https://www.nippon.com/en/features/h00124/ * Home * Japan Data * Japan's 72 Microseasons [51656] Japan Data Japan's 72 Microseasons Culture Oct 16, 2015 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. [*] * English * Ri Ben Yu * Jian Ti Zi * Fan Ti Zi * Francais * Espanol * l`rby@ * Russkii 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 ko 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 ko, so other sources may give different readings. Li Chun Risshun (Beginning of spring) February 4-8 Dong Feng Jie Dong Harukaze kori o East wind melts the ice toku February 9-13 Huang Ying Xian Huan Koo kenkan su Bush warblers start singing in the mountains February Yu Shang Bing Uo kori o izuru Fish emerge from the ice 14-18 Yu Shui Usui (Rainwater) February Tu Mai Run Qi Tsuchi no sho Rain moistens the soil 19-23 uruoi okoru February Xia Shi Dai Kasumi hajimete Mist starts to linger 24-28 tanabiku March 1-5 Cao Mu Meng Dong Somoku mebae Grass sprouts, trees bud izuru Qi Zhi Keichitsu (Insects awaken) March 6-10 Zhi Chong Qi Hu Sugomori Hibernating insects surface mushito o hiraku March 11-15 Tao Shi Xiao Momo hajimete First peach blossoms saku March 16-20 Cai Chong Hua Die Namushi cho to Caterpillars become naru butterflies Chun Fen Shunbun (Spring equinox) March 21-25 Que Shi Chao Suzume hajimete Sparrows start to nest suku March 26-30 Ying Shi Kai Sakura hajimete First cherry blossoms saku March Lei Nai Fa Sheng Kaminari Distant thunder 31-April 4 sunawachi koe o hassu Qing Ming Seimei (Pure and clear) April 5-9 Xuan Niao Zhi Tsubame kitaru Swallows return April 10-14 Hong Yan Bei Kogan kaeru Wild geese fly north April 15-19 Hong Shi Jian Niji hajimete First rainbows arawaru Gu Yu Kokuu (Grain rains) April 20-24 Jia Shi Sheng Ashi hajimete First reeds sprout shozu April 25-29 Shuang Zhi Chu Miao Shimo yamite Last frost, rice seedlings nae izuru grow April 30-May Mu Dan Hua Botan hana saku Peonies bloom 4 Li Xia Rikka (Beginning of summer) May 5-9 Wa Shi Ming Kawazu hajimete Frogs start singing naku May 10-14 Qiu Yin Chu Mimizu izuru Worms surface May 15-20 Zhu Sun Sheng Takenoko shozu Bamboo shoots sprout Xiao Man Shoman (Lesser ripening) May 21-25 Tian Qi Shi Sang Kaiko okite Silkworms start feasting on kuwa o hamu mulberry leaves May 26-30 Hong Hua Rong Benibana sakau Safflowers bloom May 31-June 5 Mai Qiu Zhi Mugi no toki Wheat ripens and is harvested itaru Mang Zhong Boshu (Grain beards and seeds) June 6-10 Dang Lang Sheng Kamakiri shozu Praying mantises hatch June 11-15 Fu Cao Wei Ying Kusaretaru kusa Rotten grass becomes fireflies hotaru to naru June 16-20 Mei Zi Huang Ume no mi kibamu Plums turn yellow Xia Zhi Geshi (Summer solstice) June 21-26 Nai Dong Ku Natsukarekusa Self-heal withers karuru June 27-July Chang Pu Hua Ayame hana saku Irises bloom 1 July 2-6 Ban Xia Sheng Hange shozu Crow-dipper sprouts Xiao Shu Shosho (Lesser heat) July 7-11 Wen Feng Zhi Atsukaze itaru Warm winds blow July 12-16 Lian Shi Kai Hasu hajimete First lotus blossoms hiraku July 17-22 Ying Nai Xue Xi Taka sunawachi Hawks learn to fly waza o narau Da Shu Taisho (Greater heat) July 23-28 Tong Shi Jie Hua Kiri hajimete Paulownia trees produce seeds hana o musubu July Tu Run Ru Shu Tsuchi uruote Earth is damp, air is humid 