Weather proverbs - Tenkirigen

Japanese: 天気俚諺 - てんきりげん

[Things related to the weather and agriculture]
Rainy years, persimmons, and chestnuts mean that in rainy years, there are more persimmons, and in dry years, there are more chestnuts. Similar expressions include "rainy loquat, rainy plum" (Kyoto region), "drought pumpkin, rainy gourd", "drought pumpkin, rainy azuki bean" (both from Niigata prefecture), "kuke (rainy) chestnut, rainy sesame" (Nagano prefecture), and "rainy squid, rainy octopus" (Yamaguchi prefecture).

In the Shirakawa region of Fukushima Prefecture, bonito caught off the coast of Joban were brought over the mountains on packhorses, but this slowness of the catch caused bad luck. Bonito is a warm-water fish, and its slowness reflects the movements of the Kuroshio Current.

A year with a lot of thunderstorms is called a bumper harvest in Tochigi Prefecture. The number of thunderstorm days in the prefecture from July to September is roughly parallel to the rice yield.

There are many proverbs that say that if the spring is hot, it means a good harvest, and if it is cold, it means a poor harvest. On the other hand, there is also the proverb that says, "If the cherry blossoms bloom later than usual, it means a poor harvest."

Light snow means poor harvest. On the other hand, the saying "heavy snow means good harvest" does not hold true in areas with heavy snowfall. Light snow is more likely to result in poor harvest.

This was statistically proven by warm winters and cool summers meteorologist Hidetoshi Arakawa.

This haiku-style poem describes the weather in a year with light rain in spring, sudden showers in summer, and a drought in autumn, resulting in a good rice harvest.

See the wisteria blossoms and sow cotton. Wisterias are in full bloom around mid-May. This proverb means that this is the season for sowing cotton seeds. Similar proverbs include "When the pear blossoms bloom, sow foxtail millet" (Wakayama Prefecture) and "When the bamboo shoots fall off, sow foxtail millet" (Oita Prefecture).

At six years old there is a famine, at twelve years old there is a drought.
This means that famines occur once every six years, and poor harvests occur once every 12 years. Cold damage and poor harvests are periodic and occur in clusters. The six-year cycle is related to ocean fluctuations, while the 12-year cycle parallels solar activity. The cold damage in Hokkaido is said to be on par with the Olympic Games, which indicates a four-year period. Neither cycle is strict.

[Related to seasonal characteristics]
The weather in autumn is fuku, furu, fuku, don. "Don" means fine weather, and is used in the Owari and Mikawa regions (Aichi Prefecture). This describes the cyclical changes in autumn weather.

The autumn westerly winds do not blow for more than two days at this time, and because high pressure over the continent has not yet developed, the westerly winds, which are winter seasonal winds, do not last long.

The expression " The rainy season ends when thunder rumbles " is incorrect. It should be "The end of the rainy season is often accompanied by thunder." This is because there is plenty of thunder even during the rainy season.

Shigure Mikka (Three Days of Rain) is a term used in the Misaki region of Kanagawa Prefecture. It refers to the fact that once it starts raining, it continues for about three days.

October's Woman's Threatening: This refers to the weather that suddenly turns cold in October, making women who are not prepared for winter panic. This is said in the Nagato region of Yamaguchi Prefecture. However, the cold weather at that time does not last long, and subsides in about two days.

Spring, South, Autumn, North
It means that in spring, when the wind blows from the south, the weather is good, and in autumn, when the wind blows from the north, the weather is often sunny.

Daishi rainy weather, Tenjin weather
In Kyoto, if it rains on Kobo-sama's day (21st), it will be sunny on Tenjin-sama's day (25th), and if Kobo-sama's day is sunny, Tenjin-sama's day will be rainy. A similar example can be seen in Tokyo, where the weather is reversed at Konpira Shrine and Suitengu Shrine. Torahiko Terada thought that this reflected the seven-day cycle of the weather. In the Meiji era, there was a proverb that said "Oyama rain and Togo weather." During the Russo-Japanese War in 1904-1905, it rained on the day of Admiral Oyama's triumphal procession, but it was always sunny on the day of Admiral Togo's. In Yamaguchi Prefecture, there is a proverb that goes "Tsuitachi weather, three days of rain."

The end of the rainy season is when the jet stream disappears.This is a new weather proverb created by meteorologist Takahashi Koichiro.

During the rainy season , when it gets brighter, it rains. During the rainy season, when there is little rain, there is also little sunshine, and the opposite tendency is observed. There is a proverb in Yamaguchi Prefecture that was created after noticing this: "The redder (brighter) the weather and leprosy during the rainy season, the worse it is." This is a noteworthy phenomenon.

Winter solstice, mid-winter, beginning of winter
The winter solstice is the middle of winter according to the calendar, but it is only at the winter solstice that it actually gets cold and winter begins.

Also called herring clouds or herring skies. The gloomy weather occurs when herring are caught. In Yoichi, Hokkaido, it is said to occur around March, in the Rumoi region it occurs in late April, and in the Kitami region it occurs after May.

High temperatures in spring, high temperatures in summer . A new proverb by Koichiro Takahashi. It means that high temperatures in spring will continue into summer.

Higan West Wind
A vestige of the winter monsoon that blows around the spring equinox. There is a temporary return of cold.

The 110th day frost, or the "88th night farewell frost," applies to the plains west of the Kanto region. In northern Japan, the last frost occurs later, around the 110th day after the start of spring.

Wandering typhoon is a new meteorological proverb coined by Takahashi Koichi in August .

[Related to special days]
The autumn equinox is an unlucky day for farmers
Although the 210th day is known as an unlucky day, it is not a day when typhoons are particularly likely to strike. The days when typhoons are likely to strike are September 17th and 25th, which are around the beginning and end of the autumn equinox.

Large fires are likely to occur on March 24th , with April 23rd and May 20th also considered favorable days for fires.

Daishi-ko Ara means stormy weather on November 23rd of the lunar calendar. The following day, the 24th, is called "Daishi-san no Ato Kakushi" and snow often falls in the village. It is one of the special days that appeared in the lunar calendar.

[Related to weather changes throughout the day]
In the morning, the wind blows from the east, in the afternoon the wind blows from the west, and in the evening the wind blows from the northwest of Kitakyushu . This is the change in wind direction when the weather is stable. Here, the wind blows from the east, and in the evening the wind blows from the south. If the wind changes like this, the weather will be fine.

