This time, I’d like to return to hanafuda once again.
The deck, which took its current form in the 19th century during the Edo period, beautifully captures the changing seasons.
But if you look closely, you may notice a subtle “mismatch” between the flowers depicted on the cards and the seasons as we experience them today.
This time, we’ll focus on the peony (botan), now in full bloom, and explore this curious discrepancy.
Wisteria in April, Peonies That Come “Too Early”
In hanafuda, peonies appear as the card for June.
They are depicted together with butterflies—an established motif known as “peony and butterfly.”
This pairing originated in Chinese art, where it symbolized beauty, prosperity, and elegance, and was later adopted and widely appreciated in Japan.
By the Edo period, it had become a familiar artistic theme, appearing in various forms of visual culture.
For example, the ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai also created works based on this motif.
On the cards, these flowers belong to different months—April and June.
In reality, however, wisteria and peonies reach their peak at almost the same time.
How the Hanafuda Calendar Actually Works
To understand this, we need a bit of background.
Hanafuda was designed based on the traditional lunar calendar used during the Edo period.
This calendar differs from today’s Gregorian calendar, often by about a month, depending on the year.
For example, the “fourth month” in the lunar calendar roughly corresponds to mid-May today.
At the same time, modern climate change has caused many flowers to bloom earlier than they did in the past.
These two shifts—calendar difference and earlier blooming—tend to cancel each other out.
As a result, many of the pairings still feel natural today:
- Plum blossoms for February
- Cherry blossoms for March
- Wisteria for April
All seem to align reasonably well with modern Tokyo’s seasonal sense.
And yet, a few details still feel slightly off—especially botan, the peony.
June in hanafuda corresponds roughly to July today.
But peonies actually bloom in April to May.
Even accounting for climate differences, the gap is too large.
They bloom alongside wisteria—and even earlier than the irises (May cards)—making their placement clearly inconsistent.
Why Is the Peony Assigned to June?
A small "botanical" mystery—one that, quite fittingly, centers on botan, the peony.
There is no single definitive answer, but many explanations point to the cultural status of the peony.
Originally introduced from China around the 8th century, peonies
were valued both for medicinal use and as ornamental plants.
Their large, luxurious blooms earned them the title “king of flowers,” and they became closely associated with courtly elegance.
Chinese artistic traditions also played a role.
In classical Chinese painting, peonies are often paired with lions in the motif known as “Karajishi Botan” (lion and peony).
It is, in a sense, a pairing of “king and king”—symbolizing power, prestige, and abundance.
Seen in this light, the peony is not just a seasonal flower.
It represents status, symbolism, and an idealized image of the season.
In the lunar calendar, January to March is considered spring, and April to June is summer.
And often, the end of a season is marked by placing the most prestigious element at its conclusion.
From this perspective, the peony may have been positioned as the final, crowning symbol of summer.
In other words, hanafuda does not simply reflect when flowers bloom—it expresses a more abstract idea of seasonality, shaped by meaning and cultural value.
A Place to Experience This “Mismatch”
— Nishiarai Daishi
So, can this “April wisteria, June peony” mismatch be experienced in real life?
In fact, there is a place in Tokyo where you can see both at once: Nishiarai Daishi, located in Adachi Ward.
Formally known as Sōji-ji Temple, it is a historic Buddhist temple associated with Kūkai, one of Japan’s most important religious figures.
It is well known for prayers for protection from misfortune and attracts many visitors throughout the year.
Within its grounds, a magnificent wisteria trellis—said to be around 700 years old—hangs overhead, its purple blossoms cascading down like a curtain.
At the same time, the temple is also famous for its peonies.
Thousands of large, vividly colored blooms fill the garden, each flower opening with a weighty yet dignified presence.
Even the sight of peonies floating in water basins or ponds adds to the experience.
The “Other Season” Inside Hanafuda
At Nishiarai Daishi, wisteria and peonies—separated on hanafuda cards—bloom side by side, as if nothing were unusual.
Hanafuda reflects not just nature, but the way people in Japan have long imagined and valued the seasons.
The slight shift of one or two months may be more than a simple discrepancy.
It may be a way of extending a fleeting moment—stretching the beauty of spring and early summer just a little longer.
Perhaps these cards do not depict reality, but an ideal.
And in places like Nishiarai Daishi, where wisteria and peonies bloom together,
we are given a glimpse of that “other season”—one that exists somewhere between nature and imagination.
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