Do you love observing the seasons subtly change? Japan’s 72 microseasons offer a captivating lens into the ever-changing natural world, dividing the year into moments of profound transformation, each lasting just five days.
We are ending the microseason of “Chrysanthemums Bloom” (菊花開 – Kiku no hana hiraku). The Japanese phrase “Kiku no hana hiraku” translates to “The flower of listening opens”. Isn’t that cool?
In honor of “Chrysanthemums Bloom”, I ventured into the outdoors with my 8-bit Ewok crafted lovingly by my niece with Perler beads. This pixelated marvel, reminiscent of the iconic 8-bit Ewoks from the iOS video game Tiny Death Star, found solace amidst the blooming chrysanthemums.
Ewoks, with their affinity for nature, seemed right at home amidst the blossoms. As other microseasons arrive, I look forward to capturing more moments with my 8-bit companion, celebrating the essence of each season.
In just a day, we transition to “Crickets Chirp Around the Door” (蟋蟀在戸 – Kirigirisu to ni ari), which will prove challenging to capture, since seeing crickets are a rarity in my surroundings. But “First Frost” on October 23-27 might prove to be interesting.
Here’s a glimpse of the microseason schedule for the rest of 2023:
| Date range | Microseason name | Original Japanese | Japanese transliterated |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 13–17 | Chrysanthemums bloom | 菊花開 | Kiku no hana hiraku |
| October 18–22 | Crickets chirp around the door | 蟋蟀在戸 | Kirigirisu to ni ari |
| October 23–27 | First frost | 霜始降 | Shimo hajimete furu |
| October 28–November 1 | Light rains sometimes fall | 霎時施 | Kosame tokidoki furu |
| November 2–6 | Maple leaves and ivy turn yellow | 楓蔦黄 | Momiji tsuta kibamu |
| November 7–11 | Camellias bloom | 山茶始開 | Tsubaki hajimete hiraku |
| November 12–16 | Land starts to freeze | 地始凍 | Chi hajimete kōru |
| November 17–21 | Daffodils bloom | 金盞香 | Kinsenka saku |
| November 22–26 | Rainbows hide | 虹蔵不見 | Niji kakurete miezu |
| November 27–December 1 | North wind blows the leaves from the trees | 朔風払葉 | Kitakaze konoha o harau |
| December 2–6 | Tachibana citrus tree leaves start to turn yellow | 橘始黄 | Tachibana hajimete kibamu |
| December 7–11 | Cold sets in, winter begins | 閉塞成冬 | Sora samuku fuyu to naru |
| December 12–16 | Bears start hibernating in their dens | 熊蟄穴 | Kuma ana ni komoru |
| December 17–21 | Salmons gather and swim upstream | 鱖魚群 | Sake no uo muragaru |
| December 22–26 | Self-heal sprouts | 乃東生 | Natsukarekusa shōzu |
| December 27–31 | Deer shed antlers | 麋角解 | Sawashika no tsuno otsuru |
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