Twelve Pictures of the Months: 9. The December Picture | Yoshimura Kokei 吉村孝敬 | 1769-1836

Yoshimura Kokei chose the chrysanthemum as the symbol for September. This flower generally holds a special place in Japan, as it has been the imperial emblem with its sixteen petals since 1183; it is therefore also referred to as the "Chrysanthemum Throne" of the Tennō.

Chrysanthemums come in all sizes, colors, and shapes. They are cultivated into artistic arrangements, and many places in Japan hold growers' competitions in September. However, the secondary theme is once again witty and typical of this cycle.

On the lower edge is painted a hedge, the kind we know not only from the bamboo town of Arashiyama, but also from many temple and classical villa gardens: sparse, dry branches are carefully tied together with twine, forming a fence with a leaf-broom-like structure. This use of motif again demonstrates the understated quality that, as a poetic and romantic element, characterizes the entire series of monthly paintings.