The traditional seasons in Japan are marked out by impercetibly small changes in nature across 72 miniature seasons in a year, each lasting 5 days and reflecting the fleeting, impermanent and diaphanous beauty of nature and all of its wonders.
There are 24 divisions or sekki in the calendar that are split into 72 kō that last around five days each. Originating from China, the calendar was brought to Japan in 1685 by court astronomer Shibukawa Shunkai.
I think this is a far more comprehensive, meaningful and meditative way to understand the world. I don’t know how this calendar isn’t more widely used throughout the world. The calendar gives you a way to cultivate mindfulness by giving you a focal point for attention during each of the five day spans and mini seasons. I can see the clear complement to the practice of Zen Buddhism and all of zen philosophy.
I only wish that the dates were around the other way to represent what goes on in the southern hemisphere where I am! I guess I will need to do that then!
These lyrical and grounding mini-seasons takes me out of my own head and into the blooming and subsiding of life throughout the year. It’s here to remind us of the fragility and beautiful impermanence of all life. If you would like to keep the 72 seasons with you all the time, you can get this app for your phone or tablet – or you could go outside, that also works 🙂
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 rainsApril 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 Salmons 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
Kiwamizu kōri tsumeru Ice thickens on streams
January 30–February 3 鶏始乳
Niwatori hajimete toya ni tsuku Hens start laying eggs
Content Catnip 
This is wonderful. It’s where we need to be, feet on earth, paying attention to planet, then mindful of our actions.
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I know Tish…every time I read each season here it reminds me to contemplate everything as it is, nature is a constant teacher and has the ability to heal our souls if we take the time to listen closely
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What a fascinating post!! And wonderful photos!
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Thank you so much 🥰 I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I think the same can be applied anywhere, there are micro-changes and micro-seasons all the time when we look closely, we can see them 😻
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You are most welcome and, yes, that is a good point 😉
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