Morning clouds When I woke up in the morning , the sky was completely covered with rain clouds, and it looked like it was about to rain. On the weather chart on TV, a low pressure system was seen approaching the southern coast of Honshu, and at that time, some black nimbos clouds were moving quickly from the southeast. It looked ominous and I thought the weather was going to get very bad, but it didn't actually get that bad, and it was often cloudy with occasional sunny spells during the day, and at worst it was just a light rain.

The calm before the storm There are areas of low vorticity around a typhoon, where the wind is weak. This was discovered by meteorologist Shigekata Shono.

Heavy frost falls on the third day of rain. Heavy frost falls when there is a moving high pressure system. After this high pressure system passes, a low pressure system will come on the third day and bring rain. On the other hand, there is a proverb that says, "Heavy frost will fall on the third day of a west wind." This proverb focuses on the cyclical changes in the weather.

If you can clearly hear the sound of the bell, it will rain. This is an ancient proverb, and by region, for example, in southern Tochigi Prefecture, it is said that "the weather will change when you hear the sound of the bell from Mt. Tsukuba in the mornings and evenings." It is also said that "when you can clearly hear the echo, it will be sunny, and when it rings dullly, it will rain." In Shimotsuga County, Tochigi Prefecture, it is said that "when you hear the sound of trains on the Tohoku Line, it will rain." In this region, the weather is further discerned by the direction from which the sound is coming: "When you can hear the sound of the Tobu Sano Line, it will be sunny, and when you can hear the Tobu Nikko Line, it will rain." Another proverb related to acoustics is, "When the sound of the shamisen drums becomes muddy, it is a sign of rain."

Do not go near large trees when thunder is rumbling . There are various rules for avoiding lightning, but farmers have long been said to "not pick up a hoe or sickle when thunder is rumbling."

Drizzle: Small droplets of water wet the body, so when you step into the drizzle, you get soaked right to the inside.

In the Chugoku region, they say that if a cloudy day is hazy it will rain, and if a rainy day is hazy it will be sunny .

This proverb, " A shower in the early morning clears up, " is often used in the summer in areas close to the coast. In the past, it was also said that "A woman rolls up her sleeves in the morning rain." In Tochigi Prefecture, there are other proverbs such as "A cloudy morning in a drought," "When the morning fog is thick, it doesn't rain," and "On days with thick morning fog, there will be thunder." In the past, farmers would say, "You don't need a raincoat in the morning rain."

Edo will be clear once the low pressure system in Hachijo has passed, according to weather forecast rules compiled by Takahashi Koichi.

It refers to the cloudy summer mornings and the sunshine during the day that make bald heads cry .

Strong winds from the west blow stronger at night, while northerly winds die down at night. Usually there are proverbs saying "The west wind blows all day long," which states that the west wind dies down at night, but in places such as the south of Boso in Chiba Prefecture, the opposite is true in some places.

"Water comes as a surprise" is a proverb that has been used since the early Edo period, and from a meteorological perspective, heavy rain and torrential rain occur far more frequently at night, about twice as often as during the day.

Weather conditions 30 minutes before sunrise This is something that Fujiwara Sakuhei, known as the weather expert, taught to his students. During the day, convection currents between the top and bottom become active and the air layer becomes turbulent, so it is important to keep a close eye on the sky before that happens.

Falling mist, shining mist, falling mist of shining mist. This is a masterpiece of a weather proverb that has been around since the Edo period. When mist falls from above, it will be sunny during the day. Conversely, when mist appears as if rising from below, it will eventually rain. It is something that mountain climbers should keep in mind.

It is said that the twinkling of the stars is a sign of strong winds all over the world. The flickering of the stars is due to disturbances in the strong winds at high altitudes, which eventually reach the earth's surface.

A new proverb compiled by Takahashi Koichirō for when landslides occur and more than 100mm of rain falls .

Night thunder is thought to be caused by a front or low pressure system other than solar radiation. Such a state can take the form of stagnation, and can result in long rain. It is also said that "When there is no rain, it is a strong wind, and when it rumbles into the ocean, it rains, and the rest of the thunder governs clear skies. When there is thunder in the east, it is a strong wind, in the west it is clear skies, in the south it is a strong wind, in the north it is a south wind, in the northwest it is rain, and when there is turbulence and flashing, it is wind" (according to Koda Rohan's "Suijōgoi").

[Cloud-related things]
When sheet clouds appear, the wind gets stronger. Sheet clouds are flat clouds like a board, or lenticular clouds, that appear when the wind is strong in the sky. They are known in southern Chiba Prefecture.

In the Tokai region, they say that Inui Fuji is poorly grown, while Hitsuji Saru Fuji is well grown . Fuji refers to clouds that grow in tufts. It is said that tufted clouds growing from the Inui (northwest) direction indicate rain, while tufted clouds growing from the Mishin (southwest) indicate continued sunny weather. Kameo Ito showed that this can also be inferred from the structure of low pressure systems.

Unzen waist wrap Aso hood
A folk proverb says that if clouds like a woman's loincloth (also called cirrus clouds) hang over Mount Unzen, it will rain, and if clouds like a hood (kasagumo clouds) hang over Mount Aso, it will rain. A similar proverb is, "When a white band of clouds hangs over Mount Nasu, it will rain" (Tochigi Prefecture). There is also the proverb, "Nikko's loincloth lasts for three days." In this case, the loincloth refers to clouds that appear at around 1,500 to 2,000 meters. This proverb is said in the Utsunomiya area of Tochigi Prefecture.

A cold vortex is a good sign of heavy rain and snow. Recently, with the increasing use of upper-level weather charts, it has become clear that when a cold vortex appears in the upper atmosphere, the air layer will invert up and down more violently, resulting in heavy rain and snow. A new proverb that caught the attention of Koichiro Takahashi.

This phenomenon is said to occur mainly in Echigo (Niigata Prefecture), where sunny skies continue when dashi clouds appear . When the air currents over the mountains pass the mountain peaks, small, white, cotton-like cumulus clouds called dashi clouds slide down from the mountains. At this time, the temperature rises and the air becomes dry. This is a type of föhn phenomenon.

When ascending and descending clouds fly in opposite directions , it means that there is a discontinuity in the upper atmosphere, which eventually leads to frontal weather.

When a cap cloud covers Mount Fuji, it will either rain or wind the next day . It is possible to estimate from the shape of the cap cloud whether it will rain or wind.

[Mountain weather-related]
Clouds on the green mountains Green mountains are when the mountains are still green. If snow falls early at such times, it often means a warm winter with little snow. When we looked into years when the first snow fell early on Mount Hakkoda in Aomori Prefecture, we found that January was warm, and this was statistically confirmed.

