Editing Japanese calendar (section)

===Seasons===

There are four seasons corresponding to the West's:

{| class=wikitable
|-
! English name !! Japanese name !! Romanisation !! Traditional dates
|-
|Spring || {{nihongo2|春}} || {{tlit|ja|haru}} || February 5 – May 6
|-
|Summer || {{nihongo2|夏}} || {{tlit|ja|natsu}} || May 7 – August 8
|-
|Fall || {{nihongo2|秋}} || {{tlit|ja|aki}} || August 9 – November 7
|-
|Winter || {{nihongo2|冬}} || {{tlit|ja|fuyu}} || November 8 – February 4
|}

However, there is also a traditional system of {{nihongo|[[solar term|72 microseasons]]|候|kō}}, consisting of {{nihongo|[[Jieqi|24 solar terms]]|節気|sekki}} each divided into three sets of five days,<ref name="auto">{{cite web | url=https://www.nippon.com/en/features/h00124/ | title=Japan's 72 Microseasons | date=October 16, 2015 }}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{cite web | url=https://www.takasago.com/en/new | title=Takasago website has adopted a new theme. &#124; Takasago International Corporation }}</ref><ref name="auto9">{{cite web | url=https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-topics/b09701/?cx_recs_click=true | title=Japan's 24 Solar Terms | date=February 3, 2023 }}</ref> and with specially-named days or {{nihongo||雑節|Zassetsu}} indicating the start and end of each. This system was adapted from the Chinese in 1685 by court astronomer Shibukawa Shunkai, rewriting the names to better match the local climate and nature in his native Japan.<ref name="auto"/><ref name="auto1"/> Each ''kō'' has traditional customs, festivals, foods, flowers and birds associated with it:<ref name="auto9"/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-topics/b09702/?cx_recs_click=true | title=Risshun (Beginning of Spring) | date=February 3, 2023 }}</ref>

