SO WHAT IS A HIGURASHI
and how does it differ from #semi
The usual word for Cicada is Semi but there is another cicada species called #higurashi
This is Tanna Japonensis the cicada that sings at dawn or dusk or when the sky is overcast.
Its numbers and song peak in mid October. As well as featuring in various waka and haiku it is also the subject of one of Utamaro's Insects and Flowers series published to illustrate a book:
Although mentioned in many poems it doesn't seem to have been as popular as a theme for visual arts apart from some netsuke. I was surprised to find so few prints and this is the best of them.
Utamaro is best known for bijin beautiful women prints and he brings the same elegant style to this depiction of plants and insects.
No comments:
Post a Comment