Japanese Microseasons
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October
3–7
|
水始涸 Mizu hajimete karuru
|
Farmers
drain fields
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"In ancient times the Japanese divided their year into 24
periods based on classical Chinese sources. The natural world comes to life in
the even more vividly named 72 subdivisions of the traditional Japanese
calendar.
The traditional Japanese calendar marks the passing of the
seasons and changes in the natural world through the names given to different
times of year...
The 24 divisions are each split again into three for a total
of 72 kō that last around five days each. The names were also
originally taken from China, but they did not always match up well with the
local climate.
In Japan, they were eventually rewritten in 1685 by the court astronomer
Shibukawa Shunkai. In their present form, they offer a poetic journey through
the Japanese year in which the land awakens and blooms with life and activity
before returning to slumber.
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