Shiwasu
Monday 21 December 2009
In the old Japanese calender December was called "shiwasu" and this term is so often used even today more than any other month of the year. The word "shiwasu" (師走) is made of two kanji characters that mean "master" and "run", it means December is such a busy season that even a great master or priest must run to get everything done. Oh my goodness this shiwasu, I have not ever been busier!
Christmas, at the moment I can only get a glimpse of it, but it's coming this week!? I hope I can slow down a bit.. somehow. *sigh*
thanks for sharing a bit of Japanese history / word etymology. i like learning / picking up bits of info like this. I'll probably remember this more than if i read it in a textbook.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get to relax a little over the christmas holidays hiki! I feel the exact same as you do now. I have never been busier!
ReplyDeleteYour post reminded me of shiwasu, which I had forgotten about. We don't do shiwasu here like you guys do. All that cleaning and sorting out in time for New Year is really interesting to me. I use to watch Japanese run around like crazy in December.
ReplyDeletei know what you mean!
ReplyDeletehopefully soon things will slow down :)
hi jen,
ReplyDeletei'm glad to hear that :) i wish blogs were around when i was at school growing up! could've picked up and learned so much from them, don't you think??
hi Celine,
yes i do too! the thing is we don't get the christmas holidays in Japan instead we get the New Year holidays. i'm dreaming of a nice relaxing holidays in the new year!!
hi mizu designs,
yes shiwasu, crazy shiwasu! i think how everyone saying "ah shiwasu, so busy!" makes it even busier than it actually should be!!!
hi marie,
yes i hope so too (very badly!)
and i hope you will have a wonderful holidays!