Small Seasons

In agricultural days, staying in-tune with the seasons was important. When should we plant seeds? When should we harvest? When will the rains come? Are they late this year? Knowing what was happening with nature was the difference between a plentiful harvest and a barren crop.

Prior to the Gregorian calendar, farmers in China and Japan broke each year down into 24 sekki or “small seasons.” These seasons didn't use dates to mark seasons, but instead, they divided up the year by natural phenomena.

Spring

Risshun — 立春

Start of spring

Ground thaws, fish appear under ice.

Approx. Date: Feb 4

Usui — 雨水

Rain waters

Snow recedes, mist lingers in the air.

Approx. Date: Feb 18

Keichitsu — 啓蟄

Going-out of the worms

Bugs surface from hibernation.

Approx. Date: Mar 6

Shunbun — 春分

Vernal equinox

Sparrows start to nest, cherry blossoms bloom.

Approx. Date: Mar 21

Seimei — 清明

Clear and bright

Geese fly north, the first rainbows of the year appear.

Approx. Date: Apr 4

Kokū — 穀雨

Rain for harvests

Reeds sprout by rivers, rice seedlings grow.

Approx. Date: Apr 21

Summer

Rikka — 立夏

Start of summer

Birds and frogs start the songs of summer.

Approx. Date: May 6

Shōman — 小満

Small blooming

Flowers and plants bloom, wheat ripens.

Approx. Date: May 21

Bōshu — 芒種

Seeds and cereals

Praying mantises hatch, fireflies come out. Time to seed the soil.

Approx. Date: Jun 5

Geshi — 夏至

Reaching summer

Longest days of the year, irises bloom.

Approx. Date: Jun 21

Shōsho — 小暑

Small heat

Warm winds blow, young hawks learn to fly.

Approx. Date: Jul 7

Taisho — 大暑

Big heat

Summer heat at its strongest, accompanied by great rains.

Approx. Date: Jul 23

Autumn

Risshu — 立秋

Start of autumn

Cooler winds blow, thick fogs roll through hills.

Approx. Date: Aug 8

Shosho — 処暑

Lessening heat

Rice has ripened, the heat of summer, forgotten.

Approx. Date: Aug 23

Hakuro — 白露

White dew

Drops of dew on grass.

Approx. Date: Sep 7

Shubun — 秋分

Autumnal equinox

Day and night are of equal length.

Approx. Date: Sep 23

Kanro — 寒露

Cold dew

Temperatures begin to drop, crickets stop chirping.

Approx. Date: Oct 8

Sōkō — 霜降

Frosting

The first frosts, maple leaves turn yellow.

Approx. Date: Oct 23

Winter

Ritto — 立冬

Start of winter

The ground starts to freeze.

Approx. Date: Nov 8

Shōsetsu — 小雪

Small snow

Light snow, the last leaves have fallen from trees.

Approx. Date: Nov 23

Taisetsu — 大雪

Big snow

Cold sets in, bears hibernate.

Approx. Date: Dec 8

Tōji — 冬至

Winter solstice

Shortest days of the year.

Approx. Date: Dec 22

Shōkan — 小寒

Small cold

Temperatures quickly drop.

Approx. Date: Jan 6

Daikan — 大寒

Big cold

Ice thickens on the streams, hens huddle together.

Approx. Date: Jan 20

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