Japan’s “Four Seasons”, which are Subdivided into 72 !
Japan is Sensitive to Seasonal Changes.
It may seem obvious to Japanese people, but in the world as a whole, only a limited number of countries in region of the temperate zone seem to have four distinct seasons.
In Japan, in particular, the four seasons (spring, summer, autumn and winter) are clearly defined and the culture of enjoying nature in each season is deeply rooted.
As a nature guide, I also place great importance on guiding my clients through the changing seasons.
Here is a summary of the four seasons in Japan and the Japanese culture of enjoying the seasons.
Japan’s Four Seasons with Clearly Separated
With the exception of northern Hokkaido and southern islands such as Okinawa, Japan enjoys four distinct seasons throughout the country.
In spring, the fields and mountains that had been dead for the winter begin to sprout all at once, and you can enjoy the sight of flowers and grasses sprouting, as well as the cherry blossom viewing that the Japanese love so much.
Summer in Japan has recently become very hot, but you can still enjoy the unique natural scenery of summer, such as the chirping of the cicadas, a bank of clouds and evening showers.
In autumn, the leaves of the trees, which had been vigorous, turn red and a peaceful atmosphere can be experienced.
It is also a time when delicious food can be gathered. In winter, many parts of the country enjoy snow, albeit less recently.
Japan Has 72 Seasons, not 4 Seasons!?
The Seasons Change Every Five Days ?
We Japanese not only divide the seasons into four seasons – spring, summer, autumn and winter – but also enjoy slight changes in the seasons by dividing them even more finely.
We call them the “24 seasonal divisions and 72 terms 二十四節気七十二候”.
The year is divided into 24 seasonal divisions, which are then further subdivided into 72 terms.
The seasons surprisingly change every five days by simple calculation.
As might be expected, we are rarely aware of the 72 seasons in modern ordinary life, but the 24 seasons are deeply rooted in modern society.
For example, spring alone is divided into six different seasons, including Risshun(立春), which marks the beginning of spring; Keichitsu(啓蟄), when insects appear on the ground; and Kokuu(穀雨), the rainy season that encourages the growth of grains.
Even in our daily conversations, we often say things like “Even though it’s Risshun, it’s still cold!” or “It’s getting warmer now that it’s the Keichitsu season”.
Japanese People Enjoy Seasonal Events and Feel the Subtlety of the Changing Seasons
There are various seasonal events all over the world. In Japan, too, there are various events in each of the four seasons. And they seem to be closely connected to the nature of Japan. Here are some typical seasonal events.
Spring
Spring is the time for “Hanami” (cherry blossom viewing). In Japan, “Hanami” is viewing of cherry blossoms.
Cherry blossoms are one of the most favorite flowers among Japanese people, as they bloom at once with the arrival of spring and fall in about 10 days.
Every year in March, major news programs begin to report on the expected flowering of the cherry blossoms.
And when the flowers bloom, people gather around them for lively parties to celebrate the arrival of spring.
Summer
Summer in Japan is very hot and humid (especially so these days), so there are many events and customs that help to spend time as cool as possible.
For example, fireworks display held in summer in many parts of Japan are said to have come to be held in summer as part of the culture of evening cooling off in the night breeze.
Eating foods that cool the body, such as Somen noodles, shaved ice and watermelon, and eating foods that relieve summer fatigue, such as eel, are also summer traditions.
Autumn
Autumn is the season of harvest, when small events such as marches are held in various regions to sell the autumn harvest immediately, and festivals are held to give thanks for the harvest.
The highlight of such an autumn is “autumn leaf viewing”.
In Japan’s mountains, which have many broad-leaved forests, there are many scenic spots where the autumn leaves turn orange and yellow, and this is also the time of year when many people travel to enjoy the autumn colors.
Winter
Despite global warming, temperatures in most parts of Japan drop to minus in winter, and snow can be enjoyed. Events to enjoy the snow itself, such as Sapporo’s Snow Festival and Yokote City’s Kamakura, are held in many parts of the country.
Another popular winter tradition is the “snow-viewing open-air bath”, where visitors can enjoy the warmth of Onsen while enjoying the cold, snow-covered landscape.
Poetry of the Seasons in Seventeen Tones, the Japanese Culture of Haiku
In Japan, there is a form of standardized poetry called Haiku, which consists of only 17 syllables.
The rule of Haiku is to include seasonal words within the 17 syllables.
For example, the seasonal words for spring are plum blossom, canola flowers and lingering snow.
Here is a list of Haiku that all Japanese people know for each season. The bolded words are the seasonal words.
(Spring) “Canola flowers / the moon in the east / the sun in the west” by Buson Yosa
(Summer) “How still it is here / stinging into the stones / the cicada‘s trill” Basho Matsuo
(Autumn) “Eat a persimmon / and the bell will toll / at Horyuji Temple” Shiki Masaoka
(Winter) “To ask / again and again / the depth of the snow” Shiki Masaoka
In these short sentences, you can see the sense of season and the scene at the time of composing this Haiku.
In this way, the culture of valuing the changing seasons is deeply rooted in Japan, even in the appreciation of poetry.
Enjoying “seasonal” foods that can only be picked at that particular time of the year
In Japan, where the four seasons are clearly divided into four distinct seasons, the food available at each time of year varies greatly.
Recently, thanks to the ingenuity of cultivation methods, many foods can be eaten throughout the year, but we have long cherished foods that can only be picked and eaten at the right time of the year as “seasonal foods.”
Surrounded by the sea, Japan tends to value the seasonality of fish, and there are many fish that are prized in each season, such as Spanish mackerel with “spring” in its name written in kanji characters, bonito in early summer, saury fish with “autumn” in its name also written in kanji characters, and yellowtail in winter.
Before coming to Japan, it would be helpful to know in advance not only when the four seasons are, but also when the 24 seasonal seasons are, and what foods are in season.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask us!
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