Topics Related to the Lunar Calendar

Inreki (陰暦), called “Lunar Calendar” in English, is part of Japan’s old calendar system. As it is greatly influenced by different teachings of old based on superstitious matters and fortune-telling. Inreki was used at a time in Japan for several purposes, which includes understanding the moon phases, the progression of the seasons, and defining the months of the year.

Below are translations about different topics, such as the cycle of the moon and the yearly seasonal progression. Note that the inreki is dated and does not play a role in Japan’s modern society. This is merely for research purposes, and to understand how it was used for the above purposes. Information from the “Joyo Kokugo Binran” (常用国語便覧, Useful Vocabulary for Everyday Use), a textbook published by Hamajima Shoten designed for high school students in Japan, was used for the following translation project.


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