How many different ways are there of saying “june” Japanese?

水月 (Mina Zuki, lit. “water month”), the month during which rice fields are full of water.

水無月 (Mina Zuki, lit. “water without month”), the month during which rivers run dry because of the heat. Some will argue that the 無 doesn’t mean なし (“without”), but rather の (“of”).

伏月 (Fuku Getsu) The month of sanpuku (三伏). There are three fuku, Shofuku (初伏) which is the third konoe (庚) after the summer solstice, Chūfuku, the fourth konoe (庚) following the solstice, and Mappuku, the first konoe (庚) after Risshū (立秋), the traditional start of Autumn which falls on about the eighth of August. These are all tied to the traditional Chinese calendar, which divided a year into 24 solar terms.

青水無月 (Aomina Zuki, lit. “blue water without month”), the month in which trees grow thick and water becomes clean and healthy.

季月 (Ki getsu “season month”), the month the season ends. Also 季夏の月 (Kika no Tsuki)

鳴雷月 (Narukami Zuki, lit. “roll/strike thunder month), the month in which thunder increases. Also written 鳴神月 (lit. “Roaring gods month")

常夏月 (Tokonatsu Zuki, lit. “endless summer month”) Another name for kawaradenashiko (Dianthus chinensis or China pink) is tokonatsu, which blooms from spring to mid summer.

松風月 (Matsukaze Tsuki, lit. “pine wind month”), the month when a “comfortable pine wind” blows.

風待月 (Kazemachi Zuki, lit. “wind wait month”), the month one waits for a cool breeze.

Oh, and there is also Rokugatsu, (六月, the sixth month), which is what everyone calls the month now. Note that many of these older, more traditional names refer the period from late June to early August, according to the old calendar.

So, 11 or 12, and counting.