The 12 months of the year are each represented by one of the 12 Zodiac signs. The purpose of this was to work as another means for telling what month it was, as well as for auspicious purposes.
Note that each of the months get a unique name when the Zodiac signs are used.
The following indicates which month each of the 12 Zodiac signs represent in the original older calendar, and the modern calendar.
MONTH NAME = Nezuki / Shigetsu (子月)
ZODIAC = Month of the mouse
OLD CALENDAR = November
MODERN CALENDAR = December
MONTH NAME = Chuugetsu (丑月)
ZODIAC = Month of the ox
OLD CALENDAR = December
MODERN CALENDAR = January
MONTH NAME = Ingatsu (寅月)
ZODIAC = Month of the tiger
OLD CALENDAR = January
MODERN CALENDAR = February
MONTH NAME = Uzuki (卯月)
ZODIAC = Month of the rabbit
OLD CALENDAR = February
MODERN CALENDAR = March
MONTH NAME = Shingetsu (辰月)
ZODIAC = Month of the dragon
OLD CALENDAR = March
MODERN CALENDAR = April
MONTH NAME = Shigetsu (巳月)
ZODIAC = Month of the snake
OLD CALENDAR = April
MODERN CALENDAR = May
MONTH NAME = Gogetsu (午月)
ZODIAC = Month of the horse
OLD CALENDAR = May
MODERN CALENDAR = June
MONTH NAME = Bigetsu (未)
ZODIAC = Month of the sheep
OLD CALENDAR = June
MODERN CALENDAR = July
MONTH NAME = Shingatsu (申月)
ZODIAC = Month of the monkey
OLD CALENDAR = July
MODERN CALENDAR = August
MONTH NAME = Yuugatsu (酉月)
ZODIAC = Month of the rooster
OLD CALENDAR = August
MODERN CALENDAR = September
MONTH NAME = Jutsugetsu (戌月)
ZODIAC = Month of the dog
OLD CALENDAR = September
MODERN CALENDAR = October
MONTH NAME = Gaigetsu (亥月)
ZODIAC = Month of the boar
OLD CALENDAR = October
MODERN CALENDAR = November
Return back to “Many Ways of Utilizing the Zodiac Signs“