Take in the big picture, and go for it
HELIO COMPASS inventor Kaichi Sugiyama offers a commentary on the real-time motion of the stars, and this inspires Swedish pizza parlor Omnipollos hatt to design a pizza. Each edition of Cosmic Pizza presents a new pizza created through a collaboration between HELIO COMPASS and Omnipollos hatt.
Doyo in the year ahead
Summer July 20–August 8, 2023
Autumn October 21–November 8, 2023
Winter January 18–February 4, 2024
Spring April 16–May 5, 2024
Doyo = Period of transition into the next season
Just as the ring of a bell made Pavlov’s dogs hungry for their food, the sound of the word doyo makes us Japanese hungry for grilled freshwater eel. We can’t help our reflex, and that much is fine, but it’s a shame that our reflex ends there. Doyo holds an important place in the Japanese calendar. It’s even included in the “24 Sekki” (24 Solar Terms) and “Zassetsu” (Supplementary Solar Terms) released by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. The list serves as the master data for all calendars published throughout Japan each year.
Doyo refers to the period of 18 days that starts when the ecliptic longitude of the Sun reaches 18º before the first day of spring (risshun), of summer (rikka), of autumn (risshu), and of winter (ritto). There is even a system of thought based on the idea of five seasons, consisting of the four seasons plus doyo. This originates in the Chinese philosophy of the Five Elements, which holds that all things in nature correspond to Wood, Fire, Metal, Water, and Earth, and these five elements interact to maintain balance in the universe. Wood represents spring, Fire summer, Metal autumn, Water winter, and Earth the transition period between the seasons—doyo.
Now, let’s look at the HELIO COMPASS. “One season is 90 degrees, minus its doyo of 18 degrees, gives us 72 degrees per season. Take 18 degrees per doyo, times 4 doyo in a year, and we have another 72 degrees. Even though this last 72 is divided throughout the year, it does make sense to recognize it as a fifth season,” says Kaichi Sugiyama.
Why eel anyway?
Back to the eel. We tend to associate doyo particularly with Ushi-no-hi, or the Day of the Ox, and it is on this day that we observe the custom of eating unagi-no-kabayaki, or grilled freshwater eel. But the origins of this custom are unclear. Popular belief says it was Japan’s first work of copywriting by one Hiraga Gennai: The best season for eel is the winter, but his copy aimed to sell it in the summer too.
Another theory says that eel is nutritious and helps to boost stamina and beat the summer heat. And yet another says that unagi on Ushi-no-hi simply sounds good to the ear. There are many versions of the story, some with or without evidence, and some that are merely a play on words. For all we know, someone somewhere may have started eating eel on this day just for fun, without any special reason. The point is that a practice always has the chance of becoming a routine, being widely recognized, and blossoming into a culture—as we have pointed out several times before in this column.
Those who master doyo rule the entire year
Being the transition period into the next season, doyo tends to engender feelings of instability and hesitation. Traditionally, during doyo it was considered best to avoid making important life decisions and milestone changes, like changing jobs, getting married, buying a new house. As the characters for doyo suggest, however, at a very basic level, doyo is a time for “embracing the Earth”—that is, a grounding period. We could interpret it as a time for planting both feet firmly on the ground and tapping into the power of the Earth.
In the world of surfing, for example, once you’ve mastered the basics, you can ride even the most extreme waves. If you don’t know the basics, however, you’re likely to be swallowed by the waves, in which case you might want to play it safe and not be too aggressive. But even then, as long as you keep in mind that the times are unsteady, you have a chance of making the most of the power of the wave and triggering a big change.
In that sense, it might be exciting to make the best of doyo and try something new. “Being aware of that opportunity is an advantage that comes with understanding the calendar,” says Kaichi. If you haven’t yet figured out what you want to do or need to do, then sit tight and wait patiently. But if you’re ready to take the first step, then channel your concentration and go for it. You’d be tapping into the power of the Earth.
A SLICE OF SPACE
The Roots of ‘Doyo’ for Health and Grounding
A simple, mild base of mozzarella, olive oil, and salt. Our pizza creators have used many strong root-based ingredients for strong health to represent the doyo periods. Foods such as beets, carrots, and chili peppers with an oil-based dressing mixed with turmeric, garlic, and lemon—provide lots of power to pull you successfully from the doyo periods into the seasons. And in addition to the health and grounding benefits of this pizza get ready for its stimulating flavor!
Kaichi Sugiyama
Sugiyama made his debut as a rekishi calendar maker in 2022, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the introduction of the Gregorian calendar into Japan.
