Japanese Months and Seasons
Navigate the Japanese Calendar & Seasonal Culture
Table of Contents
1. Overview & Calendar System
Japanese uses a logical numbering system for months – no irregular names like English!
January = 1st month, February = 2nd month, etc.
The Japanese Calendar System
Pattern: [Number] + 月 (gatsu/getsu) = Month
Seasons: Four distinct seasons with deep cultural significance
School Year: Starts in April (spring), not January
Fiscal Year: April to March for businesses and government
2. The Twelve Months
Spring (春)
March, April, May
さんがつ、しがつ、ごがつ
Summer (夏)
June, July, August
ろくがつ、しちがつ、はちがつ
Autumn (秋)
September, October, November
くがつ、じゅうがつ、じゅういちがつ
Winter (冬)
December, January, February
じゅうにがつ、いちがつ、にがつ
3. Four Seasons (四季 – Shiki)
Cherry blossoms, new beginnings, school year starts
Hot weather, festivals, summer vacation
Beautiful foliage, harvest season, comfortable weather
Snow, New Year celebrations, quiet reflection
4. Seasonal Culture & Traditions
Seasonal Foods (旬の食べ物)
| Season | Japanese | Typical Foods | Cultural Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring (春) | はるの たべもの | Sakura mochi, bamboo shoots, strawberries | Fresh starts, delicate flavors |
| Summer (夏) | なつの たべもの | Watermelon, kakigori (shaved ice), eel | Cooling foods, energy for hot weather |
| Autumn (秋) | あきの たべもの | Persimmons, chestnuts, sweet potato | Harvest abundance, warming flavors |
| Winter (冬) | ふゆの たべもの | Hotpot, mandarin oranges, mochi | Warming foods, family gatherings |
Major Seasonal Events
Spring: Cherry blossom viewing (花見 – hanami), school entrance ceremonies
Summer: Festivals (祭り – matsuri), fireworks (花火 – hanabi), Obon holiday
Autumn: Moon viewing (月見 – tsukimi), autumn leaves (紅葉 – kouyou)
Winter: New Year (正月 – shougatsu), end-of-year parties (忘年会 – bounenkai)
5. Pronunciation Guide
Month Pronunciation Rules
| Month | Reading | Notes | Alternative | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 四月 | しがつ | Use し not よん | – | Always |
| 七月 | しちがつ | Use しち not なな | – | Always |
| 九月 | くがつ | Use く not きゅう | – | Always |
• April = しがつ (not よんがつ)
• July = しちがつ (not ななつ)
• September = くがつ (not きゅうがつ)
These are exceptions to the normal number readings!
6. Usage Patterns
Asking About Dates
What month is it?
いまは なんがつですか？
Ima wa nangatsu desu ka?
It’s March.
いまは さんがつです。
Ima wa sangatsu desu.
Date Expressions
| Expression | Japanese | Romaji | Usage Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| This month | こんげつ | kongetsu | Current month |
| Next month | らいげつ | raigetsu | Following month |
| Last month | せんげつ | sengetsu | Previous month |
| Every month | まいつき | maitsuki | Monthly frequency |
Seasonal Expressions
Season Talk: Japanese conversation often includes seasonal references
あつくなりましたね。(It’s gotten hot, hasn’t it?) – Summer greeting
さくらが きれいですね。(The cherry blossoms are beautiful.) – Spring
もみじが きれいですね。(The autumn leaves are beautiful.) – Autumn
さむくなりましたね。(It’s gotten cold, hasn’t it?) – Winter greeting
7. Time Expressions with Months
Combining Months with Events
In April
しがつに
shigatsu ni
From March to May
さんがつから ごがつまで
sangatsu kara gogatsu made
During summer
なつの あいだ
natsu no aida
Academic Calendar Expressions
| Period | Japanese | Romaji | Months |
|---|---|---|---|
| New school year | しんがっき | shingakki | April |
| Summer vacation | なつやすみ | natsuyasumi | July-August |
| Winter vacation | ふゆやすみ | fuyuyasumi | December-January |
| Spring vacation | はるやすみ | haruyasumi | March |
8. Cultural Events by Month
Monthly Highlights
| Month | Major Events | Japanese Name | Cultural Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | New Year | しょうがつ | Most important holiday |
| March | Graduation | そつぎょうしき | School year end |
| April | Cherry Blossoms | さくら | New beginnings |
| May | Golden Week | ゴールデンウィーク | Multiple holidays |
| July | Tanabata | たなばた | Star festival |
| August | Obon | おぼん | Ancestor remembrance |
| November | Autumn Leaves | こうよう | Nature appreciation |
| December | Year-end parties | ぼうねんかい | Social gatherings |
Seasonal Awareness in Daily Life
Weather Greetings: Japanese people commonly start conversations with seasonal observations
Seasonal Foods: Restaurants change menus based on seasons
Clothing: Specific seasonal clothing transitions (衣替え – koromogae)
Business: Many events planned around seasonal calendar
9. Practice & Examples
Daily Conversations
Planning Events:
A: かいぎは いつですか？
When is the meeting?