The saying "When you look through a window on Mount Akagi, you see rain " refers to the fact that even if the summit is covered in clouds, the saddle of the mountain range is clear and you can see the blue sky. It is also said that "When you look through a window on Mount Bandai, you see rain."

When the smoke from Asama falls to the west, it means rain, and when it falls to the east , it means clear skies. This is how the weather is predicted by the upper air currents, and it is in accord with the laws of meteorology. The same thing is said about the volcanoes Aso, Sakurajima, and the sacred fires of Izu Oshima.

Uchiage (uchiage) is a sign of clear skies. The wind blowing from Shinshu (Nagano Prefecture) towards Ecchu (Toyama Prefecture) is called Uchiage, and the wind blowing from Ecchu to Shinshu is called Sotoage. Uchiage is a sign of clear skies, and Sotoage is a sign of storms. During the day, when Uchiage blows, the valley wind is blowing smoothly and the weather is good, but when the valley wind breaks down and blows in the opposite direction, it means that a low pressure system is approaching, which is also meteorologically correct.

In Shinshu, they say that in years when the snow melts quickly, you shouldn't rush to plant crops . Koma refers to Mount Kiso Komagatake. It means that in years like that, snow will fall again, so don't rush to plant crops.

Notori
In early spring, the shape of the remaining snow on the mountain is used as a guide for when to start farm work and to judge the weather thereafter. There are cases where the shape of the remaining snow itself is looked at (positive), and cases where attention is focused on the rock surface exposed by the remaining snow (negative), and shapes that can be seen include birds, animals, fish, plants, furniture, letters, and people. For example, on the southern slope of Mt. Hakkoda in Aomori Prefecture, a black kite-shaped remaining snow appears, which is used to predict the harvest. Yamanashi Prefecture has Mt. Notori, and when Mt. Fuji is viewed from the Yamanashi side, a farming bird is seen there and used to predict the farming season. In addition, on Mt. Hachibuse in Nagano Prefecture, the remaining snow is seen as a goose, and on Mt. Hakuba Yari-ga-take, the remaining snow is seen as a crane's neck or a pair of chickens. Also, when an old man is seen sowing seeds there, it is sometimes called "seed sowing okko" or "seed sowing jissa." The shape of the snow reflects upper-air weather and is to a certain extent scientifically sound.

Mountain showers are not accompanied by the heavy rain showers that are characteristic of the most frightening thunderclouds, so when you think the thunderclouds are still far away, you can suddenly be struck by electricity in the mist or dark clouds.

For example , when Mount Tsukuba is clearly visible in Tokyo, the wind will soon be blowing from the direction of Tsukuba. When the wind is blowing from the side of Mount Fuji, that direction is clearly visible.

[Marine and fishing-related]
If Mt. Fuji looks bright and sparkling on an autumn morning, it means that a western wind is blowing that day . This is a fisherman's wind forecast from the Edo period. It is also said that "If you can see Mt. Tsukuba clearly, you must be in Tsukuba."

The northwest wind is called Anaj. In the Setouchi region, once this wind starts to blow, it continues to blow for days, hence the name.

Sandfish can be caught when thunder rumbles . Sandfish are also known as thunderfish because they rush up to the coast when thunder rumbles in early winter.

In the Boso region of Chiba Prefecture, when a typhoon approaches, it is said that the north wind is getting stronger. "Shikoru" means to get stronger.

Even if the clouds lie, the waves do not lie. This is a proverb handed down in the Oki Islands (Shimane Prefecture). Even if the weather is a little clear, you need to be careful if the swell is strange.

When Sado or Tobishima can be seen, it will rain the next day . This is said to be at Yura Port in Shonai Beach, Yamagata Prefecture.

In Kitakyushu , the sudden swelling of the tide, swells, and rising water temperature are said to be signs of a gust of wind . The sudden swelling of the sea surface is called Abiki (a large rise and fall of the sea surface due to secondary vibrations in the bay).

Rocking and cold weather from the bottom are early warning signs of a storm. If the rocking from the bottom is severe, the female divers cannot stand on the seabed.

It is said in Tosa (Kochi Prefecture) that the roar of a long-lasting storm is about to begin . To be precise, it should be considered that the end of a long-lasting storm is often accompanied by thunder.

During the Showa period, the harvest of nori (seaweed) was good every other year, with poor harvests in even-numbered years and good harvests in odd-numbered years. The quality of the nori harvest depends on the temperature when the nori seeds are sown in September and October.

A clear sky in the middle of cloudy skies. This is a proverb from the Tateyama region of Boshu (Chiba Prefecture). It means that only the sky above is clear, while the surroundings are cloudy. At times like this, it will get stormy, so it is important to be careful.

In the Boso region of Chiba Prefecture, it is said that when the east roars, it will be rough . In many places, the practice of judging the weather by the direction from which the roar of the sea is heard is common.

When it comes to winter thunder, cut anchor and run away . Winter thunder is often frontal and accompanied by gusts of wind. In western Kyushu, this is called "Teppo Nishi" or "Nishi Otoshi."

In Kitakyushu, they say that the most frightening thing is a completely calm evening . Similar expressions include "perfect clear weather the day before a gust of wind" and "when the frost melts early and there is a sunrise, or when a thick fog falls and there is a sunrise, it is a sign of a gust of wind" (both of which are said in Kitakyushu).

[Items related to plants and animals]
Tsutsui Mohei (former director of the Hikone Meteorological Observatory) confirmed this: years when swallows sing late mean good harvests, and years when Japanese bush warblers and skylarks sing late mean poor harvests .

Swallows flying low means that the water is coming. In Wakayama Prefecture, they fly just above the surface of the water. It is said to be a sign of rain. The Roman poet Virgil also noted something similar. There is also a proverb that says, "When swallows fly low, rain is near."

When birds fly down, they always face the wind, which is how they know the direction of the wind, according to Akamatsu Sotan's Tonegawa Zushi (1855). Skylarks rise facing the wind, whether it is strong or weak. Red dragonflies also land facing the wind.

In Saga and Kumamoto prefectures, "Donkos will warm up if they enter the river ." "Donko" refers to toads. They enter rivers in early spring to spawn. Since they are spawning, it is better for the water temperature to be high, and toads usually sense this and enter the river. Separately from this, in Niigata prefecture, there is a saying that "frogs hibernating deep underground is a sign of heavy snowfall."

Hares and WeatherWild hares stay in the grass when it's sunny, but when they hide in tree holes or behind rocks, rain is near. For animals kept at home, like cats, the relationship with the weather is complex and unclear.

It is said that when the pine cones bud, it will rain . On the other hand, when the pine cones open, it will be fine. This reflects the change in humidity in the air. Similar sayings include "When the butterbur leaves are covered in sweat, it will rain" and "When chickweed flowers close, it will rain, and when they open, it will be fine weather."