====The 24 sekki====

{| class=wikitable
|-
! Microseason Number !! Traditional Dates !! Japanese Name !! Romanization !! English Meaning 
|- 
|{{nihongo3|Beginning of Spring|立春|[[Risshun]]}}
|- 
|1||February 4–8||{{lang|ja|東風解凍}}||{{tlit|ja|Harukaze kōri o toku}}||The east wind melts the thick ice.
|-
|2||February 9–13||{{lang|ja|黄鶯睍睆}}||{{tlit|ja|Kōō kenkan su}}||Bush warblers sing in the countryside.
|-
|3||February 14–18||{{lang|ja|魚上氷}}||{{tlit|ja|Uo kōri o izuru}}||Ice cracks, allowing fish to emerge.
|- 
|{{nihongo3|Rain Water|雨水|[[Usui]]}}
|- 
|4||February 19–23||{{lang|ja|土脉潤起}}||{{tlit|ja|Tsuchi no shō uruoi okoru}}||Rain falls, moistening the soil.
|- 
|5||February 24–28||{{lang|ja|霞始靆}}||{{tlit|ja|Kasumi hajimete tanabiku}}||Mist lies over the land.
|- 
|6||March 1–5||{{lang|ja|草木萌動}}||{{tlit|ja|Sōmoku mebae izuru}}||Trees and plants put forth buds.
|- 
|{{nihongo3|Insects Awakening|啓蟄|[[Keichitsu]]}}
|- 
|7||March 6–10||{{lang|ja|蟄虫啓戸}}||{{tlit|ja|Sugomori mushito o hiraku}}||Hibernating insects emerge.
|- 
|8||March 11–15||{{lang|ja|桃始笑}}||{{tlit|ja|Momo hajimete saku}}||Peach trees begin to bloom.
|- 
|9||March 16–20||{{lang|ja|菜虫化蝶}}||{{tlit|ja|Namushi chō to naru}}||Cabbage whites emerge from their cocoons.
|- 
|{{nihongo3|Spring Equinox|春分|[[Shunbun]]}}
|- 
|10||March 21–25||{{lang|ja|雀始巣}}||{{tlit|ja|Suzume hajimete sukū}}||Sparrows begin building their nests.
|- 
|11||March 26–30||{{lang|ja|櫻始開}}||{{tlit|ja|Sakura hajimete saku}}||Cherry blossoms begin to bloom.
|- 
|12||March 31–April 4||{{lang|ja|雷乃発声}}||{{tlit|ja|Kaminari sunawachi koe o hassu}}||Thunder rumbles far away.
|- 
|{{nihongo3|Fresh Green|清明|[[Qingming|Seimei]]}}
|- 
|13||April 5–9||{{lang|ja|玄鳥至}}||{{tlit|ja|Tsubame kitaru}}||Swallows return from the south.
|- 
|14||April 10–14||{{lang|ja|鴻雁北}}||{{tlit|ja|Kōgan kaeru}}||Wild geese fly north.
|- 
|15||April 15–19||{{lang|ja|虹始見}}||{{tlit|ja|Niji hajimete arawaru}}||Rainbows begin to appear.
|- 
|{{nihongo3|Grain Rain|穀雨|[[Kokuu]]}}
|- 
|16||April 20–24||{{lang|ja|葭始生}}||{{tlit|ja|Ashi hajimete shōzu}}||Reeds begin to sprout.
|- 
|17||April 25–29||{{lang|ja|霜止出苗}}||{{tlit|ja|Shimo yamite nae izuru}}||Rice seedlings grow.
|- 
|18||April 30–May 4||{{lang|ja|牡丹華}}||{{tlit|ja|Botan hana saku}}||Peonies bloom.
|- 
|{{nihongo3|Beginning of Summer|立夏|[[Lixia|Rikka]]}}
|- 
|19||May 5–9||{{lang|ja|蛙始鳴}}||{{tlit|ja|Kawazu hajimete naku}}||Frogs begin croaking.
|- 
|20||May 10–14||{{lang|ja|蚯蚓出}}||{{tlit|ja|Mimizu izuru}}||Worms wriggle to the surface.
|- 
|21||May 15–20||{{lang|ja|竹笋生}}||{{tlit|ja|Takenoko shōzu}}||Bamboo shoots sprout.
|- 
| {{nihongo3|Lesser Fullness|小満|[[Shōman]]}}
|- 
|22||May 21–25||{{lang|ja|蚕起食桑}}||{{tlit|ja|Kaiko okite kuwa o hamu}}||Silkworms feast on mulberry leaves.
|- 
|23||May 26–30||{{lang|ja|紅花栄}}||{{tlit|ja|Benibana sakau}}||Safflowers bloom in abundance.
|- 
|24||May 31–June 5||{{lang|ja|麦秋至}}||{{tlit|ja|Mugi no toki itaru}}||Barley ripens, ready to be harvested.
