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.
There's a 'Japanese calendar' wiki here .
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