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Hirohiko Shoda

ICHIGO ICHIE

THE PATH OF HAPPINESS

Japanese Holidays, Folklore, and Traditions

Contents

Introduction (1-34)
A Touch of Poetry
Interesting and Useful Information
The Japanese Calendar (35-87)
The Seasons - The 72 Pentads
Seasonal Festivals
Months - Days - Hours
Japanese Horoscope - National Festivals
Rites and Ceremonies
Rites Throughout Life
Memorial Day
The months January to December (88-465)
each:
A Touch of Poetry - Interesting Information
The Monthly Calendar - The Festivals of the Month
Two More Words
Concluding Remarks (465-466)
The Author (467-468)
Alphabetical List of Festivals (469-475)

Backcover

"ICHIGO ICHIE. It all begins with these two simple words with immense meaning: the art of appreciating the uniqueness of every single moment life offers us. This book contains a long list of stories, traditions, and events from across the Japanese calendar: day after day, we have the opportunity to capture precious moments to preserve and share, to learn and grow. Enjoy reading and discovering the secret of Japanese happiness!"

"Hirohiko Shoda was born in Nara, Japan, in 1977. He graduated from Japan's most prestigious culinary academy, where he specialized in Italian, Japanese, and international cuisine. He works in fine dining in Osaka and in Italy as a chef at Le Calandre in Padua, a three-Michelin-starred restaurant. A teacher and author of successful books, Chef Hiro is known to the public for his television and radio programs, as well as for his social media content, which has thousands of loyal followers. In 2019, he was officially named Ambassador of Japanese Cuisine in Italy."

The book was published by Mondadori in November 2024. It is lavishly and colorfully designed and illustrated with numerous drawings by Ikuko Nakai (under the pen name Manekiya). The author also contributed several photos from his childhood and youth, as well as more recent ones, always relevant to the respective theme.

Title and content

Chef Hirohiko Shoda has already published several books on Japanese cuisine. This book deals with Japanese culture as a whole. The title "Ichi go ichi e" with the addition "The Way to Happiness" seems a bit exaggerated at first glance. "Japanese Festivals, Folklore, and Traditions Throughout the Year" might have been more appropriate.

The book contains a vast amount of information about Japanese culture and lifestyle and also draws on current events such as the films "Perfect Days" by Wim Wenders and "The Boy and the Heron" by Hayao Miyazaki. All Japanese terms are also given in kanji, making them easy to identify. Unfortunately, the transliteration omits the distinction between short and long vowels (o, ō, u, ū), except in a few special cases.
Each monthly chapter begins with a haiku by Bashō, which is presented in kanji, romaji, and translation, and is then discussed. A "philosophical" term is then explained. The monthly calendar and its festivals are printed on an overview page. These are then described individually and in detail.
In the "Two More Words" section at the end of each month, the author addresses overarching themes of Japanese culture in a very profound way. The topics are: superheroes of jidaigeki, stories of cats and dogs, education and training in Japan, seasonal delights, Japanese arts and passions, Japanese superstitions, matsuri, Edo cuisine, secrets of long life, the culture of entertainment, reading and contemplation, the pleasure of conviviality.

And everything is exceptionally beautifully illustrated.

The book is an excellent compendium of Japanese culture and a treasure trove of interesting information for all Japan fans that is rarely presented so skillfully and comprehensively.

Wordplay

The dates for a number of festivals often follow the phonetic similarity of the festival name to the pronunciation of numbers. The numbers 1 to 10 have at least two pronunciations in Japanese: a Sino-Japanese one (on-yomi) and a traditional Japanese one (kun-yomi). This creates numerous phonetic possibilities for word formation.

Nashi no hi, the "Day of the Pear".
The sound "na" is borrowed from the number 7. In kun-yomi, seven is "nana," and in on-yomi, "shichi." The sound "shi" is borrowed from the number 4, kun-yomi "yon" and on-yomi "shi." 7 4 is thus a symbol for "nashi." "Nashi" is the Japanese word for "pear." The resulting date is then 7/4 (DD/MM), i.e., July 4th.
This festival is especially celebrated in Tottori Prefecture, where delicious pears are widely cultivated. The city of Kurayoshi even has its own pear museum.

But it can be even more complex.

いい夫婦の日, the "Day of the Harmonious Married Couple."
いい, pronounced "ii," means good, and in this case, harmonious. "fūfu" is a married couple.
The "i" is associated with the number 1, "ichi." Two "i"s equal two one, or 11. A phonetic similarity for "fu" is found in "futa(tsu)," which is the number 2 in kun-yomi. Two "fu" make twice 2 or 22. The resulting date is therefore 11/22, which is November 22nd.

Goroawase (語呂合わせ, "phonetic assignment") is a common form of Japanese wordplay. This involves combining similar-sounding words with a specific sequence of letters, numbers, or symbols to give them a new meaning. Commonly, goroawase is used as a mnemonic device, especially for memorizing numbers such as historical dates, scientific constants, and telephone numbers.

(The illustrations are from the book)