|- 
|{{nihongo3|Grain in Ear|芒種|[[Bōshu]]}}
|-
|25||June 6–10||{{lang|ja|蟷螂生}}||{{tlit|ja|Kamakiri shōzu}}||Praying mantises hatch and come forth.
|- 
|26||June 11–15||{{lang|ja|腐草為螢}}||{{tlit|ja|Kusaretaru kusa hotaru to naru}}||Fireflies fly out from moist grass.
|- 
|27||June 16–20||{{lang|ja|梅子黄}}||{{tlit|ja|Ume no mi kibamu}}||Plums ripen, turning yellow.
|- 
|{{nihongo3|Summer Solstice|夏至|[[Xiazhi|Geshi]]}}
|- 
|28||June 21–26||{{lang|ja|乃東枯}}||{{tlit|ja|Natsukarekusa karuru}}||Prunella flowers wither.
|- 
|29||June 27–July 1||{{lang|ja|菖蒲華}}||{{tlit|ja|Ayame hana saku}}||Irises bloom.
|- 
|30||July 2–6||{{lang|ja|半夏生}}||{{tlit|ja|Hange shōzu}}||Crowdipper sprouts.
|- 
|{{nihongo3|Lesser Heat|小暑|[[Shōsho]]}}
|- 
|31||July 7–11||{{lang|ja|温風至}}||{{tlit|ja|Atsukaze itaru}}||Warm winds blow.
|- 
|32||July 12–16||{{lang|ja|蓮始開}}||{{tlit|ja|Hasu hajimete hiraku}}||Lotuses begin to bloom.
|- 
|33||July 17–22||{{lang|ja|鷹乃学習}}||{{tlit|ja|Taka sunawachi waza o narau}}||Young hawks learn to fly.
|- 
|{{nihongo3|Greater Heat|大暑|[[Dashu (solar term)|Taisho]]}}
|- 
|34||July 23–28||{{lang|ja|桐始結花}}||{{tlit|ja|Kiri hajimete hana o musubu}}||Paulownia trees begin to produce seeds.
|- 
|35||July 29–August 2||{{lang|ja|土潤溽暑}}||{{tlit|ja|Tsuchi uruōte mushi atsushi}}||The ground is damp, the air hot and humid.
|-
|36||August 3–7||{{lang|ja|大雨時行}}||{{tlit|ja|Taiu tokidoki furu}}||Heavy rains fall.
|- 
|{{nihongo3|Beginning of Autumn|立秋|[[Risshū]]}}
|- 
|37||August 8–12||{{lang|ja|涼風至}}||{{tlit|ja|Suzukaze itaru}}||Cool winds blow.
|- 
|38||August 13–17||{{lang|ja|寒蝉鳴}}||{{tlit|ja|Higurashi naku}}||Evening cicadas begin to sing.
|- 
|39||August 18–22||{{lang|ja|蒙霧升降}}||{{tlit|ja|Fukaki kiri matō}}||Thick fog blankets the land.
|- 
|{{nihongo3|Shosho (End of Heat)|処暑|[[Shosho]]}}
|- 
|40||August 23–27||{{lang|ja|綿柎開}}||{{tlit|ja|Wata no hana shibe hiraku}}||Cotton bolls open.
|- 
|41||August 28–September 1||{{lang|ja|天地始粛}}||{{tlit|ja|Tenchi hajimete samushi}}||The heat finally relents.
|- 
|42||September 2–7||{{lang|ja|禾乃登}}||{{tlit|ja|Kokumono sunawachi minoru}}||Rice ripens.
|- 
|{{nihongo3|White Dew|白露|[[Hakuro]]}}
|- 
|43||September 8–12||{{lang|ja|草露白}}||{{tlit|ja|Kusa no tsuyu shiroshi}}||White dew shimmers on the grass.
|- 
|44||September 13–17||{{lang|ja|鶺鴒鳴}}||{{tlit|ja|Sekirei naku}}||Wagtails begin to sing.
|- 
|45||September 18–22||{{lang|ja|玄鳥去}}||{{tlit|ja|Tsubame saru}}||Swallows return to the south.
|- 
|{{nihongo3|Autumnal Equinox|秋分|[[Shūbun]]}}
|- 
|46||September 23–27||{{lang|ja|雷乃収声}}||{{tlit|ja|Kaminari sunawachi koe o osamu}}||Thunder comes to an end.
|- 
|47||September 28–October 2||{{lang|ja|蟄虫坏戸}}||{{tlit|ja|Mushi kakurete to o fusagu}}||Insects close up their burrows.
|- 
|48||October 3–7||{{lang|ja|水始涸}}||{{tlit|ja|Mizu hajimete karuru}}||Fields are drained of water.
|- 
| {{nihongo3|Cold Dew|寒露|[[Kanro]]}}
|- 
