Pulling Pine Seedlings (komatsu hiki)

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Pulling Pine Seedlings (komatsu hiki)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: New Year
***** Category: Observance
komatsubiki
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Explanation






Click on any of the dolls on this link to see the details!
© http://evagenji.hp.infoseek.co.jp/co-2002-12-9.htm

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On the first day of the rat, people used to go to the fields and pull out the first herbs and greens (nanakusa, see below), including small pine seedlings with the roots. This practise started in the late Nara period and enjoyed by the members of the aristocracy at court. It was a well-loved ceremony and appreas on many paintings, screens and scrolls.

Pines, which do not falter during frost and snow, are a symbol for long life. The small pine seedlings were thought to be sepecially auspicious.

The sliding door paintings of Reizei Tamechika 令泉為恭 (1823-64) in the temple Daijuji 大樹寺, Okazaki Town, are especially famous.



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Kigo related to this event

pulling out small pine seeldings, komatsu hiki　小松引
..... pulling pine seeldings, matsubiki　松引
.... young pine, wakamatsu 若松

first day of the rat, hatsune 初子
day of the rat 子の日
playing at the first rat day, ne no hi no asobi 子の日の遊び, 子日遊び

"small princess pine", hime komatsu 姫小松 ひめこまつ
..... "pine like a tea whisk", chasen matsu 茶筅松

pines of the day of the rat, ne no hi no matsu 子の日の松
greens of the day of the rat, ne no hi gusa 子の日草

dress for the day of the rat, ne no hi goromo　子の日衣

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WKD : The Asian Lunar Calendar Reference


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way

Hatsune, not to be mixed up with

"the first sound", hatsune 初音, a gentle lady in the Tale of Genji.

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HAIKU

公家の手に豆出かしたる子の日哉
kuge no te ni mame dekashitaru ne no ki kana

the hands of aristocrats
get corns ...
day of the rat

横井也有 Yokoi Yayuu
http://www.geocities.jp/haikunomori/yayu/haru02.html

Aristocrats and their ladies were not used to manual labour of any kind.

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Haiku by Issa

榎迄引抜れたる子の日哉
enoki made hiki-nukeretaru ne no hi kana

even a nettle tree
is uprooted...
first day of Rat

Pulling up a young pine tree on the first day of Rat is a custom that originated in China. Shinji Ogawa explains that its purpose was to bring good luck or longevity. Here, instead of a pine, someone indiscriminantly uproots a young nettle tree.


袴着て芝にころりと子の日哉
hakama kite shiba ni gorori to ne no hi kana

with his sword's sheath
curled to sleep on the lawn...
first day of Rat


小松引人とて人のおがむ也
ko matsu hiku hito tote hito no ogamu nari

yanking up
a little pine
he says a prayer

Issa (Tr. David Lanoue

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Related words

***** Pine (matsu, Japan) 松

***** Seven Herbs of Spring (haru no nanakusa) (Japan)


WKD: Ceremonies of Japan Nihon no Gyooji　日本の行事


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