Kozo in the evening, kozo at dawn, kozo at dawn, kozo at dawn . In Kumamoto Prefecture, "kozo" refers to an owl. The weather was predicted by the time of nighttime cry. According to a dictionary of proverbs, there are also versions that use the opposite expression, "Owl at evening, owl at rain, owl at dawn, owl at day." Few of these legends have been statistically verified, but there may be some ecological meaning to them.

[Localized]
In Etchu (Toyama Prefecture) , when the Aigan bell sounds, the weather will be good the next day . Aigan refers to the depths of the Imizu River mouth. A special sound of the sea can be heard in that area. If the sound of the sea suddenly stops in the middle of the night, the weather will not be very good the next day.

Ah why (northwest wind) night calm
In Nagasaki City, at night, there is a land breeze that blows from the land to the sea, which cancels out the northwest seasonal winds and creates a calm at night.

In Ise, it is a west wind, in Yoshida it is a northwest wind, in Owari it is always blowing . Here, "always blowing" means that it is easy to blow. It is a poem that describes the wind direction that prevails in the region. In Shimoda-bushi, there is a line that says, "In Sagami, it is a northeast wind, in Irozaki, it is a west wind, and in the middle, it is Shimoda, it is a northerly wind."

When the clouds rise, it rains in Saiki.Rain in the Saiki region of Oita Prefecture usually falls with a southerly wind, and when the clouds rise towards Nobeoka to the south, it rains in Saiki.

The slope is sunny, Suzuka is cloudy, Aino Tsuchiyama is rainy, the slope is Sakashita, a post station at the foot of Suzuka Pass on the Ise side (Mie Prefecture). Tsuchiyama is the opposite, a post station on the Goshu side (Shiga Prefecture). This well represents the weather around the Suzuka Mountains during the winter monsoon.

Three cups of thunder, three bundles of thunder. In the southern part of Tochigi Prefecture, the thunder from the Chichibu mountain range to the southwest is the most violent, and it comes as heavy rain before three bowls of rice have been eaten or three sheaves of rice have been bound. It is also said that "When thunderclouds appear from the west (south-southwest) of Mt. Fuji, rain will come before three bundles of wheat have been bound."

Nagase no yagari (clear evening in a long stream) is a phrase used in the Setouchi region. It can also be said that "the evening light of the long rainy season is unreliable." In the southern Iyo region of Shikoku (Ehime Prefecture), it is said that "the clear evening of the rainy season," "the clear evening of a long stream," and "the rain will fall again after the night ends."

[Extra]
In Gunma Prefecture and Uwajima (Ehime Prefecture), they say that if your chapped skin hurts, it will rain . On the other hand, in Shinshu (Nagano Prefecture), they say that if your chapped skin hurts at night, the weather will continue. Which is true? This shows that the pain of chapped skin is not uniquely linked to future weather. The pain of chapped skin is linked to the weather at the time and the weather up to that point, and should be considered a result rather than a sign.

In Shinshu , people praise the cold and doyo seasons after they are over . During the cold and doyo seasons, there are many changes and worries, but after the period is over, people often look back and praise the seasons. It is going too far to see all proverbs as prophetic.

[Nemoto Junkichi]

[References] | Weather proverbs

Weather proverbs
weather lore

There are many rules of thumb about weather, climate and climate that have been passed down since ancient times. There are many of them both in Japan and abroad, but very few have been verified statistically. Even if they contain some truth, they are considered human wisdom that is the first step in scientific meteorology or weather forecasting. When examining the content of weather proverbs, they can be divided into those that deal with weather, climate and climate, those that summarize seasonal characteristics as knowledge, and those that contain various predictions.

Those with prophetic content can be divided into those that look for signs in things such as plants and animals, and those that look for signs in inanimate nature such as atmospheric phenomena such as wind and snow. In terms of region, they can also be divided into those that focus on weather changes that are unique to a certain region, and those that summarize fairly wide-ranging phenomena that can be used anywhere.

When looking for omens in the various ecologies of plants and animals, the judgment is inevitably indirect, such as weather influence → ecology of the organism → weather forecast, so the accuracy of the prediction is low. However, in the case of organisms, it is often the case that past and present weather are integrated, so in the case of climate or seasons that have an influence as an integrated effect, judging organisms as omens is often useful.

Weather proverbs, both in Japan and abroad, have a long history dating back to ancient times. They were already thought of in the Babylonian civilization before Christ, and it was already known at that time that, for example, "if the moon is covered by a halo, there will be a lot of rain and clouds." The following weather proverb is found in the Bible's "Gospel of Matthew."

"By evening, you will be clear because the sky will be red."
"Tomorrow the sky will be red and cloudy, so today there will be no wind or rain."
In addition, there are many songs that touch on weather in Japan's Manyoshu and ancient folk songs. For example, in the Kojiki
Mt. Unebiyama is cloudy during the day, but in the evening the leaves rustle as a sign that a wind is about to blow. This poem was written by Isukeyorihime (the Empress of Emperor Jimmu) to warn her three princes of the danger she feared would be assassinated. However, in its literal meaning it describes a sign that a wind is about to blow.

Later, weather proverbs related to agriculture and navigation increased in variety and content. Among these, those related to navigation were required to be more accurate in content because they concerned the lives of navigators, but many of them do not contradict current academic theory.

In Europe, astrological ideas were added to this, while in Japan and China, interpretations based on the theory of Yin-Yang and the five elements were added to create something like a weather calendar, which was very popular in Europe from the 11th to 17th centuries. It was American B. Franklin who eliminated the superstitious aspects of this calendar and created a calendar (almanac) that was useful to farmers. This type of agricultural calendar is still published in America today, and is one of the hidden bestsellers.

