立春 risshun beginning of spring
2/4 - 2/8
harukaze kōri o toku
east wind melts the ice
東風解凍
2/9 - 2/13
kōō kenkan su
bush warblers start singing in the mountains
黄鶯睍睆
2/14 - 2/18
uo kōri o izuru
fish emerge from the ice
魚上氷
雨水 usui rainwater
2/19-2/23
tsuchi no shō uruoi okoru
rain moistens the soil
土脉潤起
2/24 - 2/28
kasumi hajimete tanabiku
mist starts to linger
霞始靆
3/1 - 3/5
sōmoku mebae izuru
grass sprouts, trees bud
草木萌動
啓蟄 keichitsu insects awaken
3/6 - 3/10
sugomori mushito o hiraku
hibernating insects surface
蟄虫啓戸
3/11 - 3/15
momo hajimete saku
first peach blossoms
桃始笑
3/16 - 3/20
namushi chō to naru
caterpillars become butterflies
菜虫化蝶
春分 shunbun spring equinox
3/21 - 3/25
suzume hajimete sukū
sparrows start to nest
雀始巣
3/26 - 3/30
sakura hajimete saku
first cherry blossoms
櫻始開
3/31 - 4/4
kaminari sunawachi koe o hassu
distant thunder
雷乃発声
清明 seimei pure and clear
4/5 - 4/9
tsubame kitaru
swallows return
玄鳥至
4/10 - 4/14
kōgan kaeru
wild geese fly north
鴻雁北
4/15 - 4/19
niji hajimete arawaru
first rainbows
虹始見
穀雨 kokuu grain rains
4/20 - 4/24
ashi hajimete shōzu
first reeds sprout
葭始生
4/25 - 4/29
shimo yamite nae izuru
last frost, rice seedlings grow
霜止出苗
4/30 - 5/4
botan hana saku
peonies bloom
牡丹華
立夏 rikka beginning of summer
5/5 - 5/9
kawazu hajimete naku
frogs start singing
蛙始鳴
5/10 - 5/14
mimizu izuru
worms surface
蚯蚓出
5/15 - 5/20
takenoko shōzu
bamboo shoots sprout
竹笋生
小満 shōman lesser ripening
5/21 - 5/25
kaiko okite kuwa o hamu
silkworms start feasting on mulberry leaves
蚕起食桑
5/26 - 5/30
benibana sakau
safflowers bloom
紅花栄
5/31 - 6/5
mugi no toki itaru
wheat ripens and is harvested
麦秋至
芒種 bōshu grain beards and seeds
6/6 - 6/10
kamakiri shōzu
praying mantises hatch
蟷螂生
6/11 - 6/15
kusaretaru kusa hotaru to naru
rotten grass becomes fireflies
腐草為螢
6/16 - 6/20
ume no mi kibamu
plums turn yellow
梅子黄
夏至 geshi summer solstice
6/21 - 6/26
natsukarekusa karuru
self-heal withers
乃東枯
6/27 - 7/1
ayame hana saku
irises bloom
菖蒲華
7/2 - 7/6
hange shōzu
crow-dipper sprouts
半夏生
小暑 shōsho lesser heat
7/7 - 7/11
atsukaze itaru
warm wind blows
温風至
7/12 - 7/16
hasu hajimete hiraku
first lotus blooms
蓮始開
7/17 - 7/22
taka sunawachi waza o narau
hawks learn to fly
鷹乃学習
大暑 taisho greater heat
7/23 - 7/28
kiri hajimete hana o musubu
paulownia trees produce seeds
桐始結花
7/29 - 8/2
tsuchi uruōte mushi atsushi
earth is damp, air is humid
土潤溽暑
8/3 - 8/7
taiu tokidoki furu
great rains sometimes fall
大雨時行
立秋 risshū beginning of autumn
8/8 - 8/12
suzukaze itaru
cool wind blows
涼風至
8/13 - 8/17
higurashi naku
evening cicadas sing
寒蝉鳴
8/18 - 8/22
fukaki kiri matō
thick fog descends
蒙霧升降
処暑 shosho manageable heat
8/23 - 8/27
wata no hana shibe hiraku
cotton flowers bloom
綿柎開
8/28 - 9/1
tenchi hajimete samushi
heat starts to die down
天地始粛
9/2 - 9/7
kokumono sunawachi minoru
rice ripens
禾乃登
白露 hakuro white dew
9/8 - 9/12
kusa no tsuyu shiroshi
dew glistens white on grass
草露白
9/13 - 9/17
sekirei naku
wagtails sing
鶺鴒鳴
9/18 - 9/22
tsubame saru
swallows leave
玄鳥去
秋分 shūbun autumn equinox
9/23 - 9/27
kaminari sunawachi koe o osamu
thunder ceases
雷乃収声
9/28 - 10/2
mushi kakurete to o fusagu
insects hole up underground
蟄虫坏戸
10/3 - 10/7
mizu hajimete karuru
farmers drain fields
水始涸
寒露 kanro cold dew
10/8 - 10/12
kōgan kitaru
wild geese return
鴻雁来
10/13 - 10/17
kiku no hana hiraku
chrysanthemums bloom
菊花開
10/18 - 10/22
kirigirisu to ni ari
crickets chirp around the door
蟋蟀在戸
霜降 sōkō frost falls
10/23 - 10/27
shimo hajimete furu
first frost
霜始降
10/28 - 11/1
kosame tokidoki furu
light rains sometimes fall
霎時施
11/2 - 11/6
momiji tsuta kibamu
maple leaves and ivy turn yellow
楓蔦黄
立冬 rittō beginning of winter
11/7 - 11/11
tsubaki hajimete hiraku
camellias bloom
山茶始開
11/12 - 11/16
chi hajimete kōru
land starts to freeze
地始凍
11/17 - 11/21
kinsenka saku
daffodils bloom
金盞香
小雪 shōsetsu lesser snow
11/22 - 11/26
niji kakurete miezu
rainbows hide
虹蔵不見
11/27 - 12/1
kitakaze konoha o harau
north wind blows the leavs from the trees
朔風払葉
12/2 - 12/6
tachibana hajimete kibamu
tachibana citrus tree leaves start to turn yellow
橘始黄
大雪 taisetsu greater snow
12/7 - 12/11
sora samuku fuyu to naru
cold sets in, winter begins
閉塞成冬
12/12 - 12/16
kuma ana ni komoru
bears start hibernating in their dens
熊蟄穴
12/17 - 12/21
sake no uo muragaru
salmon gather and swim upstream
鱖魚群
冬至 tōji winter solstice
12/22 - 12/26
natsukarekusa shōzu
self-heal sprouts
乃東生
12/27 - 12/31
sawashika no tsuno otsuru
deer shed antlers
麋角解
1/1 - 1/4
yuki watarite mugi nobiru
wheat sprouts under snow
雪下出麦
小寒 shōkan lesser cold
1/5 - 1/9
seri sunawachi sakau
parsley flourishes
芹乃栄
1/10 - 1/14
shimizu atataka o fukumu
springs thaw
水泉動
1/15 - 1/19
kiji hajimete naku
pheasants start to call
雉始雊
大寒 daikan greater cold
1/20 - 1/24
fuki no hana saku
butterburs bud
款冬華
1/25 - 1/29
sawamizu kōri tsumeru
ice thickens on streams
水沢腹堅
1/30 - 2/3
niwatori hajimete toya ni tsuku
hens start laying eggs
鶏始乳