The lunar calendar,
based on the moon phase cycle
The solar calendar (Gregorian calendar) that we use today is based on the time
taken for the Earth to orbit once around the sun, representing one year.
The lunar calendar, on the other
hand, has been in use since before the common era, and was used in Japan until the Meiji period (about 150 years
ago). With this calendar, a month is the time taken for the moon to complete one lunar cycle, from a new moon to
a full moon, and back again. The moon phase mechanism visually represents the movement of the moon, which has
been closely associated with people’s lives since ancient times.