The seven flowers of autumn - Aki-no-nanakusa(秋の七草）

Seven, the fourth prime number, must have magic in it. I sometimes wonder why the number seven is so popular around the globe. The seven days of the week, the seven colors of the rainbow, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, etc..

In Japan Aki-no-nanakusa(秋の七草）, literally, the seven flowers of autumn, have been popular since the latter half of the eighth century when Manyo-shu( 万葉集：Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves; a collection of waka-poetry) was compiled. Yamanoue-no-Okura（ 山上憶良 ）, a waka-poet, wrote a waka-poem on the seven autumn flowers which bloom in autumn in fields. ＊１

Since their appearance in the Manyo-shu, the seven autumn flowers have often been portrayed in paintings, poetry, literature, designs for pottery, lacquer ware, carvings and kimonos. The seven flowers are as follows:

The Ōtsuki Plain in Kai Province'甲斐大月の原)

by Utagawa Hiroshige, Edo period

Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (1852–1858)

秋草鶉図 （Autumn Flowers and Quails) detail, Sakai Hoitsu (酒井抱一）, Edo period

Yamatane Museum of Art

1.  Hagi (Lespedeza <Japanese bush clovers>)

Since the olden days, people have always loved to see tiny hagi petals drifting gently to the ground. Many poets have written waka and tanka poems and haiku on hagi. During the Edo period, hagi flower viewing was popular.

Hagi flower viewing, Suzuki Harunobu(鈴木春信）, Edo period 

Bush clover blossoms

Fall in the fields of

Frosted dew-

Soaks me as I go

Though it be the depths of night.  *2

Anonymous,  Kokin-shu（古今集） 452

四季花鳥図鑑(detail), Sakai Hoitsu, Edo period, Tokyo National Museum

2. Susuki  or Obana(Miscanthus sinensis<Japanese pampas grass>)

A vast stretch of susuki fields where susuki plumes were lit by a full moon must have been one of the most impressive sights for ancient people.

plumes of pampas grass--

the thin hearts

swishing    *3

Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶）

Susuki can be found on railway embankments even in modern Tokyo.

a railway bridge over the Edo River.

*4

Ogata Kenzan(尾形乾山 1663–1743）, Edo period, ↑　Ogata Kenzan is Ogata Korin's brother.

You can see Kenzan's some other works here.　

3. Kuzu(Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi , <Kudzu>)

Kudzu is considered a serious invasive plant in some countries, however, we have utilized its roots and vines since ancient times. The roots contain starch, and have eaten for a long time in Japan.

The powdered dried root called gé gēn (葛根) is one of the 50 fundamental herbs in China.  Gé gēn  is also often used in Japan as medicine at an early stage of a cold to treat fever and headache. Its dried vines are used to create fiber art such as baskets.  You can read about Kuzumochi, a cool sweet summer dessert here.



kudzu flower (right), photo from Wikipedia  


4. Nadeshiko (Dianthus superbus L.)

Of the Dianthusmany genus, the one in the seven flowers which grows naturally on dry riverbeds is Kawara-nadeshiko. The Nadeshiko Japan is our women’s national football team.

Kawara-Nadeshiko

Kitagawa Utamaro, Edo period

5. Ominaeshi (Patrinia scabiosifolia)

The bright yellow flowers of ominaeshi which belong to the Patrinia genus were once a common sight in the Japanese countryside. Nowadays, the number of wild plants is decreasing. The ones you can see below were in bloom in the Karuizawa Plateau in 2009.

6. Fujibakama (Eupatorium fortunei)

The real fujibakama which belongs to the genus Eupatorium is now designated an endangered species. Those you can find at garden shops are hybrid types which have been created by the cross-pollination of the original and Sawa-hiyodori. The white modest flowers you can see below are real fujibakama that I saw in the Koishikawa Botanical Gardens. The pale purple flowers are sawa-hiyodori that I saw in Oze Marsh last year. The dried fujibakama has a nice fragrance and it has been used as incense.



*5

Sawa-hiyodori(Eupatorium lindleyanum) were in bloom in Oze Marsh(2010)

from the Tale of Genji Scroll Vol.4 (detail)

7.　Kikyou(Platycodon grandiflorus, <balloon flowers>) or Asagao(morning glories)

The seventh flower of the Aki-no-nanakusa in the Manyo-shu is Asagao.  Asagao means morning glory though it has generally been regarded as kikyou, balloon flowers, since olden days. However, Suzuki Kiitsu（鈴木 其一）and Sakai Hoitsu(酒井抱一), masters of the Edo Rimpa school depicted morning glories instead of Kikyou in their paintings. Kikyou flowers have also been used as a design for emblems.

The Blue Kikyo,  水色土岐桔梗紋, Akechi Mitsuhide's(明智光秀）emblem.

秋草・月に波図屏風　Suzuki Kiitsu(鈴木其一), detail, Edo period

The seven flowers are just wild flowers but their simplicity and daintiness have always been loved. We once had countless fields where these flowers were blooming. Such fields in fact existed not only in rural areas but also around cities before the period of Japan's rapid post-war economic growth. Where have they gone?  Sadly, we have lost such species-rich semi-natural fields around cities because of development. 

You can also read about the seven flowers of autumn on  Urasenke's(裏千家） website.
Some botanical names on the website are different from those in this page. My source:  Koishikawa Botanical Gardens in Tokyo.

*Urasenke(裏千家）is one of the main schools of Japanese tea ceremony.

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Notes:

*1 秋の野に 咲きたる花を 指折り かき数ふれば 七種の花　

萩の花 尾花 葛花 なでしこの花 女郎花 また藤袴 朝がほの花 (Manyo-shu, Vol.8: 万葉集巻８）

Flowers blossoming
in autumn fields -
when I count them on my fingers
they then number seven
The flowers of bush clover, eulalia, arrowroot,
pink, patrinia,, also, mistflower, and morning faces flower.

Yamanoue Okura (C. 660 - 733)    
translated into English by the Urasenke Foundation(裏千家）

  *2 萩が花　ちるらむをのの　つゆしもに　ぬれてをゆかむ　さ夜はふくとも　古今集４５２　詠人不詳
translated into English by Thomas McAuley

*3  穂すすきや細き心のさわがしき　　(小林一茶）

translated into English by David G. Lanoue

*4 Flat Bowl with Butterflies and Japanese Pampas Grass Design, 18th century, Miho Museum 

*5 The Seven Flowers of Autumn, Sakai Hoitsu(酒井抱一）, Edo period

*I love this Hekigoto's brilliant haiku on susuki and Mt. Fuji.  It is out- of- copyright so you are free to translate it.

この道の 富士になりゆく 芒かな　　河東碧梧桐(1873-1937)   芒:susuki     

About the number seven, 　
 If you are interested in the number seven,
1 Defer has written an excellent post about the number seven.
2  Marc let me know about an interesting website on the Seven lucky gods.
3 helen let me know about a lovely song, Seven Spanish Angels.(youtube)

Thank you!