十三夜は１１月２日の晩

　今宵もきれいな月が出でます。今日は旧暦で９月１２日ですから、明日が十三夜です。満月より少し欠けた十三夜ですが、十五夜の次に美しいとされ、お月見をするようになりました。

　十五夜が中国伝来の風習であるのに対し、十三夜は日本で始まった風習といわれ、十五夜または十三夜のどちらか一方しか月見をしないことを「片見月」と言い、昔は縁起が悪いとされてました。

　更に、旧暦の１０月１０日の十日夜(とおかんや)と合わせ、3日間お月見ができると縁起が良いとされてました。十日夜は稲の刈り取りが終わった時期に収穫祭としてお祝いされてきたようです。今年の十日夜は、１１月２９日(土)です。

　私は縁起が良くないと困るので、十五夜、十三夜、十日夜とも(一杯戴きながら)月見をするつもりです。

Dear my Facebook friends

　Tonight, you can see beautiful moon. Today is September 12th on the lunar calendar, so tomorrow will be the 13th night moon. The 13th night moon which is slightly crescent compared to a full moon, is considered the second most beautiful night after the 15th night, therefore, people began to enjoy both moon viewing.

　While the 15th night is said a custom that originated in China, the 13th night is said to have originated since Heian period in Japan. Viewing the moon on only one of the 15th or 13th nights is called "katamitsuki" (half-viewing the moon), so that it was once considered unlucky.

　Furthermore, it was considered auspicious to be able to enjoy moon viewing for three nights, combining it with the 10th night moon (Toukan-ya) on October 10th on the lunar calendar. The 10th night has been celebrated as a rice harvest festival. This year, the 10th night moon will be on Saturday, November 29th.

　Because I want to be auspicious, so I plan to view the moon (while drinking one cup) on the 15th, 13th, and 10th nights.