Japan’s 72 Microseasons
Culture
In ancient times the Japanese divided their year into 24 periods based on classical Chinese sources. The natural world comes to life in the even more vividly named 72 subdivisions of the traditional Japanese calendar.
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The traditional Japanese calendar marks the passing of the seasons and changes in the natural world through the names given to different times of year. There are 24 major divisions, or sekki, from Risshun (Beginning of spring) in early February until Daikan (Greater cold). Originally taken from Chinese sources, these are still well-known around East Asia.
The 24 divisions are each split again into three for a total of 72 kō that last around five days each. The names were also originally taken from China, but they did not always match up well with the local climate. In Japan, they were eventually rewritten in 1685 by the court astronomer Shibukawa Shunkai. In their present form, they offer a poetic journey through the Japanese year in which the land awakens and blooms with life and activity before returning to slumber.
The dates in the following table are approximate and may vary by one day depending on the year. There are no standard readings in Japanese for the kanji names of the 72 kō, so other sources may give different readings.
| 立春 Risshun (Beginning of spring) | ||
|---|---|---|
| February 4–8 | 東風解凍 Harukaze kōri o toku | East wind melts the ice |
| February 9–13 | 黄鶯睍睆 Kōō kenkan su | Bush warblers start singing in the mountains |
| February 14–18 | 魚上氷 Uo kōri o izuru | Fish emerge from the ice |
| 雨水 Usui (Rainwater) | ||
| February 19–23 | 土脉潤起 Tsuchi no shō uruoi okoru | Rain moistens the soil |
| February 24–28 | 霞始靆 Kasumi hajimete tanabiku | Mist starts to linger |
| March 1–5 | 草木萌動 Sōmoku mebae izuru | Grass sprouts, trees bud |
| 啓蟄 Keichitsu (Insects awaken) | ||
| March 6–10 | 蟄虫啓戸 Sugomori mushito o hiraku | Hibernating insects surface |
| March 11–15 | 桃始笑 Momo hajimete saku | First peach blossoms |
| March 16–20 | 菜虫化蝶 Namushi chō to naru | Caterpillars become butterflies |
| 春分 Shunbun (Spring equinox) | ||
| March 21–25 | 雀始巣 Suzume hajimete sukū | Sparrows start to nest |
| March 26–30 | 櫻始開 Sakura hajimete saku | First cherry blossoms |
| March 31–April 4 | 雷乃発声 Kaminari sunawachi koe o hassu | Distant thunder |
| 清明 Seimei (Pure and clear) | ||
| April 5–9 | 玄鳥至 Tsubame kitaru | Swallows return |
| April 10–14 | 鴻雁北 Kōgan kaeru | Wild geese fly north |
| April 15–19 | 虹始見 Niji hajimete arawaru | First rainbows |
| 穀雨 Kokuu (Grain rains) | ||
| April 20–24 | 葭始生 Ashi hajimete shōzu | First reeds sprout |
| April 25–29 | 霜止出苗 Shimo yamite nae izuru | Last frost, rice seedlings grow |
| April 30–May 4 | 牡丹華 Botan hana saku | Peonies bloom |
| 立夏 Rikka (Beginning of summer) | ||
| May 5–9 | 蛙始鳴 Kawazu hajimete naku | Frogs start singing |
| May 10–14 | 蚯蚓出 Mimizu izuru | Worms surface |
| May 15–20 | 竹笋生 Takenoko shōzu | Bamboo shoots sprout |
| 小満 Shōman (Lesser ripening) | ||
| May 21–25 | 蚕起食桑 Kaiko okite kuwa o hamu | Silkworms start feasting on mulberry leaves |
| May 26–30 | 紅花栄 Benibana sakau | Safflowers bloom |
| May 31–June 5 | 麦秋至 Mugi no toki itaru | Wheat ripens and is harvested |
| 芒種 Bōshu (Grain beards and seeds) | ||
| June 6–10 | 蟷螂生 Kamakiri shōzu | Praying mantises hatch |
| June 11–15 | 腐草為螢 Kusaretaru kusa hotaru to naru | Rotten grass becomes fireflies |
| June 16–20 | 梅子黄 Ume no mi kibamu | Plums turn yellow |
| 夏至 Geshi (Summer solstice) | ||
| June 21–26 | 乃東枯 Natsukarekusa karuru | Self-heal withers |
| June 27–July 1 | 菖蒲華 Ayame hana saku | Irises bloom |
