Japan Data

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.

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.)