明日は七草ですね。

Tomorrow January 7th is Nanakusa Festival of Seven Herbs.

The Festival of Seven Herbs, or Nanakusa no sekku, is the long-standing Japanese custom of eating seven-herb rice porridge (nanakusa-gayu) on January 7th.

春の七草なんて言いますが、実は七草と書いた場合は秋の七草のことなんだそうです。

There is considerable variation in the precise ingredients, with common local herbs often being substituted.

小正月1月15日のものも七種と書いて「ななくさ」と読みますが、一般的には7日正月のものが七草です。

The seventh of the first month has been an important Japanese festival since ancient times. The custom of eating nanakusa-gayu on this day, to bring longevity and health, developed in Japan from a similar ancient Chinese custom, intended to ward off evil.

現代では本来的意味がわからなくなり、風習だけが形式として残り1月7日に「七草粥」が食べられるようになったと言われています。

Since there is little green at that time of the year, the young green herbs bring color to the table and eating them suits the spirit of the New Year.