September's Zodiac Animal: Tori (Rooster) – The Bird Month Announcing Autumn's Bounty
Japan has a calendar system called the Jūnishi (十二支), which assigns 12 different animals to months and years in sequence. While most people are aware of their birth year's animal, the zodiac animals are actually assigned not only to years, but also to months, days, and even times of day.
In the old lunar calendar, September (which roughly corresponds to early September to early October in the modern calendar) is the month of "Tori" (酉). The "Tori" here refers to what we now call a rooster or chicken. However, its original meaning comes from a pictogram representing a "sake pot" (酒壺, sakatsubo), signifying the time when sake was brewed from grains harvested in autumn.
The Meaning and Symbolism of "Tori"
Ranked tenth among the twelve zodiac animals, Tori symbolizes "harvest" and "ripening." In this season, as rice stalks turn golden and fruits sweeten, people have long expressed gratitude for nature's bounty through autumn festivals and harvest celebrations.
Tori is also known as a good luck charm for business prosperity. In particular, the "Tori no Ichi" (酉の市) market, a festival where decorative rakes are adorned with auspicious items to pray for business success and family safety, is held in various parts of Japan from autumn to winter. This custom dates back to the Edo period.
A Season to Discover Delicious Ingredients
In modern Japan, September marks the transition from summer to autumn. While some hot days still linger, the sky becomes high and clear, and it's the peak season for many agricultural products and fruits. Supermarkets and markets are filled with new rice, grapes, pears, and chestnuts, truly making it a "season of bounty." For travelers, it's an excellent time to enjoy autumn flavors and festivals.
Ikedaya Original Inden - Tori Pattern
Ikedaya offers a limited series of products combining the traditional craft of Koshu Inden with the twelve zodiac animals. In previous blog posts, we introduced the hitsuji (sheep) in July and the saru (monkey) in August.
This month, it's Tori (rooster).
The Tori design in the Ikedaya Original Inden Zodiac series features charming motifs of chickens, chicks, and eggs scattered across it.
No. 1002 Change Purse https://ikedaya-global.com/products/1002-change-purse-japanese-zodiac-inden
No. 2504 Card Case https://ikedaya-global.com/products/2504-card-case-japanese-zodiac-inden
No. 9854 L-Shaped Zipper Long Wallet https://ikedaya-global.com/products/9854-long-wallet-japanese-zodiac-inden
This pattern is popular not only among those born in the Year of the Rooster but also among collectors of chicken and chick-themed goods.
Other shapes are available at Ikedaya's physical stores in Japan
Ikedaya's physical stores in Japan (Ginza, Shizuoka, and Hamamatsu) carry many products not available on the global shopping site. Please stop by during your trip to Japan. We would be happy to help you find an item with the zodiac pattern corresponding to your birth year.
