January
2026/01/05-01/09 SERI (Japanese parsley) flourishes
January 5th-9th, 2026 is Winter-SHOKAN (Lesser cold)-67th KOU “SERI flourishes”
The first day of the 67th KOU is KAN-NO-IRI (the beginning of winter). From here comes SHOKAN (Lesser cold) and DAIKAN (Greater cold), the coldest times of the year.
At this time of year, when almost all fresh vegetables are gone, it is an old custom to search for some vegetables/herbs that are still growing in the fields and eat them while thinking about spring, one of which is SERI (Japanese parsley).
I finally found wild parsley!
I’d actually been looking for it for ages. According to websites, it grows wild all over the country, from suburban areas and farmland to mountainous regions, but for some reason I’d never seen it around here.
January 7th is the day to take NANAKUSA (seven vegetables/herbs)-GAYU (rice porridge).
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2025/01/10-01/14 Springs thaw
January 10th, 2025 – January 14th, 2025 is Winter – SHOKAN (Lesser cold)-68th KOU “Springs thaw.”
This morning’s minimum temperature was -6.8°C. It was the coldest day of the winter. I went out wearing an extra layer of long sleeves.
As I walked, the frost pillars on the ground crunched. The sunlight on my back began to make me break out in a slight sweat.
On days like this when radiation cooling is strong, the temperature can rise during the day. The forecast says it will reach 13°C…
Water is flowing around the ice. Do you think the water is warm as the 68th KOU says? Umm… actually, it was cold.
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2026/01/15-01/19 Pheasants start to call
January 15th-19th, 2024 is Winter-Shokan (lesser cold)-69th KOU “Pheasants start to call.”
When searching for the meaning of this phrase, many explanations say that pheasants enter breeding season and begin courtship behavior. Many also say that the breeding season begins around April.
??? ???
The author must have been conveying a longing for spring in the midst of this coldest season through the pheasant’s first call.
Along the Sai River, you can hear them calling all year round. This season, I heard their calls often, especially from November to December, and I have also seen them more often than usual.
However, they seem to sense my presence from quite a distance, and will suddenly jump up and fly away or run away (apparently at speeds of over 30km/h).
Because they are so sudden, I’ve never been able to get a good photo of them until now. This is the first time I’ve managed to capture them flying✌️
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2026/01/20-01/24 Butterburs bud
ave been conveying a longing for spring in the midst of this coldest season through the pheasant’s first call.
January 20th-24th, 2026 is Winter-Daikan (Greater cold)-70th KOU “Butterburs bud.”
When I woke up this morning, I didn’t feel warm in the room. The fan heater should turn on automatically 10 minutes before 6 a.m…. Yes, it’s working well.
I see! we’ve entered the coldest period of the year, the Greater Cold.
The temperature outside at 6 a.m. this morning was -4°C. There’s also a light snowfall. It’s light and fine snow, the kind that falls when it’s quite cold.
These past few days, the maximum temperature has been 11°C or 14°C on some days, but also 2°C or 4°C on others, and the minimum temperature has been -5.5°C or -6.4°C on some days. There has been a lot of fluctuation.
FUKI-NO-TOU (butterburs bud) have started to appear, the temperature fluctuated greatly, and today it even snowed, though. They show up at the same place and at the same time of year as always❤️
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2026/01/25-01/29 Ice thickens on streams
January 25th-29th, 2026 is Winter-DAIKAN (Greater cold)-71st KOU “Ice thickens on stream.”
The 71st KOU represents the time when the water in streams and waterfalls also freezes.
The height of the DAIKAN season, it’s definitely cold, but perhaps because there’s less humidity, it feels not so heavy one. The crisp, piercingly cold air makes me feel clear-headed, and I actually like it.
I found footprints on the completely frozen river. It surely is now easier to meet friends on the other side, isn’t it 😉
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2026/01/30-02/03 Hens start laying eggs
January 30th-February 3rd, 2026 is Winter-Daikan (Greater cold)-72nd KOU “Hens start laying eggs.”
The lunisolar calendar has finally come to an end, marking the end of the coldest period and harsh winter. From now on, the weather will gradually get warmer, and we will move towards spring.
“Hens start laying eggs” symbolizes the birth of life, and so the season approaches the end of the year with hopes for the arrival of a new spring.
