24 Sekkis, or Twenty-Four Japanese Small Seasons

  1. Shokan ("small chill") Around Jan. 6 when a winter chill starts.
  2. Daikan ("big chill") Around Jan. 20 when the chill becomes severe.
  3. Risshun ("start of spring"jAround Feb. 4, the first day of spring according to the lunar calendar.
  4. Usui ("rain water") Around Feb. 18 when the snow melts away.
  5. Keichitsu ("going-out of worms") Around march 6 when worms start to come out of the ground after a long hibernation.
  6. Shunbun ("spring equinox") Around March 21 when winter is gone and spring starts.
  7. Seimei ("clear and bright") 15 days after the spring equin.
  8. Koku-u ("rain for harvests") Around April 21 when spring rain falls for the coming harvest season.
  9. Rikka ("start of summer") Around May 6 when songs of summer begin.
  10. Shoman ("half bloom") Around May 21 when flowers and plants start to come out.
  11. Boshu ("seeds of cereals") Around June 5 when people start seeding.
  12. Geshi ("reaching summer") Summer solstice Around June 21.
  13. Shohsho ("small heat") Around July 7 when the summer heat starts.
  14. Taisho ("big heat") Hottest time of the year Around July 23.
  15. Risshu ("start of autumn") Around Aug. 8 when signs of autumn can be seen.
  16. Shosho ("keeping out of the heat") Around Aug. 23 when the summer heat is forgotten.
  17. Hakuro ("white dew") Around Sep. 7 when drops of dew can be seen on the ground.
  18. Shubun ("the autumnal equinox") Around Sep. 23 when day and night are of equal length everywhere.
  19. Kanro ("cold dew") Around Oct. 8 when temperature becomes lower.
  20. Soko ("frosting") Oct. 23 when it starts frosting.
  21. Ritto ("start of winter") Around Nov. 8 When the winter season starts.
  22. Shosetsu ("small snow") Around Nov. 23 when a light snowfall can be seen.
  23. Taisetsu ("big snow") Around Dec. 8 when it starts snowing hard
  24. Toji ("reaching winter") Around Dec. 22 when day time becomes the shortest in the year.

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