[Nemoto Junkichi]

"National Federation of Agricultural Students, 'Agricultural Handbook: National Weather Forecasting' (1948, Gakushusha)" ▽ "R. Inwards Weather Lore (1950, Rider and Co.)" ▽ "Various Weather Conditions' by Nemoto Junkichi (1974, Tamagawa University Press)" ▽ "Introduction to Weather Observation and Weather Forecasting by Fujii Yukio (1976, Seishun Publishing)" ▽ "R. Rage Weather Forecasting (1977, The Country Way, Penguin Books)" ▽ "Dictionary of Proverbs for Weather Forecasting' edited by Ohgo Miho (1984, Tokyodo Publishing)"

[References] | Weather Calendar [Supplementary Materials] | Weather Proverbs | Foreign Weather Proverbs

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

〔年候と農事に関連したもの〕
雨カキ日クリ
　雨の多い年はカキの収穫が多く、干天にはクリが多くとれるという意味。同類に「雨ビワ日ウメ」（京都地方）、「日照りカボチャ、降りユウガオ」「日照りカボチャ、雨アズキ」（ともに新潟県地方）、「くけ（雨降り）クリ、照りゴマ」（長野県）、「雨イカ日ダコ」（山口県）などがある。

カツオが早ければ豊作
　福島県の白河地方では、常磐(じょうばん)沖でとれるカツオが駄馬で山を越えて入ってきたが、この遅速で豊凶をみた。カツオは暖流魚、その遅速は黒潮の動静を反映している。

雷の多い年は豊作
　栃木県でいう。7～9月の同県の雷雨日数は反収にほぼ並行している。

コブシの花多きは豊作
　春が高温だと豊作、低温だと凶作を意味する俚諺は多い。これと反対に「サクラが例年より遅ければ凶作」というのがある。

小雪は凶作
　これと反対に「大雪は豊年の兆し」というのは多雪地帯では成り立たない。小雪のとき凶作になることのほうが確率が高い。

暖冬冷夏
　気象学者荒川秀俊(ひでとし)によって統計的に実証された。

春小雨夏夕立に秋日照り
　稲が豊作である年の天候を俳句調に詠んだもの。

フジの花みて綿を播(ま)け
　フジは5月中旬ごろ満開となる。そのころが綿の種を播く季節であることをいったもの。同じような諺(ことわざ)に「ナシの花咲きゃアワを播け」（和歌山県）、「マダケが抜けたら（タケノコの皮が落ちること）アワを播け」（大分県）というのがある。

六歳に一饑(き)、十二歳に一荒(こう)
　6年に1回の割合で饑飢(きき)があり、12年に1回の割合で凶作があるということ。冷害や凶作には周期性と群発性が認められる。6年は海洋の変動に関連し、12年は太陽活動に並行した周期である。なお北海道の冷害はオリンピックなみといわれるのは4年の周期性のあることを示している。いずれも厳密な周期ではない。

〔季節の特徴に関連したもの〕
秋の天気は吹く、降る、吹く、どん
　「どん」は晴天のこと、尾張(おわり)や三河（愛知県）地方でいう。秋の天気が周期的に変わることを述べたもの。

秋の西風、二日と吹かぬ
　このころはまだ大陸方面の高気圧が発達しないので、冬の季節風である西風は長もちしないことをいったもの。

雷が鳴ると梅雨(つゆ)が明ける
　この表現は正しくない。「梅雨明けには雷を伴うことが多い」とすべきである。なぜなら梅雨期間中といえども、いくらでも雷は鳴っているからである。

時雨(しぐれ)三日
　神奈川県三崎地方でいう。一度しぐれ出すと3日ぐらい続いてしまうことをいったもの。

十月の女脅し
　10月に入り急に寒くなり、冬物の用意のできていない女性を慌てさせるような天気をいう。山口県の長門(ながと)地方でいう。ただしそのころの寒さは長続きせず、2日くらいで収まる。

春南秋北(しゅんなんしゅうほく)
　春には南風になると天気がよくなり、秋には北風になると晴天になることが多いことをいったもの。

大師雨天、天神日和(びより)
　京都では弘法(こうぼう)様の日（21日）に雨が降れば天神様の日（25日）は晴天、弘法様が晴れなら天神様は雨天になることをいったもの。同様なことは東京では金比羅(こんぴら)と水天宮では天気が逆になっているような例がある。寺田寅彦(とらひこ)は、これは天気に7日周期があることを反映したものだと考えた。明治時代に「大山雨と東郷日和」というのがあったが、明治37～38年の日露戦争のとき、大山元帥の凱旋(がいせん)式に列する日は雨、東郷大将のときはいつも快晴であった。山口県では「ついたち日和に三日雨」という俚諺がある。

梅雨明けはジェット気流の消えるとき
　気象学者高橋浩一郎(こういちろう)の考えた新しい天気俚諺。

梅雨は明るくなれば雨が降る
　梅雨期間中は雨量の少ないときに日照も少なく、通常と反対の傾向がみられる。山口県の俚諺のなかには、「梅雨の天気とにゅどう（ハンセン病）は赤く（明るく）なるほど悪い」と、これに気づいてつくられたものがあるが、これは注目される事象である。

冬至冬中冬始め(とうじふゆなかふゆはじめ)
　冬至は暦のうえでは冬の真ん中であるが、実際に寒くなり冬が始まるのは冬至からであることをいったもの。

ニシン曇り
　ニシン空ともいう。ニシンがとれるころのどんよりした天気。北海道の余市(よいち)では3月ごろ、同じく留萌(るもい)地方では4月下旬、同じく北見地方では5月に入ってからといわれる。

春の高温、夏の高温
　高橋浩一郎による新しい俚諺。春の高温は夏まで持続することをいったもの。

彼岸西風(ひがんにし)
　春の彼岸の前後に吹く冬の季節風の名残(なごり)。一時寒の戻りがある。

百十日の霜
　「八十八夜の別れ霜」というのは関東以西の平野部に当てはまること。北日本ではこれより遅く、立春より数えて110日目ころが最後の霜となることをいったもの。

迷走台風は八月に
　高橋浩一郎による新しい気象俚諺。

〔特異日に関連したもの〕
秋の彼岸は農家の厄日(やくび)
　二百十日は厄日として有名であるが、台風のとくに来襲しやすい日ではない。台風来襲の特異日としては9月17日、25日があげられ、これは秋の彼岸の入りと明けのころにあたる。

大火事は三月二四日に起こりやすい
　同様な日として4月23日、5月20日が顕著な火事日和としてあげられる。

大師講荒れ
　旧暦11月23日の荒れ模様の天気をいう。この翌日の24日は「大師さんのあと隠し」といって里にも雪が降ることが多い。旧暦に現れた特異日の一つ。

〔一日中の天気変化に関連したもの〕
朝ごち、昼はや、夕西、夜北
　九州北西部でいう。天気が安定するときの風向の変化を示したもので、こちは東風、はやは南風、このように風が変わるなら順調な日和が続く。

朝のあがり雲
　朝起きてみると空はすっかり雨雲に覆われ、いまにも降りだしそう。テレビの天気図には低気圧が本州南岸に接近して見られるが、そんなときに南東から黒い片乱雲がいくらか足早に動いてくる。いかにもものものしい感じで天気が非常に悪くなりそうに思うが、実はあまり悪くならず、日中は曇りときどき晴れ、悪くても小雨程度ですむことが多い。