| July 2–6 | 半夏生 Hange shōzu | Crow-dipper sprouts |
| 小暑 Shōsho (Lesser heat) | ||
| July 7–11 | 温風至 Atsukaze itaru | Warm winds blow |
| July 12–16 | 蓮始開 Hasu hajimete hiraku | First lotus blossoms |
| July 17–22 | 鷹乃学習 Taka sunawachi waza o narau | Hawks learn to fly |
| 大暑 Taisho (Greater heat) | ||
| July 23–28 | 桐始結花 Kiri hajimete hana o musubu | Paulownia trees produce seeds |
| July 29–August 2 | 土潤溽暑 Tsuchi uruōte mushi atsushi | Earth is damp, air is humid |
| August 3–7 | 大雨時行 Taiu tokidoki furu | Great rains sometimes fall |
| 立秋 Risshū (Beginning of autumn) | ||
| August 8–12 | 涼風至 Suzukaze itaru | Cool winds blow |
| August 13–17 | 寒蝉鳴 Higurashi naku | Evening cicadas sing |
| August 18–22 | 蒙霧升降 Fukaki kiri matō | Thick fog descends |
| 処暑 Shosho (Manageable heat) | ||
| August 23–27 | 綿柎開 Wata no hana shibe hiraku | Cotton flowers bloom |
| August 28–September 1 | 天地始粛 Tenchi hajimete samushi | Heat starts to die down |
| September 2–7 | 禾乃登 Kokumono sunawachi minoru | Rice ripens |
| 白露 Hakuro (White dew) | ||
| September 8–12 | 草露白 Kusa no tsuyu shiroshi | Dew glistens white on grass |
| September 13–17 | 鶺鴒鳴 Sekirei naku | Wagtails sing |
| September 18–22 | 玄鳥去 Tsubame saru | Swallows leave |
| 秋分 Shūbun (Autumn equinox) | ||
| September 23–27 | 雷乃収声 Kaminari sunawachi koe o osamu | Thunder ceases |
| September 28–October 2 | 蟄虫坏戸 Mushi kakurete to o fusagu | Insects hole up underground |
| October 3–7 | 水始涸 Mizu hajimete karuru | Farmers drain fields |
| 寒露 Kanro (Cold dew) | ||
| October 8–12 | 鴻雁来 Kōgan kitaru | Wild geese return |
| October 13–17 | 菊花開 Kiku no hana hiraku | Chrysanthemums bloom |
| October 18–22 | 蟋蟀在戸 Kirigirisu to ni ari | Crickets chirp around the door |
| 霜降 Sōkō (Frost falls) | ||
| October 23–27 | 霜始降 Shimo hajimete furu | First frost |
| October 28–November 1 | 霎時施 Kosame tokidoki furu | Light rains sometimes fall |
| November 2–6 | 楓蔦黄 Momiji tsuta kibamu | Maple leaves and ivy turn yellow |
| 立冬 Rittō (Beginning of winter) | ||
| November 7–11 | 山茶始開 Tsubaki hajimete hiraku | Camellias bloom |
| November 12–16 | 地始凍 Chi hajimete kōru | Land starts to freeze |
| November 17–21 | 金盞香 Kinsenka saku | Daffodils bloom |
| 小雪 Shōsetsu (Lesser snow) | ||
| November 22–26 | 虹蔵不見 Niji kakurete miezu | Rainbows hide |
| November 27–December 1 | 朔風払葉 Kitakaze konoha o harau | North wind blows the leaves from the trees |
| December 2–6 | 橘始黄 Tachibana hajimete kibamu | Tachibana citrus tree leaves start to turn yellow |
| 大雪 Taisetsu (Greater snow) | ||
| December 7–11 | 閉塞成冬 Sora samuku fuyu to naru | Cold sets in, winter begins |
| December 12–16 | 熊蟄穴 Kuma ana ni komoru | Bears start hibernating in their dens |
| December 17–21 | 鱖魚群 Sake no uo muragaru | Salmon gather and swim upstream |
| 冬至 Tōji (Winter solstice) | ||
| December 22–26 | 乃東生 Natsukarekusa shōzu | Self-heal sprouts |
| December 27–31 | 麋角解 Sawashika no tsuno otsuru | Deer shed antlers |
| January 1–4 | 雪下出麦 Yuki watarite mugi nobiru | Wheat sprouts under snow |
| 小寒 Shōkan (Lesser cold) | ||
| January 5–9 | 芹乃栄 Seri sunawachi sakau | Parsley flourishes |
| January 10–14 | 水泉動 Shimizu atataka o fukumu | Springs thaw |
| January 15–19 | 雉始雊 Kiji hajimete naku | Pheasants start to call |
| 大寒 Daikan (Greater cold) | ||
| January 20–24 | 款冬華 Fuki no hana saku | Butterburs bud |
| January 25–29 | 水沢腹堅 Sawamizu kōri tsumeru | Ice thickens on streams |
| January 30–February 3 | 鶏始乳 Niwatori hajimete toya ni tsuku | Hens start laying eggs |
(Originally written in English by Richard Medhurst of Nippon.com. Banner photo: Autumn comes to Hibiya Park, Tokyo.)