Twelve Pictures of the Months: 8. The August Picture | Yoshimura Kokei 吉村孝敬 | 1769-1836

The image of August is once again full of mystery. A golden valerian (Patrinia) rises up, also known as the lady's flower. It is also called this in Japanese, ominaeshi ( 女郎花) , because the ideal of a charming woman is to be reserved, unobtrusive, and yet always present. This flower is just like that: you see it often, but it always stands somewhat apart, with enchanting, delicate yellow blossoms and a subtle fragrance. It is fitting for the Obon rites, the time when the ancestors return and dwell among the living – they are not intrusive, always omnipresent, yet never directly appearing. 

Geometric shapes can be seen on the upper and lower edges of the picture. These are stands for portable Obon paper lanterns, because at the end of summer, the ancestors must be guided back to the afterlife with dances and beacons. The ancestors' attendants carry such simple lanterns.

This image has many creases, and it is the only one with a different stamp. Perhaps it did not originally belong to this series, although it fits in perfectly stylistically and formally.