嵐(あらし)の前の静けさ
　台風の周囲には渦度の小さいところがあり、そこでは風が弱い。気象学者正野重方(しょうのしげかた)によりみいだされた。

大霜の三日目は雨
　大霜は移動性高気圧のときに降りる。この高気圧が去るとやがて3日目ぐらいに低気圧がきて雨となる。これと反対に「西風三日目に大霜が降りる」という俚諺もある。天気の周期的変化に注目した俚諺。

鐘の音がよく聞こえると雨
　古来からいわれた俚諺であり、地域的にはたとえば栃木県南部で「筑波(つくば)山から朝夕鐘の音が聞こえると天気が変わる」という。「山彦(やまびこ)がよく聞こえるときは晴れ、鈍く響くときは雨」ともいう。栃木県下都賀(しもつが)郡では「東北線の汽車の音が聞こえると雨になる」という。この地方ではさらに細かく「東武佐野線の音の聞こえるときは晴れ、東武日光線の音が聞こえるときは雨」と音の聞こえてくる方向によって天気を識別している。音響に関した俚諺には「三味太鼓の音が濁るのは雨の兆し」というのがある。

雷が鳴るときは大樹に寄るな
　避雷の心得はさまざまあるが、古来農家では「雷が鳴ったら鍬鎌(くわかま)持つな」というようなこともいわれた。

霧雨身をぬらす
　小さな水滴のため霧雨の中に入ると身の内までぬらしてしまうこと。

曇った日にもやがかかれば雨となり、雨の日にもやがかかれば晴れとなる
　中国地方でいう。

早朝のにわか雨は晴れる
　この諺は海岸に近い地方で夏によく成り立つ。昔は「朝雨は女の腕まくり」ともいった。栃木県では「日照りの朝曇り」「朝霧が深いと雨が降らない」「朝霧の深い日は雷がある」などの俚諺がある。昔、農家では「朝雨蓑(みの)要(い)らず」ともいった。

低気圧八丈過ぎれば江戸は晴れ
　高橋浩一郎がまとめた天気予報則。

夏の朝曇りははげ頭が泣く
　日中に照ることをいったもの。

西の強吹(こわぶき)は夜ほど吹き、北の風は夜ほどやむ
　普通「西風日いっぱい」といって、西風は夜にやむことを述べた俚諺が多いが、千葉県房総の南のような所では、かえって反対になる所もある。

寝耳に水
　江戸初期からいわれた諺であるが、気象学的にみても大風雨や集中豪雨は夜間に断然多く、日中のおよそ2倍になっている。

日の出前30分の空模様
　これはお天気博士といわれた藤原咲平(さくへい)が弟子たちに教えたことである。日中になると上下の対流が盛んになり気層が乱れてしまうので、そのようにならぬ前に空のようすをよく見よということ。

降りっ霧の照りっ霧、照りっ霧の降りっ霧
　江戸時代からいわれてきた天気俚諺の傑作である。上から霧が降るようにかかってくる場合は日中になると照る。反対に下から霧が立ち上るような形で現れるときは、やがて雨になる。登山者などは心得るべきことであろう。

星がきらきら動くと大風
　世界各地でいわれている。星がちらつくのは上層の強風に乱れがあるためで、この強風がやがて地表までも及んでくるのである。

山崩れ100ミリメートル以上の雨のとき
　高橋浩一郎がまとめた新しい俚諺。

夜雷は長雨
　夜雷は日射以外の前線か低気圧性のものと考えられる。そのような状態は、停滞性の形をとることがあり、長雨となることもある。さらに「雨無くて鳴るは大風、沖のほうへ鳴り入れば雨、その余(よ)の雷は晴れを司(つかさど)る。東に雷すれば大風、西は晴れ、南は大風、北は南風、西北も雨、また乱れ閃(ひらめ)くは風なり」ともいう（幸田露伴の『水上語彙(すいじょうごい)』による）。

〔雲に関連したもの〕
板雲が出ると風が強くなる
　板雲とは上空で風の強いとき現れる板のように平たい雲、レンズ雲のこと。千葉県南部でいう。

戌亥藤(いぬいふじ)は張り悪く未申藤(ひつじさるふじ)は張りよし
　東海地方でいう。藤は房(ふさ)状に伸びた雲のこと。戌亥（北西）方から伸びてくる房雲(ふさぐも)は雨を知らせ、未申（南西）から伸びてくる房雲のときは晴れが続くことをいったもの。低気圧の構造からも考えられることは伊藤亀雄(かめお)が示した。

雲仙腰巻阿蘇頭巾(うんぜんこしまきあそずきん)
　雲仙岳に婦人の腰巻のような雲（かい巻雲ともいう）がかかったら雨、阿蘇山では頭巾のような雲（笠雲(かさぐも)）がかかると雨になるという俚諺。同類の諺に「那須(なす)山に白い雲の帯がかかると雨」（栃木県）というのがある。また「日光の腰帯三日ともたぬ」ともいう。この場合の腰帯は1500～2000メートルあたりに現れる雲のこと。栃木県宇都宮地方でいわれる。

寒冷渦(うず)は豪雨・豪雪のよき前兆
　最近は高層天気図の利用が進み、寒冷な渦が上層に現れると、気層の上下の転倒が激しくなり、豪雨や豪雪になることが明らかになってきた。高橋浩一郎の注目した新しい俚諺。

だし雲が出ていると晴天が続く
　越後(えちご)（新潟県）を中心にいわれている。山越えの気流が山頂を越えると、だし雲という小形の白い綿のような積雲が山から滑り出してくる。このときは気温が上がり空気は乾燥する。一種のフェーン現象である。

上り雲と下り雲が相反して飛ぶのは風雨
　これは風が高さによってたいへん食い違っているときにおこる。上層に不連続面のあることを意味し、やがて前線性の天気となる。

富士山に笠雲がかかると翌日雨か風になる
　雨になるか風になるかは笠雲の形から推定できる。

〔山の気象に関連したもの〕
青山の雲
　青山は山がまだ緑なこと。そんなときに早く雪が降ると暖冬で寡雪になることが多い。青森県の八甲田(はっこうだ)山では初雪の早い年を調べてみると1月は暖かく、統計的にも確かめられている。

赤城(あかぎ)山に窓がかかると雨
　窓がかかるというのは、山頂は雲に覆われても連峰の鞍部(あんぶ)だけは晴れて、青空がのぞいていることをいう。「磐梯(ばんだい)山の窓のぞきは雨」ともいわれている。

