The nanakusa, or more specifically, haru no nanakusa, spring's seven flowers, are seven edible wild herbs of spring. Traditionally, they are:
Image Traditional name Modern name English
芹 (せり seri) セリ seri Japanese parsley
薺 (なずな nazuna) ナズナ nazuna ぺんぺん草 penpengusa Shepherd's purse
御形 (ごぎょう gogyō) ハハコグサ (母子草) hahakogusa Cudweed
繁縷 (はこべら hakobera) コハコベ (小蘩蔞) kohakobe Chickweed
仏の座 (ほとけのざ hotokenoza) コオニタビラコ (小鬼田平子) koonitabirako Nipplewort
菘 (すずな suzuna) カブ (蕪) kabu Turnip
There is considerable variation in the precise ingredients, with common local herbs often being substituted.
On the morning of January 7, or the night before, people place the nanakusa, rice scoop, and/or wooden pestle on the cutting board and, facing the good-luck direction, chant "Before the birds of the continent (China) fly to Japan, let's get nanakusa" while cutting the herbs into pieces. The chant may vary from place to place.