「Japanese Name for February」

This is the second entry to introduce Japanese name for months.  As explained in the last entry, even in the highly-developed and civilized times, Japanese people value and practice the annual events and customs based on the lunar calendar.  This is why people still use the ancient names for months.  Well, it is now February and it is called in ancient Japanese names; Kisaragi.

There are several different origins why February started to be called “kisaragi,” but most commonly, it is said Kisaragi was first expressed in characters as 衣更着, meaning that people would put on clothes in layers to keep out the cold of February.  Also, it is believed to have originated from the seasonal changes from winter to spring expressed as 気更来.

Either one is not exactly reflected as shown in the current forms, 如月, which is said to have simply applied Chinese characters meaning the month of February.