Even in the sub-zero cold, the rooters are crowing as always. And nearby sparrows are gathering and waiting for food left behind by the chickens.
*****
February
2026/02/04-02/08 Spring wind melts the ice
February 4th, 2026–February 8th is Spring – RISSHUN (Beginning of spring)-1st KOU “Spring wind melts the ice”
Now, the lunisolar calendar comes into “Spring.” The first of the 72 KOU (micro-season) starts with RISSHUN (beginning of spring). Spring breezes blow, thawing the frozen earth.
That said, the temperature just before 7 am was -7°C and the sky was completely clear.
The moon! Looks like perfectly round. As the sky brighten, it was disappearing at the Northern Alps (bottom of the image) shining in the morning glow.
The lunisolar calendar is based on the phases of the moon and the movement of the sun. This morning, which was close to a full moon, is roughly halfway through the lunar cycle, or around the 15th date.
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2026/02/09-02/13 UGUISU (Bush warblers) start singing in the mountains
February 9th, 2026 –February 13th is Spring – RISSHUN (Beginning of spring)-2nd KOU “UGUISU (Bush warblers) start singing in the mountains”
On the 4th, 5th, and 6th, the first several days of spring according to the lunisolar calendar, the temperature was between 7 and 11 degrees. It’s warm enough to be comparable to early March. However, since yesterday, it has suddenly returned to winter. With this cold, UGUISU have not yet come out.
Incidentally, the earliest I heard the first singing of UGUISU between 2022 and 2025 was on February 24, 2025. This was still one to two weeks earlier than usual.
Even though it’s so cold, the winter birds seem unfazed. Are they ONAGAGAMO (northern pintails) ? I don’t see such many of them around here. They’re searching for food with their rears completely exposed 😂
This year, there is a rich variety and number of winter birds.
In NIIGATA and HOKURIKU region, known as a popular spot for migratory birds, heavy snowfalls like this season often bury food under the snow, making it difficult to find food, so an increasing number of them are again migrating to SHINSHU.
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2026/2/14-2/18 Fish emerge from ice
February 14th, 2026 –February 18th is Spring – RISSHUN (Beginning of spring)-3rd KOU “Fish emerge from ice” The thick ice is gradually melting, then fish emerge from the ice.
The pond (an agricultural reservoir) I visited last year was still completely covered in ice.
Raccoon dogs?
The footprints continued all the way to the other side. The melted, larger ones signal that spring is just around the corner.
*****
2026/02/19-02/22 Rain moistens the soil
February 19th, 2026 –February 22nd is Spring – USUI (Rainwater)-4rd KOU “Rain moistens the soil”
USUI (Rainwater), one of 24-SEKKI, represents the time when warm spring rains moisten the earth and plants begin to sprout. So in lunisolar calendar, USUI is a sign to start field works.
I went to my vegetable garden that have had very little done over the winter. The snow that fell last night has melted, leaving the soil nice and moist.
The snow peas planted at the end of December are doing well in the winter tunnel. It’s also nice that the little bit of snow that fell this morning has melted and wetted the seat.
I’m worried because the tips of the onion seedlings, planted in early November, have turned yellow. The savoy spinaches, which can withstand cold, are still small to be picked, and the spring cabbage leaves have spread out too much and are not yet round, ummm 🤔
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2026/2/23-2/27 KASUMI to linger
February 23rd, 2026 –February 27th is Spring – USUI (Rainwater)-5th KOU “KASUMI (spring haze) starts to linger” This is a sprig scene where a thin layer of KASUMI (spring haze) hangs over the sky.
The photo shows the view from the window of a SHINKANEN train (Bullet train). You can see a thin plume of smoke drifting into the distance. It’s amazing how well balanced it is with the air. The SHINKANSEN train seems to be chasing after it.
This area is a major apple producing area, and now is the busy season for pruning. The smoke is likely coming from burning pruned branches and dead grass.
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2026/02/28-03/04 Grass sprouts, trees bud
February 28th, 2026 –March 4th is Spring – USUI(Rainwater)-6th KOU “Grass sprouts, trees bud.” At the end of the USUI season, the ground becomes moist with melting snow and warm spring rains. It’s time plants begin to sprout.
It was pretty warm last week. The minimum temperature was around 5°C, which was a big factor. There was also a nice amount of rain.