|49||October 8–12||{{lang|ja|鴻雁来}}||{{tlit|ja|Kōgan kitaru}}||Wild geese begin to fly back.
|- 
|50||October 13–17||{{lang|ja|菊花開}}||{{tlit|ja|Kiku no hana hiraku}}||Chrysanthemums bloom.
|- 
|51||October 18–22||{{lang|ja|蟋蟀在戸}}||{{tlit|ja|Kirigirisu to ni ari}}||Crickets chirp by the door.
|- 
|{{nihongo3|First Frost|霜降|[[Sōkō]]}}
|- 
|52||October 23–27||{{lang|ja|霜始降}}||{{tlit|ja|Shimo hajimete furu}}||Frost begins to form.
|- 
|53||October 28–November 1||{{lang|ja|霎時施}}||{{tlit|ja|Kosame tokidoki furu}}||Drizzling rain falls gently.
|- 
|54||November 2–6||{{lang|ja|楓蔦黄}}||{{tlit|ja|Momiji tsuta kibamu}}||Maple leaves and ivy turn yellow.
|- 
|{{nihongo3|Beginning of Winter|立冬|[[Lidong|Rittō]]}}
|- 
|55||November 7–11||{{lang|ja|山茶始開}}||{{tlit|ja|Tsubaki hajimete hiraku}}||Sasanqua camellias begin to bloom.
|- 
|56||November 12–16||{{lang|ja|地始凍}}||{{tlit|ja|Chi hajimete kōru}}||The land begins to freeze.
|- 
||57||November 17–21||{{lang|ja|金盞香}}||{{tlit|ja|Kinsenka saku}}||Daffodils bloom.
|- 
|{{nihongo3|Light Snow|小雪|[[Shōsetsu]]}}
|- 
|58||November 22–26||{{lang|ja|虹蔵不見}}||{{tlit|ja|Niji kakurete miezu}}||Rainbows disappear.
|- 
|59||November 27–December 1||{{lang|ja|朔風払葉}}||{{tlit|ja|Kitakaze konoha o harau}}||The north wind blows leaves off the trees.
|- 
|60||December 2–6||{{lang|ja|橘始黄}}||{{tlit|ja|Tachibana hajimete kibamu}}||Tachibana citrus trees begin to turn yellow.
|- 
|{{nihongo3|Heavy Snow|大雪|[[Taisetsu]]}}
|- 
|61||December 7–11||{{lang|ja|閉塞成冬}}||{{tlit|ja|Sora samuku fuyu to naru}}||The skies stay cold as winter arrives.
|- 
|62||December 12–16||{{lang|ja|熊蟄穴}}||{{tlit|ja|Kuma ana ni komoru}}||Bears hide away in their dens to hibernate.
|- 
|63||December 17–21||{{lang|ja|鱖魚群}}||{{tlit|ja|Sake no uo muragaru}}||Salmon swim upstream en masse.
|- 
|{{nihongo3|Winter Solstice|冬至|[[Dongzhi (solar term)|Tōji]]}}
|- 
|64||December 22–26||{{lang|ja|乃東生}}||{{tlit|ja|Natsukarekusa shōzu}}||Prunella sprouts.
|- 
|65||December 27–31||{{lang|ja|麋角解}}||{{tlit|ja|Sawashika no tsuno otsuru}}||Deer shed their antlers.
|- 
|66||January 1–4||{{lang|ja|雪下出麦}}||{{tlit|ja|Yuki watarite mugi nobiru}}||Barley sprouts under the snow.
|- 
|{{nihongo3|Lesser Cold|小寒|[[Shōkan]]}}
|- 
|67||January 5–9||{{lang|ja|芹乃栄}}||{{tlit|ja|Seri sunawachi sakau}}||Parsley thrives.
|- 
|68||January 10–14||{{lang|ja|水泉動}}||{{tlit|ja|Shimizu atataka o fukumu}}||Springs once frozen flow once more.
|- 
|69||January 15–19||{{lang|ja|雉始雊}}||{{tlit|ja|Kiji hajimete naku}}||Cock pheasants begin to call.
|- 
|{{nihongo3|Greater Cold|大寒|[[Dahan (solar term)|Daikan]]}}
|- 
|70||January 20–24||{{lang|ja|款冬華}}||{{tlit|ja|Fuki no hana saku}}||Butterburs put forth buds.
|- 
|71||January 25–29||{{lang|ja|水沢腹堅}}||{{tlit|ja|Sawamizu kōri tsumeru}}||Mountain streams gain a cover of thick ice.
|- 
|72||January 30–February 3||{{lang|ja|鶏始乳}}||{{tlit|ja|Niwatori hajimete toya ni tsuku}}||Hens begin to lay eggs.
|}

