an extended period. When someone wearing light pink clothing, whether it's a guest or a relative, looks at them, and if a son-in-law happens to be standing there, that scene is charming. The sight of birds and insects flying around gracefully is also charming. The leaves on the trees are not yet fully grown and have a youthful green hue. The view of the sky, unhindered by haze or fog, somehow lifts the spirits. If you hear the strange sound of a bush warbler chirping secretly during a slightly cloudy evening or night, what kind of feeling would it evoke to think that its voice is coming from so far away?

Clues for reading.

On March 3rd, when observing the spring scenery, pay attention to signs of peach blossoms beginning to bloom, willows wrapped in buds, and leaves on trees that are starting to turn green. Regarding willows, their appearance before the buds fully open is considered beautiful, while a state where the leaves have spread out or after the flowers have fallen is not preferred.

The attire consists of a light pink robe with an undergarment layered on top. Birds and insects are flying, and the gaze extends to the sky that cannot be separated by mist or fog. Finally, it shifts to the sound of the kuwuwaku (a type of cuckoo) calling in the twilight or at night, unnoticed by people. Sei Shōnagon concludes by questioning the feeling one experiences when hearing the faint voices of birds announcing early summer from afar.

Terms related to clothing

• Sakura-colored robe: The robe is a type of garment worn by high-ranking officials and those attending court ceremonies. Here, it depicts a sakura-colored robe with the undergarment visible through the overlapping layers.
• Shito: This refers to wearing multiple layers of clothing so that the collar or sleeves of the undergarment are visible from beneath the outer layer.

Hototogisu

The hototogisu is a bird that heralds the early summer. In this section, a scene is depicted where its call, which is often heard in the evening or at night while avoiding human eyes, can be faintly heard from afar.