A Japanese miscellany - University of Oregon

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Songs of Japanese Children 199
Kugwatsu, —
Kiku-tsuki
Jiugwatsu, —
Shimotsuki
Ebisu-ko
;
Shiwasu
Kokono yo de
Itcho yo
First Month, Gate-Pinetree ; ^—-Second Month, First
Day-of-tIie-Horse;2 — Third Month, Girls' Festival;"—
Fourth Month, the August SSkyamuni ; *— Fifth Month,
Flags;" Sixth Month, Festival of the tutelar God;^ —
Seventh Month, Festival of the Weaver ; ' — Eighth Month,
Festival of the First Day; — Ninth Month, the Month of
Chrysanthemums ; — Tenth Month, Festival of Ebisu ; ' —
The Frost Month; — The Last Month; — Nine strokes
given — now one cbo is now completed.
' The Kadomatsu, or "Gate-Pine," is planted before the main en-
trance of a tiouse on the first day of the new year.
2 This is the great festival of the Rice-God ; — the term Hatsu-uma,
or " First Horse-Day," signifies only seventh day, each day of the old
month being named after one of the twelve Signs of the Zodiac.
3 Also called the Festival of Dolls.
* The Birthday of the Buddha is celebrated on the eighth day of the
fourth month.
s This is the Boys' Festival. Mobori are flags, bearing symbolic
designs, and are hoisted in celebration of the birth of a son. In Tokyo
paper or cotton figures of carp-fish are used in lieu of nobori.
* Tcnno is the name usually given to the guardian-deity of a city ot
district.
' The Weaver is the Star Vega.
8 Patron-God of Labor.