====''Zassetsu''====
{{nihongo|''Zassetsu''|雑節}} is a collective term for special seasonal days within the 24 ''sekki''.
{| class=wikitable
|-
! Date !! Kanji !! Romaji !! Comment
|-
|February 3 || {{nihongo2|節分}} || [[Setsubun|{{tlit|ja|Setsubun}}]] || The eve of ''Risshun'' by one definition.
|-
|March 18–March 24 || {{nihongo2|春彼岸}} || {{tlit|ja|Haru higan}} || The seven days surrounding ''Shunbun''.
|-
|Vernal Equinox day || {{nihongo2|春社日}} || {{tlit|ja|Haru shanichi}}  ||In [[Shinto]]. {{nihongo krt||彼岸中日|Higan Chūnichi}} in [[Buddhism]].
|-
|May 2 || {{nihongo2|八十八夜}} || {{tlit|ja|Hachijū hachiya}} || Literally meaning 88 nights (since ''Risshun'').
|-
|June 11 || {{nihongo2|入梅}} || {{tlit|ja|Nyūbai}} || Literally meaning entering [[East Asian rainy season|''tsuyu'']].
|-
|July 2 || {{nihongo2|半夏生}} || {{tlit|ja|Hangeshō}} || One of the 72 ''Kō''. Farmers take five days off in some regions.
|-
|July 15 || {{nihongo2|中元}} || [[Chugen|{{tlit|ja|Chūgen}}]] || Officially July 15. August 15 in many regions (''Tsuki-okure'').
|-
|July 20 || {{nihongo2|夏の土用}} || {{tlit|ja|Natsu no doyō}} || Custom of eating [[eel]] on this day.
|-
|September 1 || {{nihongo2|二百十日}} || {{tlit|ja|Nihyaku tōka}} || Literally meaning 210 days (since ''Risshun'').
|-
|September 11 || {{nihongo2|二百二十日}} || {{tlit|ja|Nihyaku hatsuka}} || Literally meaning 220 days.
|-ē
|September 20–September 26 || {{nihongo2|秋彼岸}} || {{tlit|ja|Aki higan}} || The seven days surrounding ''Shūbun''.
|-
|Autumal Equinox || {{nihongo2|秋社日}} || {{tlit|ja|Aki shanichi}} ||In [[Shinto]]. {{nihongo krt||彼岸中日|Higan Chūnichi}} in [[Buddhism]].
|-
|}
''Shanichi'' dates can vary by as much as 5 days.
''Chūgen'' has a fixed day. All other days can vary by one day.

Many ''zassetsu'' days occur in multiple seasons:
* {{nihongo||土用|Doyō}} refers to the 18 days before each season, especially the one before fall which is known as the hottest period of a year.
* {{nihongo||彼岸|Higan}} is the seven middle days of spring and autumn, with ''Shunbun'' at the middle of the seven days for spring, ''Shūbun'' for fall.
* {{nihongo||社日|Shanichi}} is the {{nihongo||戊|Tsuchinoe}} day closest to ''Shunbun'' (middle of spring) or ''Shūbun'' (middle of fall), which can be as much as 5 days before to 4 days after ''Shunbun''/''Shūbun''.

The term {{nihongo||節分|[[Setsubun]]}} originally referred to the eves of {{nihongo3|315°, the beginning of Spring|立春|[[Risshun]]}}, {{nihongo3|45°, the beginning of Summer|立夏|[[Lixia|Rikka]]}}, {{nihongo3|135°, the beginning of Autumn|立秋|[[Risshū]]}}, and {{nihongo3|225°, the beginning of Winter|立冬|[[Lidong|Rittō]]}}; however, it now only refers to the day before {{tlit|ja|Risshun}}.