B: らいげつの じゅうごにちです。
It’s on the 15th of next month.
A: なんがつですか？
What month?
B: しがつです。
April.
Seasonal Conversation Examples
| Season | Common Phrase | Romaji | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | あたたかくなりましたね | atatakaku narimashita ne | It’s gotten warm |
| Summer | あつですね | atsu desu ne | It’s hot, isn’t it |
| Autumn | すずしくなりました | suzushiku narimashita | It’s gotten cool |
| Winter | さむいですね | samui desu ne | It’s cold, isn’t it |
Memory Techniques
Number Pattern: Remember months are just numbers + がつ
1月、2月、3月… (いちがつ、にがつ、さんがつ…)
Seasonal Grouping: Remember which months belong to each season
Spring: 3-4-5, Summer: 6-7-8, Autumn: 9-10-11, Winter: 12-1-2
Cultural Events: Associate months with major events
April = Cherry blossoms, August = Summer festivals, etc.
10. Quick Reference Guide
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Essential Time Vocabulary
| English | Japanese | Romaji | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| What month? | なんがつ？ | nangatsu? | Asking |
| This month | こんげつ | kongetsu | Current |
| Next month | らいげつ | raigetsu | Future |
| Last month | せんげつ | sengetsu | Past |
| Season | きせつ | kisetsu | General |
| What season? | なんの きせつ？ | nan no kisetsu? | Asking |
Grammar Patterns
In [Month]: [Month] + に
Example: しがつに がっこうが はじまります。
School starts in April.
During [Season]: [Season] + に
Example: なつに およぎます。
I swim in summer.
From [Month] to [Month]: [Month] から [Month] まで
Example: しがつから ろくがつまで はるです。
Spring is from April to June.
Seasonal Calendar Mastery!
You’ve learned the Japanese calendar system and the beautiful seasonal culture that flows through Japanese life. Now you can navigate dates, seasons, and cultural events with confidence!
Months & Seasons Quiz
Test Your Knowledge of Japanese Calendar & Culture
Exercise 1: Basic Month Recognition
What is 四月 in hiragana?
Explanation: April is しがつ, not よんがつ. This is one of the special month readings.
Exercise 2: Season Recognition
Which season is なつ?
Explanation: なつ (夏) means summer, the hot season from June to August.
Exercise 3: Month Pattern
How do you say “September”?
Explanation: September is くがつ (九月), using く not きゅう for the number 9.
Exercise 4: Seasonal Months
Which months belong to spring (はる)?
Explanation: Spring (はる) includes さんがつ、しがつ、ごがつ (March, April, May).
Exercise 5: Cultural Event
When is the Japanese school year start?
Explanation: Japanese school year starts in April, coinciding with spring and cherry blossom season.
Exercise 6: Time Expressions
How do you say “this month”?
Explanation: こんげつ = this month, らいげつ = next month, せんげつ = last month.
Exercise 7: Special Reading
Which month has a special reading different from the regular number?
Explanation: July uses しち instead of なな for the number 7, making it しちがつ.
Exercise 8: Season Kanji
What does the kanji 冬 represent?
Explanation: 冬 (ふゆ) represents winter, the cold season from December to February.
Exercise 9: Cultural Knowledge
What major event happens in August (はちがつ)?
Explanation: Obon is a major summer festival in August when families honor their ancestors.
Exercise 10: Seasonal Greeting
What would you say when it gets hot in summer?
Explanation: あつですね means “It’s hot, isn’t it?” – a common summer greeting.
Exercise 11: Month Order
What comes after じゅうがつ?
Explanation: After じゅうがつ (October) comes じゅういちがつ (November).
Exercise 12: Golden Week
When does Golden Week (ゴールデンウィーク) occur?
Explanation: Golden Week is a series of holidays in late April and early May.
How did you do?
Check your answers by selecting options above. Each correct answer will show in green!