浅間の煙が西に傾くときは雨、東なら晴れ
　これは上層気流による天気の見方で、気象学の法則にもよくあっている。同様なことは火山の阿蘇、桜島、伊豆大島の御神火(ごじんか)などについてもいわれる。

内上(うちあげ)は晴れの兆し
　信州（長野県）から越中(えっちゅう)（富山県）に向け吹く風を内上、越中から信州に吹き抜ける風を外上(そとあげ)という。内上が晴れ、外上が荒れの兆しである。日中、内上が吹くことは谷風が順調に吹いていることで天気はよいが、谷風が崩れ反対方向になっていることは低気圧の近づいた場合で、気象学的にも正しい。

駒(こま)の雪早く融ける年は慌てて作付けするな
　信州でいう。駒は木曽(きそ)駒ヶ岳のこと。そういう年はまた雪が降るから慌てて作付けするなという意味。

農鳥(のうとり)
　春先、山の残雪の形によって、農作業開始の目安にしたり、その後の天候の判断をすること。残雪の形そのものを見定める場合（ポジティブ）と、残雪から露出した岩肌に注目する場合（ネガティブ）があり、見立てられる形としては鳥、獣、魚、植物、什器(じゅうき)、文字、人物などがある。たとえば青森県の八甲田山小岳南側斜面ではトビ形の残雪が現れ、これによって豊凶を占った。山梨県には農鳥山があるが、これとは別に富士山を山梨県側から見たとき、そこに農鳥を見て農時を占った。このほか長野県鉢伏(はちぶせ)山では残雪をガンに見立て、白馬鑓(しろうまやり)ヶ岳では残雪を鶴首や双鶏に見立てている。またそこに種播きする老人の姿を見て「種播きおっこ」「種播きじっさ」などの名称でよばれることもある。雪形は高層気象を反映したものであり、ある程度学理にかなっている。

山のから夕立はもっとも恐ろしい
　雷雲特有の強いにわか雨を伴っていないので、雷雲はまだ遠いと思っていると、霧や暗雲の中で突然、電撃を受ける。

山は風をみせ、風はまた山をみす
　たとえば東京で筑波山が鮮やかに見えると、やがて筑波のほうから風が吹いてくる。富士山側から風が吹いてくるときはその方向がよく見える。

〔海洋や漁業に関連したもの〕
秋の朝富士とてきらきら見えたればその日は西風吹くなり
　江戸時代からいわれた漁師の風の見方である。「筑波山よく見えたるはつくばならいと知るべし」ともいう。

あなじの八日吹き
　北西の風をあなじという。瀬戸内方面ではこの風が吹き始めると何日も吹き続くので、このようにいう。

雷が鳴るとハタハタがとれる
　ハタハタは初冬の雷鳴がするとき沿岸に押し寄せるので別名カミナリウオともいう。

北風がしこってくると台風が近づく
　千葉県房総地方でいう。「しこる」とはしだいに強まることをいう。

雲うそついても波うそつかぬ
　隠岐(おき)諸島（島根県）に伝承される俚諺。少々空模様のよいときでも、うねりのようすが変なときは用心しなくてはならない。

佐渡や飛島が見えるときは翌日雨
　山形県庄内(しょうない)浜由良(ゆら)港でいう。

潮が急に膨れ、うねりがたち、水温の上がるのは突風の前兆
　北九州でいう。海面が急に膨れるのはアビキ（湾内の副振動で海面が大きく昇降すること）のこと。

底揺れ、底冷えは時化(しけ)を早く知らせる
　底揺れがひどいと海女(あま)は海底に立っていられない。

長時化(しけ)の鳴り上がり
　土佐（高知県）でいう。正確には長時化が終わるときは雷を伴うことが多いと考えるべきであろう。

海苔(のり)の豊作は一年おき
　昭和年代では偶数年が不作、奇数年が豊作になっている。海苔の作柄は9、10月の海苔の種播きをするときの気温に左右される。

八方曇りの中天晴れ
　房州（千葉県）館山(たてやま)地方でいう。頭上だけが晴れ、周りが曇っていること。こんなときは時化(しけ)てくるから用心することが肝要との俚諺。

東が鳴ると時化(しけ)る
　千葉県房総地方でいう。海鳴りの聞こえてくる方向で天気を判断することは各地で行われている。

冬雷は錨(いかり)を切って逃げよ
　冬雷は前線性のもので突風を伴う場合が多い。西九州ではこれを「鉄砲西」とか「西落とし」という。

夕べのベタ凪(なぎ)がいちばん恐ろしいくせもの
　北九州でいう。同類に「突風のおこる前日に絶好の晴天」「霜が早く溶けて朝焼けがあるとき、また深い霧が降りて朝焼けのあるのは突風の前兆」（いずれも北九州でいう）というのがある。

〔動植物に関連したもの〕
ツバメが遅い年は豊年、ウグイス、ヒバリの遅鳴きの年は凶作
　筒井百平(もへい)（元彦根(ひこね)測候所長）がこのことを確かめた。

ツバメの水ハチ
　水ハチは水面近くをかすめて飛ぶこと。和歌山県でいう。雨の降る前兆とみる。同様なことは紀元前ローマの詩人ウェルギリウスが注目している。「ツバメが低く飛べば雨近し」という俚諺もある。

鳥飛び下(くだ)るにかならず風に向かう、これをもって風の方向を知る
　赤松宗旦(そうたん)の『利根川(とねがわ)図志』（1855）による。ヒバリは風が強くても弱くても風に直面して昇騰していく。赤トンボも風に向かって止まる。

どんこの川入りゃぬくくなる
　佐賀県や熊本県でいう。「どんこ」はガマ（ヒキガエル）のこと。春先、産卵のため川に入る。産卵だから水温の高いほうがよく、ガマはだいたいこれを感知して川に入る。これとは別に新潟県で「カエルが地中深く冬眠するのは大雪の兆し」というのがある。

野ウサギと天気
　野生の野ウサギは晴れたときは草むらにいるが、木の洞(ほら)や岩陰に潜んでいるときは雨が近い。ネコのように家で飼われている動物は天気との関連は複雑で判然としない。

松かさがつぼむと雨
　これと反対に「松かさが開いていると天気が続く」といわれる。空気中の湿度の変化を反映したものである。同類に「フキの葉が一面に汗をかくときは雨」「ハコベが花を閉じれば雨、開けば好天気」というのがある。

宵のこーぞ日こーぞ、夜明けのこーぞ雨こーぞ
　熊本県でいう「こーぞ」はフクロウのこと。夜鳴きの時刻によって天候を占ったもの。俚諺辞典によると、これと反対に「宵の梟(ふくろう)雨梟、夜明けの梟日梟」としたものもある。このような伝承で統計的に確かめられたものはほとんどないが、生態的にはなにか意味づけができるかもしれない。