Then, the leaves at the top of the trees are turning a light green. There are also reddish leaves, a color often seen in the early stages of bud formation. Small plants whose names I don’t know are also blooming with tiny blue, reddish-purple and white flowers.
It’s not just the plants. I heard the first song of UGUISU (Japanese bush warbler) on February 28th, and YAMABATO (turtle dove) is cooing right now. I also saw a fox that it’s been years since I’ve seen one this close.
The forests and fields have suddenly been becoming lively.
*****
March
2026/03/05-03/09 Hibernating insects surface
March 5th, 2026-March 9th is Spring-KEICHITSU(Insects awaken)-7th KOU “Hibernating insects surface.” It depicts hibernating insects crawling out of the soil as they sense the warmth.
This includes not only insects but also frogs, lizards, and snakes, none of which I have seen yet this year (things in the lunisolar calendar are about a month earlier than that in this area). By the way, the frog egg mass was found on March 3rd in 2024, March 13th in 2025, and not yet this year.
There were many traces of the soil being dug up all over the field. Those were molehills. Moles don’t hibernate, but they become less active during the winter. Now that it’s warmer, they’ve probably started roaming around again. Strangely enough, this is the only place where there are so many hills, and it’s their favorite field.
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2026/03/10-03/14 First MOMO (peach) blossoms
March 10th, 2026-March 14th is Spring-KEICHITSU (Insects awaken)-8th KOU “First MOMO (peach) blooms.” The 8th KOU represents the cozy atmosphere of spring, warm enough for MOMO blossoms to bloom.
In reality, the minimum temperature around here has been below 0°C for the past few days.
Although it was sunny today, the strong wind made it feel considerably colder.
The MOMO trees have begun to bud. Their branches stretch towards the blue sky, eagerly awaiting the arrival of their real spring.
According to a report from the Nagano Prefectural Government, the blossoms are expected to bloom around mid-April in 2026. That’s about a month away from full bloom!
*****
2026/03/15-03/19 Caterpillars become butterflies
March 15th, 2026-March 19th is Spring-Last stage of KEICHITSU (Insects awaken)-9th KOU “Caterpillars become butterflies.” The 9th KOU represents the arrival of real spring. It gets warm enough for caterpillars to turn into butterflies.
Here’s my first cabbage white butterfly this year! The rapeseed flowers that they love haven’t bloomed, though.
Was it just a newborn? It would be more accurate to say it was blown away by the wind rather than fluttering around. I looked for where it had been blown and found it! It was staying on top of some broccoli that had been left out after harvesting.
Broccoli is the same kind of rapeseed. This butterfly is quite clever, isn’t it?
In the fields, TANETSUKEBANA have begun to bloom. Since these are wild rapeseed flowers, we can see many butterflies fluttering here and there soon.
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2026/03/20-03/25 SUZUME (sparrows) start to nest
March 20th, 2026-March 25th is Spring-First stage of SHUNBUN (Spring equinox)-10th KOU “SUZUME start to nest.” In the 10th KOU, SUZUME have begun to build their nests.
The usual SUZUME are gathered at the usual hut. It seems they intend to raise their young here again this year. Everything looks the same as the last year.
However, is something different happening over there? The noisy starlings that usually claim their territory are nowhere to be seen, though.
Today is March 20th, the spring equinox. The days will get longer from now on.
The season of “KEICHITSU (insect awaken)” is over, and larvae and insects that serve as food for them will begin to move. SUZUME, hurry up and start building your nests!
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2026/03/26-03/30 First SAKURA (cherry blossoms)
March 26th, 2025-March 30th is Spring-Middle stage of SHUNBUN (Spring equinox)-11th KOU “First SAKURA (cherry blossoms).”
SAKURA blossom reports are coming in from all over the country. And it’s also graduation season. At this time, it is “Farewell-SAKURA.”
SAKURA in SHINSHU haven’t bloomed yet. The predicted date for full bloom in NAGANO City is April 5th, which is still earlier than usual. This is “Welcome-SAKURA” that blooms to coincide with spring events such as school entrance ceremonies and company induction ceremonies.
We had some much-needed rain yesterday afternoon to this morning. Rain at this time of year in early spring encourages the blooming of flowers, including cherry blossoms. It nourishes the flower buds and moistens the roots.
