Sekki (Solar Term)	Notes	Approximate date
Spring
立春 Risshun (Beginning of spring)	The traditional New Year.	February 4
雨水 Usui (Rainwater)	Snow melts into water.	February 19
啓蟄 Keichitsu (Insects awaken)	Insects emerge from the ground.	March 6
春分 Shunbun (Spring equinox)		March 21
清明 Seimei (Pure and clear)	Plants flower.	April 5
穀雨 Kokuu (Grain rains)	Spring rains and seed sowing.	April 20
Summer
立夏 Rikka (Beginning of summer)		May 6
小満 Shōman (Lesser ripening)	Plants come into full leaf.	May 21
芒種 Bōshu (Grain beards and seeds)	Time to plant rice seedlings.	June 6
夏至 Geshi (Summer solstice)		June 21
小暑 Shōsho (Lesser heat)	End of the rainy season.	July 7
大暑 Taisho (Greater heat)	Hottest time of the year.	July 23
Autumn
立秋 Risshū (Beginning of autumn)		August 8
処暑 Shosho (Manageable heat)	Hot weather abates.	August 23
白露 Hakuro (White dew)	Dew forms on the leaves.	September 8
秋分 Shūbun (Autumn equinox)		September 23
寒露 Kanro (Cold dew)	Weather becomes colder.	October 8
霜降 Sōkō (Frost falls)	The season of frost.	October 24
Winter
立冬 Rittō (Beginning of winter)		November 8
小雪 Shōsetsu (Lesser snow)	Snow appears on distant mountains.	November 22
大雪 Taisetsu (Greater snow)	Cold winds blow from Siberia.	December 7
冬至 Tōji (Winter solstice)		December 22
小寒 Shōkan (Lesser cold)	Cold weather nears its peak.	January 6
大寒 Daikan (Greater cold)	Coldest time of the year.	January 20

(Translated from Japanese. Supervised by Inoue Shōei, a calendar researcher and author, Shintō priest, and guest lecturer at Tōhoku Fukushi University. © Nippon.com.)