 |
|
 |
No, not three-chord
melancholy, wailing harmonicas and soulful guitar riffs—
the phenomenon which the Japanese refer to as gogatsu
byo, literally"May sickness" but often
translated as May Blues, is something quite different.
The May Blues manifests itself similarly to Seasonal
Affective Disorder (SAD), in which the coming of winter
and fewer hours of daylight cause many people to feel
sluggish and depressed.
Essentially, it
is a backlash from the busy month of April, which in
Japan is full of changes. April marksthe beginning of
a new school year, the first day in the office for university
graduates |
and
new recruits, and for most companies, a new fiscal year.
For everyone, there are new faces to learn, new clothes
and books to buy, new work assignments to get into.
Also, the weather is changing and once the Golden Week
holiday is over in early May, there is precious little
time off to look forward to before Christmas and New
Year.
For many, all this change—be
it positive or negative—is
very stressful, and stress sometimes leads to depression.
It can also affect the body's immune system, explaining
why May is often a month of mysteriously appearing,
die-hard flu and stomach bugs.
But all is not doom and gloom. Summer is just around
the corner, bright young leaves adorn trees everywhere
and the season usually offers stable, sunny weather.
There are also exciting traditions to observe with family
and friends, such as Children's Day on May 5, and numerous
So if you happen to be in Japan and suffer from a bout
of gogatsu byo, try to find the time to get
out and about, visit friends, do outdoor sports, enjoy
the weather—it really
helps. Also remember that it is a May thing only; by
June, few people have still got the blues. |
|
|
|