Plum blossoms are in full bloom in SHINSHU-SHINMACHI, near NAGANO City. Also, the Apricot Festival is apparently starting from today in CHIKUMA City.
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2026/03/31-04/04 Distant thunder
March 31st, 2025-April 4th is Spring-Last stage of SHUNBUN (Spring equinox)-12th KOU “Distant thunder.” The last day of March is into the last stage of SHUNBUN, the 12th KOU represents the unsettled spring weather as the seasons change.
In the past few days, the temperature has felt about a month earlier than usual. There have been many cloudy or drizzly days, and today was no exception, with light rain falling all day, resulting in gloomy weather.
Rain at this time of year in early spring encourages blooming of flowers, nourishes buds and moistens roots.
The pussy willows growing along the riverbank are beginning to turn a deep green. The mountain in the distance is once again covered in white, not because of the rain.
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April
2026/04/05-04/09 TSUBAME (swallows) return
April 5th, 2025-April 9th is Spring-First stage of SEIMEI (pure and clear)-13th KOU “TSUBAME (swallows return).” The 24 solar terms (SETSU) of the traditional Japanese lunisolar calendar have entered the “SEIMEI” period. This signifies a time when everything is pure and full of vitality.
It’s April 2nd that I personally spotted my first swallow around the neighborhood, apparently they had been flying around the Nagano Station area for two weeks prior to that, though.
It was unfortunately drizzling that day, but they were flying around energetically. When I pointed the camera at them, they would fly over to face level and then make sharp turns, as if to say, “How’s that?!”
So, I was worried about whether I’d managed to take a good picture, but it turned out to be a pretty good one. It’s a little blurry, but you can really get a sense of the sharp turn, right?
Swallows use mud to build their nests. Light rain often falls around the time they return.
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2026/04/10-04/14 Wild geese fly north
April 10th, 2026-April 14th is Spring-Middle stage of SEIMEI (pure and clear)-14th KOU “Wild geese.” Birds that have spent the winter (saying “winter birds”) are migrating north. This is one of the spring scenes.
It’s still chilly in the mornings, but we’re turning off the heating more often during the day. When this comes into the weather, the so-called “migration” of winter birds that spent the winter in SHINSHU is over.
I went to the place where I had previously seen winter birds. It seemed they had already flown away. The river was flowing rapidly with the melting snow. It must be difficult for the birds to stay here.
Nevertheless, swallows were flying lightly, just above the water’s surface. Some birds are heading to the north, while others are coming from the south.
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April 15th, 2026-April 19th is Spring-Last stage of SEIMEI (Pure and clear)-15th KOU “First rainbows.” As spring progresses, humidity rises and it becomes easier to rain. The “first rainbows” represents spring is in full-swing and implied unsettled weather at the same time.
As spring progresses, humidity increases and rainy days become more frequent. This means we might see the first rainbow of the season.
It seems that several weather conditions need to occur simultaneously for a rainbow to appear. It needs to be during times when the sun is low in the sky, such as in the morning or evening, and there should be raindrops floating on the sky after it has rained. Of course, sunlight is also necessary, so the sun must not be completely hidden by clouds. That’s quite a demanding combination.
As the sun began to sink behind the clouds, and I thought it had completely disappeared, a strange but beautiful sight appeared, it only lasted a few minutes. The weather has been unsettled these past few days, but there are good things about it too, just like this.
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2026/04/19 New SHINSHU’s SHICHIJYUNI-KOU: #1 The 28th NAGANO Marathon (Athletes run through the late spring around NAGANO City)
The NAGANO Marathon was first held in 1999, the year after the 1988 Nagano Olympics, as a commemorative event.
This year, once again, approximately 10,000 runners gathered in NAGANO City👏
The temperature at noon today when many runners were still out running was 22℃. It must’ve been a bit tough.
The foothills are enveloped in a soft, lush green. The peach blossoms are beginning to fall, their deep red color contrasting beautifully with the green of the newly emerged leaves.
Furthermore, the addition of the runners’ colorful attire makes the scene even more spectacular, creating a unique and magnificent spectacle that can only be seen today.
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2026/04/20-04/24 First reeds sprout
April 20th, 2026-April 24th is Spring-First stage of KOKUU (Grain rains)-16th KOU “First reeds sprout.” As the 24 solar terms (a division of the year into 24 seasons) progress further, this period is called “KOKUU” (Grain Rain). KOKUU is considered a season that promotes the growth of grains, and in the past, it was used as a guideline for preparing to plant various crops, including rice. However, in and around Nagano City, preparations to rice planting usually begin rather later than the KOKUU period.
