The Best Time in Spring is The Dawn
Japan’s most famous essay written in the 11th century “Makura no Soshi” says so
When asked about seasons, a Japanese person, with no exception, would utter “春はあけぼの Haru ha akebono (In the spring, the dawn!)”
Featured in elementary school textbooks, the opening phrase of this famous essay called “Makura no Soshi 枕草子” is so ingrained in our brains.
Makura no Soshi (The Pillow Book) was written by Sei Shonagon 清少納言, a court lady, in the late 990s and early 1000s. In this essay, with her sharp wit, Sei Shonagon depicted her observations about nature and her everyday life in the imperial court.
More than a thousand years later, we still enjoy this essay and learn how the aristocrats in Japan used to perceive and conduct their lives, as well as how people in ancient times used to feel the change of four seasons.
Sei Shonagon starts by listing the best time of the day for each season. The best time in spring is the dawn, according to her.
Below is the English translation of the opening phrases of Makura no Soshi by Ivan Morris (1925–1976), an English writer, translator, and editor of Japanese studies. I think his translation reflects the snappy, witty rhythm of the original writing by Sei Shonagon quite well.