29-August 2 mushi atsushi August 3-7 Da Yu Shi Xing Taiu tokidoki Great rains sometimes fall furu Li Qiu Risshu (Beginning of autumn) August 8-12 Liang Feng Zhi Suzukaze itaru Cool winds blow August 13-17 Han Chan Ming Higurashi naku Evening cicadas sing August 18-22 Meng Wu Sheng Jiang Fukaki kiri Thick fog descends mato Chu Shu Shosho (Manageable heat) August 23-27 Mian Fu Kai Wata no hana Cotton flowers bloom shibe hiraku August Tian Di Shi Su Tenchi hajimete 28-September samushi Heat starts to die down 1 September 2-7 He Nai Deng Kokumono Rice ripens sunawachi minoru Bai Lu Hakuro (White dew) September Cao Lu Bai Kusa no tsuyu Dew glistens white on grass 8-12 shiroshi September Ji Ling Ming Sekirei naku Wagtails sing 13-17 September Xuan Niao Qu Tsubame saru Swallows leave 18-22 Qiu Fen Shubun (Autumn equinox) September Lei Nai Shou Sheng Kaminari Thunder ceases 23-27 sunawachi koe o osamu September Zhi Chong Pi Hu Mushi kakurete Insects hole up underground 28-October 2 to o fusagu October 3-7 Shui Shi He Mizu hajimete Farmers drain fields karuru Han Lu Kanro (Cold dew) October 8-12 Hong Yan Lai Kogan kitaru Wild geese return October 13-17 Ju Hua Kai Kiku no hana Chrysanthemums bloom hiraku October 18-22 Xi Shuai Zai Hu Kirigirisu to Crickets chirp around the door ni ari Shuang Jiang Soko (Frost falls) October 23-27 Shuang Shi Jiang Shimo hajimete First frost furu October Sha Shi Shi Kosame tokidoki Light rains sometimes fall 28-November 1 furu November 2-6 Feng Niao Huang Momiji tsuta Maple leaves and ivy turn kibamu yellow Li Dong Ritto (Beginning of winter) November 7-11 Shan Cha Shi Kai Tsubaki Camellias bloom hajimete hiraku November Di Shi Dong Chi hajimete koru Land starts to freeze 12-16 November Jin Zhan Xiang Kinsenka saku Daffodils bloom 17-21 Xiao Xue Shosetsu (Lesser snow) November Hong Zang Bu Jian Niji kakurete Rainbows hide 22-26 miezu November Shuo Feng Fu Xie Kitakaze konoha North wind blows the leaves 27-December 1 o harau from the trees December 2-6 Ju Shi Huang Tachibana Tachibana citrus tree leaves hajimete kibamu start to turn yellow Da Xue Taisetsu (Greater snow) December 7-11 Bi Sai Cheng Dong Sora samuku Cold sets in, winter begins fuyu to naru December Xiong Zhi Xue Kuma ana ni Bears start hibernating in 12-16 komoru their dens December Jue Yu Qun Sake no uo Salmon gather and swim 17-21 muragaru upstream Dong Zhi Toji (Winter solstice) December Nai Dong Sheng Natsukarekusa Self-heal sprouts 22-26 shozu December Mi Jiao Jie Sawashika no Deer shed antlers 27-31 tsuno otsuru January 1-4 Xue Xia Chu Mai Yuki watarite Wheat sprouts under snow mugi nobiru Xiao Han Shokan (Lesser cold) January 5-9 Qin Nai Rong Seri sunawachi Parsley flourishes sakau January 10-14 Shui Quan Dong Shimizu atataka o Springs thaw fukumu January 15-19 Zhi Shi Gou Kiji hajimete Pheasants start to call naku Da Han Daikan (Greater cold) January 20-24 Kuan Dong Hua Fuki no hana saku Butterburs bud January 25-29 Shui Ze Fu Jian Sawamizu kori Ice thickens on streams tsumeru January Ji Shi Ru Niwatori hajimete Hens start laying eggs 30-February 3 toya ni tsuku (Originally written in English by Richard Medhurst of Nippon.com. Banner photo: Autumn comes to Hibiya Park, Tokyo.) nature tradition seasons calendar custom * * *