<Go-Sekku in Japan and the featured Plants at Each One>

January 7 th — “Jinjitsu no Sekku,” also known as the Feast of the Seven Herbs of Health: Seri (dropwort), nazuna (shepherd’s purse), gogyo (cudweed), hakobe (chickweed), suzuna (turnip), suzushiro (Japanese radish), and hotoke no za (henbit).

March 3 rd — “ Jomi no Sekku,” known as the Hina Doll Festival: Peaches and mugwort.

May 5 th — “ Tango no Sekku,” known as the Children’s Day: Iris.

July 7 th — “Tanabata no Sekku” or the Star Festival: Dwarf bamboo and Japanese gourd.

September 9 th — “Choyo no Sekku,” known as the Chrysanthemum Festival: Chrysanthemum.

<Choyo no Sekku>
Although I have listed five seasonal festivals above, this article focuses on the Choyo no Sekku celebration which takes place on September 9 th. This particular festival is said to have originated sometime during the Nara Period (710 – 794 A.D.). It was originally a celebration of the fall harvest and Japanese farmers honored it by cooking chestnuts with rice . In addition, Japan was greatly influenced by China especially in the area of culture. Ancient Chinese beliefs that the “chrysanthemum has the power to ward off evil spirits and give us the youth and longevity” were assimilated into the harvest festival, and the flower became the centerpiece of the fall festivities. All this has enabled the Choyo no Sekku, also called the Chrysanthemum Festival, to take firm root in Japan.

In the beginning, the Chrysanthemum Festival was only a court function, a time when nobles enjoyed the beauty of chrysanthemum flowers, savored sake mixed with chrysanthemum petals, and composed poems utilizing a chrysanthemum theme. Some old documents in Japan record the custom of covering a chrysanthemum bud with a cotton ball on the night of September 8 th, in order for women to maintain their youthful skin by wiping their bodies with the cotton balls that had absorbed the nocturnal dew and scent of the chrysanthemum. All these wonderful Choyo no Sekku quaint customs, however, quickly collapsed after the Meiji Restoration in the late 19 th century. Nowadays, people hardly observe this particular Sekku, or festival, in the same manner. Traces remain in the form of local chrysanthemum-themed festivals, chrysanthemum contests, and poetry composed about the beauty of chrysanthemums. These festivals take place across Japan in October and November and people enjoy the various kinds of beautiful chrysanthemum flowers and dolls made out of chrysanthemums that are on display.