News&Articles

As we approach late September, the severe summer heat finally subsides, and the clear autumn air begins to spread. This turning point of the seasons is called Shubun (the Autumnal Equinox), referring to the time when day and night become almost equal in length.

Just as the four seasons are recognized in many parts of the world, Japan also has four seasons. However, in traditional Japanese culture, the year is divided much more finely into 24 solar terms (Nijushi Sekki), which are then further divided into 72 micro-seasons (Shichijuni Ko). In the Shichijuni Ko, a single season is broken down into periods of just five days.

Naming the Fleeting Moments of Nature These 72 delicate micro-seasons are given poetic names that directly describe the changes occurring in the natural world over those five days. As we welcome the Shubun season in Japan, you might notice changes like these:

• Kaminari sunawachi osamaru: The time when summer thunderstorms finally cease.

• Mushi kakureru: The time when insects begin to hide underground to prepare for winter.

• Mizu hajimete karuru: The time when farmers start draining the water from the rice fields in preparation for the harvest.

This deep sensitivity to the slightest changes in the weather and the behavior of plants and animals is the foundation of Japanese aesthetics. This is why traditional arts like Haiku and Waka poetry place such importance on expressing the fleeting emotions tied to a specific seasonal moment.

Even when we are busy with modern urban life, taking the time to notice these subtle changes—like the sudden quietness of cicadas or a shift in the shape of the clouds—is very important for those of us living in today's stressful society. This Shubun, please observe the world around you and find your own little season in Japan.

P.S. Recently, when I was weeding my garden, a ridiculously giant grasshopper suddenly appeared, which was another fun way I felt the change of the seasons!