A warm and gentle day in Kamakura.
My younger brother’s 49th-day memorial service was held at a local cemetery.
A small coincidence, a crowded street, and a rumor about February being “one week shorter” — all somehow part of the same day.
It was an unusually warm day.
My younger brother’s 49th-day memorial service was held at a cemetery here in Kamakura.
Had it been one week earlier, we would have been caught in heavy snow. We were fortunate. Some coincidences are best received quietly, without overthinking them.
After the service, we gathered for a meal at a Chinese restaurant near Komachi Street. Walking through the shopping district, we found it as crowded as ever.
The news has been reporting a sharp decline in Chinese tourists during the Lunar New Year, suggesting that local businesses are struggling. Yet, from what I could see, the number of visitors felt almost just right. People still come. They always do.
Lately, I had the odd impression that this February was passing unusually quickly. Then I heard a rumor—apparently, a “rare phenomenon not seen in 851 years” was occurring this month. It was even mentioned on the radio yesterday.
So that must be it, I thought.
February is one week shorter this year.
Wait.
That cannot be true. February still has 28 days. Losing three days would be one thing—but an entire week?
It turned out to be nothing more than a trick of the calendar. This year, February 1 falls on a Sunday and the 28th on a Saturday. The final row of the monthly calendar is left blank.
That empty row creates the illusion of a shorter month.
And as for the “once in 800 years” phenomenon? Apparently, it happens every decade or so.
One might say those who believe such rumors deserve to be fooled. Still, I have to admit—it was a rather well-crafted joke.
