Section 2: The Time of Year - New Year's Customs and Laughter in the Imperial Palace

Original Text

Koro attaches names to all months: New Year's, March, April and May, July, August and September, October, and December. It is a wonderful year.

On the first day of the New Year, the scenery in the sky was unusually clear and beautiful. It seemed as if all the important people in the world were preparing themselves both physically and mentally, celebrating not only their own lives but also those of others, which was particularly remarkable.

On the seventh day, young vegetables are picked from among the snow, and in a place that is not particularly close or noticeable, there is excitement. The villagers prepare their carriages to go see the white horses. As they enter through the gate, all the people gather together in one place, and even hair combs fall out. Because things don't always go as planned, everyone laughs, which is quite amusing.

In places like the Saemon's camp, where many nobles were present, and servants would shoot arrows to startle the horses and cause laughter, even a brief glimpse revealed that the main hall officials, female attendants, etc., were behaving inappropriately. While one might wonder how such important people could be so accustomed to standing in such close proximity, the view was extremely limited, and the faces of the servants became clear, while areas where white clothing would normally be visible appeared dark, giving a feeling like snow melting on a black garden, which was quite unsettling. The commotion caused by the horses was frightening, making it difficult to observe properly.

On the eighth day, people were rejoicing and running around excitedly, and the sound of cars was also noticeable, more so than usual.

On the fifteenth, it is the festival of mochi-kuyu (rice porridge). The branches of a persimmon tree are hidden, and preparations are made for the household members, including wives, so that they will not be aware. It is a beautiful sight to see them constantly looking back, as if anticipating something. However, when I think about it, there is a woman who seems to have been secretly chosen by me and placed in this position. The people standing in front know what's happening and laugh quietly, calling her "anakama" (close friend). But she doesn't recognize me, looks confused, and remains silent. When someone says, "Let's find something different," they run away, and everyone laughs as much as they can. Even the men are not disgusted by this; instead, they look at her with affection and laugh. It is surprising to see how she blushes slightly, which is also amusing. They even hit each other playfully, sometimes including the men. No matter what their intentions may be, it's interesting to see them cry, curse the person who hit them, and speak in a roundabout way. Today, everyone is acting disorderly and without any formality.

Modern Japanese Translation

In terms of seasons, there is the Lunar New Year, March, April and May, July, August and September, October, and December. Each month has its own unique charm, making it interesting throughout the year.

On New Year's Day, the sky is particularly clear and serene, feeling fresh and different from usual, with mist covering everything. It seems that all sorts of people in this world are not only tidying up their appearance and demeanor but also preparing their hearts, and it is quite interesting to see them celebrating both those they serve and themselves.

On the seventh day, young vegetables emerge from between the snow in a vibrant green color. Normally, they are not considered particularly precious and are placed nearby, but on this day, everyone makes a big fuss about them. People from the capital prepare their carriages beautifully to watch the Shirabyoshi festival and go to the palace for sightseeing. When the carriages pass over the threshold of the inner gate and enter, the heads of the women inside bump together as if they were all in one place, and even hair combs fall out; if you're not careful, they can break. It is also amusing to watch this happen.

At places like the Saemon's camp, many high-ranking officials are standing, and the retainers take away the bows of the attendants, startling the horses and causing laughter. When one glances inside just a little, figures like the Tachiai can be seen, and around them, chief palace administrators and female court officers are moving about, which is very interesting to observe. One cannot help but imagine how many people of high status must be familiar with walking through this vast Imperial Palace complex.

However, the area visible from here is very small. The servant's face is exposed to the skin, and where white cosmetics have not been applied, it looks like snow melting unevenly on a pitch-black garden, which is extremely unsightly. Because the horses are jumping around and making noise, I feel uneasy, so I am pulled back further in, and I cannot observe enough.

On the eighth day, people run around and celebrate with joy, and the sound of cars is even more noisy than usual, which is interesting.

On the fifteenth day, there is a festival for mochi porridge. A "mochi tree" is hidden, and those among the ladies-in-waiting who are likely to be struck by it tense up, always watching their backs. This scene itself is amusing. Because they don't understand the circumstances, some of the ladies-in-waiting look anxiously at the hiding place, thinking that perhaps it will happen to them. The person in front knows that someone is hidden deep inside and smiles knowingly. They try to signal for her to hide with a gesture like "Shhh," but she pretends not to know and sits there blankly. She might say something like, "Let's have some special treats," and then run away after being struck, causing everyone present to laugh. The young man is not hateful; he has an endearing smile, and his lack of surprise, along with the slight blush on his face, is charming. They continue to strike each other, even hitting men. What feelings are they expressing? It's interesting how some cry, hate the person who struck them, and say nonsensical things. The atmosphere feels very refined, like something from the imperial court. Today, everyone is in a state of disarray, and there is no sense of formality.

Reading about events.

Mochi porridge and its seasonal customs, and the "okashi no ki" (tree of rice).

On the fifteenth day of the New Year, during the mochigayu (rice porridge with mochi) festival, people eat a porridge made with rice cakes. In this scene, a wooden stick used to stir the porridge while it's cooking is hidden, and there is a custom of using it to hit people. The wife worries about being hit, the people are playing pranks, the lord pretends not to know anything, and everyone laughs. This depicts the annual events in the palace as lively places for playful activities.

The Festival of Young Vegetables and White Horses on the Seventh Day

On the seventh day of New Year's, fresh vegetables are picked, and at the Imperial Palace, the "Hakuba" festival is held. "Hakuba" is read as "aoi uma," and in this event, the Emperor observes horses. A description states that when viewing carriages cross the threshold of the gate, they shake so much that even combs fall out, conveying the splendor of the annual event and the excitement of those who come to watch.

From the sky of New Year's Day, to a scene where everyone is laughing.

At the beginning, a beautiful moon is mentioned, and an overview of the entire year is presented. From the clear sky and haze on New Year's Day to the young vegetables gathering and the white horse festival on the seventh day, and the movement of people and the sound of vehicles on the eighth day, the focus shifts from nature to the people gathered for various events, such as the mochi rice ceremony on the fifteenth. Even in the noble court, at the beginning of the year, there are expressions that can be described as "everyone is relaxed and not formal," showing a different kind of familiar atmosphere than usual.

"You" refers to a high-status person who commands respect from those around them. Here, it can be read as someone who feigns ignorance of the mischievous commotion and brushes it off casually.