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「月代(つきしろ)」特に名月が上がる前に、白んでくる東の空のことをいいます。この言葉の意味を知るほどに古の日本人が、いかに「月」に思いを馳せていたか窺い知ることができます。

「無月」「雨月」という言葉もあります。「無月」は雲に隠されその姿が見えない月のこと。雨月は、同様に雨空で月が見えないことを表します。しかしどことなく明るい様を見て、その向こう側に月の存在を確かに感じ取ろうとする思いが伝わってきます。

楽しみに待ち侘びた良夜(十五夜・中秋の名月の夜)も過ぎれば、また一年待つことになります。しかし「名月」への思いは、節句の菖蒲や菊のように、過ぎると野暮とされることはありません。そんな「名月」を惜しむ言葉が多くあります。

名月を過ぎてなお、「十六夜」「立待月」「居待月」「臥待月(ふしまちづき)」「更待月(ふけまちづき)」と日に日に月の出が遅くなってゆく月に名前をつけていったことからも、月の名残にむける気持ちが伝わってきます。「宵闇」には、その暗闇と同じくらい深い思いが感じられます。「有明の月」に至っては新月となり、いよいよその姿を消してしまう直前まで「名月」を慈しむ思いは募ってゆきます。

“Tsukishiro” (月代) refers to the eastern sky as it begins to turn pale and luminous just before the full moon rises. The very existence of such a word offers a glimpse into how deeply the people of ancient Japan gazed upon the moon and cherished the emotions it inspired.

There are also expressions such as “Muzuki” (無月) and “Ugetsu” (雨月). Muzuki describes a moon hidden from view by clouds, while Ugetsu refers to a moon concealed behind a rainy sky. Yet even when the moon itself cannot be seen, the subtle brightness in the sky allows one to sense its presence beyond the clouds and rain. These words convey the quiet desire to feel the moon even when it remains unseen.

Once the long-awaited Ryoya (良夜) — the night of the full moon, particularly the harvest moon of the fifteenth night of autumn — has passed, another year must be awaited. Yet, unlike the seasonal flowers of traditional festivals, such as irises and chrysanthemums, the longing for the “Meigetsu” (名月), the celebrated autumn moon, was never considered out of place simply because the occasion had passed. Instead, the Japanese language is rich with expressions that convey a lingering affection for the moon.

Even after the full moon, names were given to each successive night as the moon rose later and later: “Izayoi” (十六夜臥), “Tachimachi-zuki” (立待月), “Imachi-zuki” (居待月),, “Fushimachi-zuki” (臥待月),, and “Fukemachi-zuki” (更待月),. The progression of these names reveals how deeply the people of old cherished the moon’s lingering presence. The expression “Yoiyami” (宵闇) — the darkness that settles in the early evening — seems to carry emotions as profound as the darkness itself. And with the “Ariake no Tsuki” (有明の月), the moon approaches the end of its cycle, gradually disappearing from the night sky. Yet, even until the moment before it vanishes into the darkness, the affection for the beloved Meigetsu continues to grow.

*White Dew / Autumnal Equinox : The traditional East Asian calendars divide a year into 24 solar terms. “White Dew” is the 15th solar term and begins on September 7, 2026. “Autumnal Equinox” is the 16th solar term and begins on September 23, 2026.