〔局地性をもったもの〕
藍瓶(あいがん)が鳴ると翌日上天気
　越中（富山県）でいう。藍瓶とは射水(いみず)河口の深みをいう。その付近で聞かれる特殊な海鳴り。この海鳴りが夜中に急にやんだりしたときは、翌日の天気はあまりよくない。

あなぜ（北西風）の夜凪(なぎ)
　長崎市でいう。夜間は陸地から海に吹き出す陸風があり、これが北西の季節風と打ち消し合って夜間に凪になるのである。

伊勢(いせ)でこうやま（西風）吉田でならい（北西風）尾張で北ぶきゃいつも吹く
　ここで「いつも吹く」というのは吹きやすいという意味。地域的に卓越する風向を詠み込んだもの。なお下田(しもだ)節に「相模(さがみ)ゃならい（北東風）で石廊崎(いろうざき)ゃ西よ、間(あい)の下田がだし（北）の風」というのがある。

雲が上れば佐伯(さいき)の雨
　大分県佐伯地方の雨はたいていまじ（南風）で降り、南方の延岡(のべおか)のほうに雲が上れば佐伯は雨となった。

坂は照る照る鈴鹿(すずか)は曇る、あいの土山(つちやま)雨が降る
　坂は鈴鹿峠の伊勢(いせ)（三重県）側の麓(ふもと)にある宿駅坂下(さかした)のこと。土山は反対に江州（滋賀県）側の宿駅。これは冬の季節風時の鈴鹿山脈付近の天候をよく表している。

三杯雷様(らいさま)三束(ぞく)雷様
　栃木県の南部では南西方の秩父(ちちぶ)連山からの雷がもっとも激しく、飯3杯食べぬうち、稲3束たばねぬうちにやってきて激しい雨となる。「富士西（南南西）から雷雲が出ると麦三束たばねぬうちに雨がくる」ともいう。

ながせの夕晴れ
　瀬戸内方面でいう。「長時化(しけ)の夕ぴかりあてにならぬ」ともいう。また四国南伊予地方（愛媛県）では「梅雨の夜晴れ」「ながせの夜あがり」「夜あがり雨はまた降る」などという。

〔番外〕
あかぎれが痛むと雨になる
　群馬県や宇和島（愛媛県）でいう。他方、信州（長野県）では「あかぎれが夜痛むと天気が続く」という。どちらが本当だろうか。これは、あかぎれの痛みが将来の天気とは一義的に結び付いていないことを物語る。あかぎれの痛みは、そのときの天気とそのときまでの天気が結び付いており、予兆というよりは結果と考えるべきである。

寒・土用は過ぎてから褒める
　信州でいう。寒や土用は、その経過中はいろいろの変動があって不安もあるが、その時期を過ぎてから顧みてよかったと褒めることが多いという意味。俚諺をすべて予言的なものとみるのは行きすぎである。

［根本順吉］

[参照項目] | 天気俚諺

天気俚諺
てんきりげん
weather lore

天気や天候・気候について、古来伝承されてきた経験則。内外ともその数は非常に多いが、それらは統計的に検証されたものはたいへん少なく、そこに一部の真理が含まれた経験であるとしても、それは科学的気象学ないし天気予報術の前段にあたる人間の知恵と考えられる。天気俚諺の内容を調べてみると、天気、天候および気候を対象としたもの、季節の特徴を知識として要約したもの、さまざまな予想をその内容とするものなどに分けられる。

　予言的内容のものは動植物などの物類にその前兆を求めるものと、風・雪などの大気現象など無生物的自然に前兆をみいだしたものに分けられる。また地域的には、ある地域だけに特有の天気の変化に注目したもの、かなり広範囲にどこでも利用可能な現象を要約したものなどに分けられる。

　動植物のさまざまな生態に前兆を求める場合、その判断は天気の影響→生物の生態→天気予想というように、どうしてもその判断が間接的になるので、予想精度は落ちる。しかし生物においては、そのときまでの過去と現在の気象などが積算して表れている場合も少なくないので、積算効果としての影響がある気候や季節の場合には、生物を前兆とみた判断が役だつことが少なくない。

　内外とも天気俚諺は古代からの長い歴史をもつものである。それは紀元前のバビロニア文明の時代からすでに考えられていたことであるが、たとえば、「月に暈(かさ)がかぶると雨や雲が多くなるだろう」というようなことは、すでにそのころから知られていた。聖書の「マタイ伝」には次のような天気俚諺が述べられている。

　「夕べには汝(なんじ)ら、空赤きがゆえに晴れならん」
　「あしたには、空赤くして曇るゆえに、きょうは風雨ならん」
　また、わが国の『万葉集』や古代歌謡には天気に触れた歌が多いが、たとえば、『古事記』
　畝火山(うねびやま)昼は雲とゐ夕されば風吹かむとぞ木の葉さやける
は、伊須気余理比売(いすけよりひめ)（神武(じんむ)天皇の皇后）が3人の皇子の暗殺を恐れ、その危難を皇子に知らせるために詠まれたものであるが、そのままの意味では風吹かんとする前兆を述べたものである。

　天気俚諺はその後農事および航海に関連し種類も増え、内容も豊富になっていく。このうち航海に関するものは、航海者の生命に関することでもあるので、内容的にはより正確なものが求められたが、これらのなかには現在の学理とも矛盾しないものが少なくない。

　ヨーロッパでは、これにさらに占星術的な考え方が、日本や中国では陰陽五行説的な解釈が付け加わって天気暦のようなものがつくられ、ヨーロッパでは11～17世紀ごろにこれがたいへん流行した。このような暦から迷信的な部分を一掃し、農民らに役だつ暦（アルマナック）をつくったのはアメリカのB・フランクリンである。この形式の農事暦は現在もアメリカでは刊行が続けられ、隠れたベストセラーの一冊となっている。

［根本順吉］

『全国学農聯盟編『農事必携・全国天気予知』（1948・学習社）』▽『R. InwardsWeather Lore （1950, Rider and Co.）』▽『根本順吉著『天候さまざま』（1974・玉川大学出版部）』▽『藤井幸雄著『観天望気入門』（1976・青春出版社）』▽『R. RageWeather Forecasting (1977, The Country Way, Penguin Books)』▽『大後美保編『天気予知ことわざ辞典』（1984・東京堂出版）』

[参照項目] | 天気暦[補完資料] | 天気俚諺 | 外国の天気俚諺

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例

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