sekki
SEK-kee
One of the 24 major divisions of the traditional Japanese calendar, each approximately 15 days long, marking a specific stage in the progression of the year — from Risshun (Beginning of Spring, around February 4) through Daikan (Greater Cold, around January 20). Each sekki is further divided into three kō, or microseasons, of about five days each, for a total of 72 named periods in the year. The names describe what is happening in the natural world at that moment: "Spring winds thaw the ice," "Rotten grass becomes fireflies," "Crickets chirp around the door."
Etymology
Japanese 節気, from Chinese, meaning "seasonal marker" or "solar term." The system originated in ancient China's agricultural calendar and was adapted to Japan's local climate by court astronomer Shibukawa Shunkai in 1685.
Notes
The 72 microseasons are the most finely grained phenological calendar ever devised. Each five-day period has its own name drawn from a specific natural observation. The entire system is a poem about paying attention.
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