Watanuki Day (Removing the Winter Padding)

What Is Watanuki?

April 1st is associated with "Watanuki" (removing the winter padding). In old Japan, people took the cotton padding out of the "wataire" (padded kimono) they had worn through the winter on the 1st day of the 4th month of the old lunar calendar, remaking it into a lined "awase" kimono. The 1st day of the 4th lunar month roughly corresponds to around May on today's calendar, when spring turns to early summer. The custom reflects a Japanese sense of the seasons and the wisdom of reusing things carefully, and it can be considered the origin of "koromogae," the seasonal change of clothing.

The Surname "Watanuki" and the History of Seasonal Clothing Changes

The unusual surname written "四月一日" (April 1st) or "四月朔日" but read "Watanuki" comes from this custom.

• Origin of the surname: Because the 1st day of the 4th lunar month was the day to remove the cotton and switch to lined kimono, this reading is said to have come about. It is a very rare surname shared by only a small number of people nationwide; the spelling "四月朔日" is said to be most common in Hokkaido and Toyama Prefecture.
• Clothing changes in the Edo period: Among the samurai class in the Edo period, lined awase were worn from the 1st day of the 4th month to the 4th day of the 5th month, unlined katabira from the 5th day of the 5th month to the end of the 8th month, awase again from the 1st to the 8th day of the 9th month, and padded wataire from the 9th day of the 9th month to the end of the 3rd month (all on the lunar calendar). Ordinary people followed this pattern too.

When Did the June 1 and October 1 Changeover Begin?

The Meiji government made Western-style clothing the uniform for officials, soldiers, and police officers, and set the timing for switching between summer and winter uniforms. After Japan adopted the solar calendar in 1873 (Meiji 6), summer uniforms were set for June 1 to September 30 and winter uniforms for October 1 to May 31. This spread to school and company uniforms, establishing today's custom of changing clothes on June 1st and October 1st.

Interesting Facts About Watanuki

• The roots of the word "koromogae": It began at the Heian-period imperial court, where, following a Chinese custom, summer and winter clothes were changed on the 1st day of the 4th and 10th lunar months. This was called "koi" (更衣). Because "koi" later also became the title of a rank of court lady, ordinary people came to say "koromogae" instead.
• A life of using things up: People treasured fabric. They padded clothes with cotton in winter, took it out when it got warm, and remade old garments or turned them into rags until nothing was left. Watanuki was an everyday practice of what we'd now call remaking and reusing.
• "Watanuki" as a seasonal word: In haiku, "watanuki" is a summer seasonal word (kigo). Because it was an event of the 1st day of the 4th lunar month, it is treated as a word of early summer.
• Other "date" surnames: There is also a surname written "八月一日" (August 1st) and read "Hozumi," among other readings. It is said to come from the custom of picking rice ears and offering them to the gods, showing how closely the calendar and daily life were connected.
• Modern-day "watanuki": No one really removes cotton from kimono anymore, but putting away your down jacket and taking out your spring coat could be called a modern version of watanuki.

Tips for Marking the Watanuki Season

• Care for and store the heavy coats and thick blankets that served you through the winter, switching both your room and your mood to spring mode
• Tidy up your closet and let some air in, freshening things up for the new fiscal year
• Look up the origins of unusual surnames like "Watanuki" and of seasonal words
• Enjoy lightweight fabrics such as cotton and linen as you feel the spring weather

A Seasonal Turning Point for Shedding Heavy Layers

Watanuki was a custom for bidding farewell to the cotton that protected people from winter's cold and switching to lighter clothing. When what you wear gets lighter, your steps tend to get lighter too. Following the wisdom of people who adjusted their clothing to the changing seasons, let's welcome the new season in good spirits.