seventy-two micro-seasons
Is it time #2
Thinking about the passage of the year in different ways.
In ancient times the Japanese divided their year into twenty-four periods [sekki] based on classical Chinese sources. The natural world comes to life in the even more vividly named seventy-two subdivisions of the traditional Japanese calendar.
Using this calendar of seventy-two micro seasons I dug into my archive to represent each micro season (ko) with a photo taken in London during the alloted five day period.
This traditional calendar differs from the western, Gregorian year. It relies on a lunisolar calendar that emphasises the centrality of either a solstice or equinox in the middle of each season:
Spring : 4 February – 5 May Summer : 6 May – 7 August Autumn : 8 August – 6 November Winter : 7 November – 3 February
One season contains six sekki, each sekki comprises three ko of five days apiece.
01. Beginning of Spring, coldest days are almost over and we can feel the sign of spring.
Risshun
24-02-05
February 4–8
2024
24-02-10
February 9–13
2024
24-02-15
February 14–18
2021
02. Rainwater , it becomes warmer. Snow and ice starts melting and snow becomes rain.
Usui
24-02-22
February 19–23
2022
24-02-25
February 24–29
Kasumi hajimete tanabiku
2025
21-03-05
March 1–5
2021
03. Insects Awaken , insects come out of hibernation.
Keichitsu
21-03-08
March 6–10
2021
25-03-15
March 11–15
2025
21-03-19
March 16–20
2019
04. Spring equinox , length of day and night becomes nearly equal. Shunbun
21-03-21
March 21–25
2021
21-03-26
March 26–30
2023
23-03-31
March 31–April 4
Kaminari sunawachi koe o hassu
2023
05. Fresh Green; Everything looks fresh and pure. Seimei
23-04-06
April 5–9
Tsubame kitaru
2023
20-04-14
April 10–14
2021
25-04-17
April 15–19
2025
06. Grain rains, spring rain showers for grains.
Kokuu
24-04-23
April 20–24
2023
24-04-28
April 25–29
2024
24-05-01
April 30–May 4
2024
07. Beginning of Summer, we feel the sign of Summer.
Rikka
20-05-06
May 5-9
2020
24-05-10
May 10-14
2024
24-05-17
May 15-20
2024
08. Lesser Fullness; everything grows.
Shōman
20-05-25
May 21-25
2020
19-05-26
May 26-30
2019
24-06-02
May 31-June 5
2024
09. Grain beards and seeds , time to plant grains
Bōshu
23-06-06
June 6-10
2023
24-06-14
June 11-15
2024
24-06-18
June 16-20
2024
10. Summer solstice, Length of day becomes longest
Geshi
24-06-24
June 21-26
2024
16-06-29
June 27- July 1
2016
20-07-05
July 2-6
2020
11. Lesser heat, times when the rainy season ends and it becomes hot
Shōsho
23-07-09
July 7-11
2023
19-07-16
July 12-16
2019
19-07-22
July 17-22
2020
12 .Greater heat, hottest days
Taisho
24-07-27
July 23-28
2024
24-07-30
July 29 - August 2
2024
11-08-07
August 3-7
2011
13. Beginning of autumn, times when we feel the sign of fall
Risshū
23-08-09
August 8-12
Suzukaze itaru
2023
22-08-13
August 13-17
Higurashi naku
2022
14-08-22
August 18-22
2014
14. Manageable heat , times when we feel less heat
Shosho
21-08-27
August 23-27
2021
16-08-30
August 28 - September 1
2016
20-09-04
September 2-7
2025
15. White dew , dew stays on the grass.
Hakuro
19-09-08
September 8-12
2019
23-09-17
September 13-17
2023
23-09-18
September 18-22
2023
16. Autumn equinox, length of day and night becomes nearly equal. Shūbun
21 -09-26
September 23-27
2023
18-09-29
September 28 - October 2
2018
19-10-07
October 3 - 7
Mizu hajimete karuru 2019
17. Cold dew, cold dews drops on wild grasses. Kanro
19-10-09
October 8 - 12
2019
23-10-14
October 13 - 17
Kiku no hana hiraku 2023
13-10-19
October 18 - 22
Kirigirisu to ni ari
2013
18. Frost falls, times when frost falls Sōkō
23-10-27
October 23 - 27
2023
22-10-31
October 28 - November 1
Kosame tokidoki furu
2022
23-11-06
November 2-6
2023
19. Beginning of winter, times when we feel the sign of winter
Rittō
21-11-11
November 7-11
2021
20-11-13
November 12-16
2020
14-11-21
November 17-21
Kinsenka saku
2014
20. Lesser snow, chilly Season. Rain becomes Snow.
Shōsetsu
16-11-25
November 22-26
Niji kakurete miezu
2016
20-11-27
November 27- December 1
2020
23-12-06
December 2-6
2023
21. Heavy Snow, snow starts falling
Taisetsu
23-12-09
December 7-11
2023
22-12-12
December 12-16
2022
17-12-18
December 17-21
2017
22. Winter solstice, times when the length of a day becomes shortest Tōji
21-12-25
December 22-26
2021
14-12-30
December 27-31
2014
20-01-03
January 1-4
2020
23. Lesser cold, start of cold season Shōkan
23-01-08
January 5–9
2023
22-01-14
January 10–14
2022
23-01-15
January 15-19
2023
24. Greater cold, coldest days
Daikan
23-01-20
January 20-24
Fuki no hana saku
2023
21-01-25
January 25-29
Sawamizu kōri tsumeru
2021
23-01-30
January 30 - February 3
Niwatori hajimete toya ni tsuku
2023