Seventy-two Microseasons! Japan’s Archaic Calendar Will Undoubtedly Pique Your Interest

In the past, Japan had 72 seasons in a year, whereas many other nations now only count four or occasionally even two seasons. Interesting, huh? Well, the nation was thought to have 24 sizable divisions called Sekki, which were inspired by the Chinese, with each season lasting just five days. Although this may seem a bit complicated, the Japanese thought that the passage of the calendar year is expressed poetically via the measurement of these 72 microseasons. In order to bring everyone’s attention to the minute changes in the natural world, these microseasons were also monitored.

It’s interesting to note that these 72 microseasons have names that translate into lovely phrases, such as “Dew glistens white on grass,” “First peach blossoms,” or “Bush warblers start singing in the mountains,” in contrast to the straightforward titles like summer and winter.

Although the names originated from Chinese sources, Shibukawa Shunkai, the first official astronomer of the Edo era, renamed them in 1685 to reflect the climate of Japan. China is unique in that its 24 seasons lessen the severity of the winter months. Japan separated them into 72 microseasons, which was a step above.

Japan’s micro seasons begin slowly in February and blossom into what is known as spring, much like the Chinese calendar. The summer months in their microseasons are also the warmest and busiest, and they seamlessly give way to the chilly winter winds. The 72 micro seasons state that November is the month of frost when ivy and maple leaves turn yellow and eventually lead to the entrance of Ritt and Shsetsu. Ritt and Shsetsu signal the start of the microseasons, when rainbows disappear and the ground begins to freeze. The season also saw the leaves on the trees being blown by the north wind.

These sub-groups were entitled Grain showers, clean and clear, insects awakened, rainfall, the beginning of spring, the beginning of summer, summer solstice, grains and bread, and lower ripening, among others. These Japanese microseasons began approximately on February 4 and ended on February 6.