Microseason: Withering Flora Birth Fireflies

SUMMER

PLANTING SEEDS

WITHERING FLORA BIRTH FIREFLIES

11 - 15 June

Our ancestors believed that fireflies were born from decaying grass. This impression may have arisen from the hidden transformation of their larvae, which pupate within the soil and later emerge as glowing adults. The mystery of hotaru seemed to spring forth from withering vegetation.

As early Summer deepens and the nights grow warm, at around 8 o’clock in the evening for just one hour, a quiet illumination flickers above slender grasses, near streams, and within rice paddies. The appearance of hotaru marks another fleeting moment in the microseasonal calendar. Their silent glow is somehow simultaneously playful and melancholy. In Japanese culture, hotaru is primarily incorporated as a seasonal motif.

Hotaru have long appeared in the visual language of Summer garments. Through traditional techniques such as dyed patterns, embroidery, and hand painting, the firefly motif evokes the coolness of dusk and the beauty of transience. These designs typically depict hotaru within its natural environment. The bell-shaped flower known as hotarubukuro, literally “firefly bag,” often appears alongside hotaru in the arts, recalling a time when children gently placed fireflies inside the translucent blossoms. Fireflies were also briefly kept in delicate woven cages made with fine bamboo or pliable rice straw, serving as ephemeral sources of light. These practices emphasized not possession, but a reverent appreciation of nature’s fleeting performance.

During the 1700s, members of the court and literati would host hotarugari excursions, followed by carefully curated meal or tea. These events were designed to orchestrate a sense of coolness, sought during the humid Summer months. Meals often featured shimmering river fish, chilled seasonal vegetables, and tea sweets that evoked the glow of fireflies with ingredients such as sweetened braised beans, gold leaf, and translucent kanten jelly made from seaweed. These evening gatherings were also possible at home, as many gardens were designed to attract hotaru, incorporating shallow water channels, shaded grasses, and moisture-retaining soil.

Photo credit: Kyoto Miyama Tourism Association