(せっく)

せっく
noun
seasonal festival; traditional holiday
1. seasonal festival; traditional holiday
A traditional Japanese festival day marking seasonal transitions, originally derived from Chinese calendar customs. There are five major seasonal festivals throughout the year.
五月(ごがつ)節句(せっく)(いわ)う。
To celebrate the May seasonal festival.
(もも)節句(せっく)雛人形(ひなにんぎょう)(かざ)る。
We display hina dolls for the Peach Festival.
日本(にほん)には(いつ)つの節句(せっく)があり、それぞれに特別(とくべつ)料理(りょうり)(かざ)りがある。
There are five seasonal festivals in Japan, each with its own special foods and decorations.

Originally from Chinese customs marking seasonal turning points. The five major 節句(せっく) (五節句(ごせっく)) are:

  • 人日(じんじつ) (January 7) — Seven Herb Festival
  • 上巳(じょうし) (March 3) — (もも)節句(せっく) (Girls' Day / Doll Festival)
  • 端午(たんご) (May 5) — 端午(たんご)節句(せっく) (Boys' Day / Children's Day)
  • 七夕(たなばた) (July 7) — Star Festival
  • 重陽(ちょうよう) (September 9) — Chrysanthemum Festival

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • (もも)節句(せっく): Peach Festival (Girls' Day, March 3)
  • 端午(たんご)節句(せっく): Boys' Day (May 5)
  • 五節句(ごせっく): the five seasonal festivals
  • 節句(せっく)料理(りょうり): seasonal festival food
  • 節句(せっく)(かざ)り: seasonal festival decorations

CULTURAL NOTE:
The March and May festivals remain widely celebrated in modern Japan. Families with daughters display 雛人形(ひなにんぎょう) (hina dolls) in March, and families with sons display 鎧兜(よろいかぶと) (armor and helmets) or (こい)のぼり (carp streamers) in May.