The reeds along the CHIKUMA River are growing rapidly. They seem bigger than last year. Reeds and rice are the same species, right?
KOKUU is not just for plants. Where bodies of water expand, creatures gather as well.
My walking route includes a pond that usually appears in early March. But this year, perhaps due to the dry weather and lack of rain, the pond didn’t form until early April. As soon as the pond forms, frogs begin croaking and laying eggs. When I found eggs on April 11th, some babies of tadpole were already moving inside eggs. I also saw herons and turtles; they were there to get their hands on the frog eggs.
2026/04/25-04/29 Last frost, rice seedlings grow
April 25th, 2026-April 29th is Spring-Middle stage of SEIMEI (Pure and clear)-17th KOU “Last frost, rice seedlings grow.” According to the SHICHIJYUUNIKOU (72 micro seasonal divisions), it’s getting warmer, the frost is gone, and it’s time for seedlings (especially rice) ready to start farming.
Yesterday’s weather forecast predicted a low of 4°C this morning. I didn’t think there would be any frost, but I was worried about NAGANEGI (Japanese leeks) planted two weeks ago, as I was thinking it might be a little early.
I went to check on them. They’re fine, they look healthy. The tulips in the back have already lost most of their flowers.
The summer harvest HAKUSAI (Chinese cabbage) planted at the same time are also doing well, and the lettuce, beets, and KABU (turnips) I sowed last week are sprouting from between the multipurpose sheets.
Next week, we should be getting in seedlings of popular home garden vegetables like cherry tomatoes, NASU (eggplants), and KYURI (cucumbers).
It’s going to be a busy week!
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2026/04/29 LIFEnatureSHINSHU Special: #2 TAKENOKO-JIRU (Bamboo shoot MISO soup)
The time has come for soul food at the HOKUSHIN area of SHINSHU. It’s TAKENOKO-JIRU, where TAKENOKO is a bamboo-shoot and JIRU (or SHIRU) is a soup.
TAKENOKO-JIRU is a kind of miso soup by simmering young shoots of NEMAGARIDAKE bamboo and canned mackerel together. Some families cook to bind them with eggs. Each family cooks in the special way and enjoys its own dish.
They’re appearing earlier this year. When I found them at the supermarket, there were only two bags left. I managed to snag one! It seems like other wild vegetables are also arriving much earlier than usual.
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2026/04/30-05/04 Peonies bloom
April 30th, 2026-May 4th is Spring-Last stage of SEIMEI (Pure and clear)-18th Peonies bloom.” The 18 KOU is the end of the KOKUU period, which also means the end of spring. The BOTAN (peony) that blooms at this time of year is a flower that heralds the transition from spring to summer. So, in the SHICHIJYUNI-KOU calendar, summer will have arrived when BOTAN flowers finish blooming.
I visited SEISUIJI Temple (WAKAHO, NAGANO City) again. This temple is affectionately known as the “BOTAN Temple.”
Approximately 70% of the BOTAN bushes in the garden were in bloom, the flowering situation is better than last year, though.
Deep purple, vibrant red, pale pink, and pure white, they were all truly beautiful. There were even a few rare orange flowers in bloom.
Perhaps due to this morning’s light rain, there were only three visitors, including myself. But Golden Week (spring holiday week) starts tomorrow, the BOTANs are surely waiting for many visitors to see them.
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May 5th, 2025-May 10th is Summer-First stage of RIKKA (Beginning of summer)-19th KOU Frogs start singing.” The SHICHIJYUNIKOU calendar has finally entered RIKKAA. Frogs’ increased vocalizations represents the transition from spring to summer.
There’s a pond that only appears when it rains around this time of year.
Usually, the pond forms in mid-March, and tadpoles can be seen by April at the latest. However, this year March was quite dry, and even when it rained, it dried up quickly, which worried me. But then it rained in early April, and just as I thought a proper pond had formed, I immediately heard the sound of frogs croaking. The frogs must have been eagerly awaiting the rain.
Today, when I went to check on the pond for the first time in a while, the tadpoles had already hatched from their eggs and were swimming around energetically.