[The 24 Solar Terms] Shōkan (Lesser Cold)

Shokan (Minor Cold)

Approx. January 5 - January 19

The roughly 30-day period encompassing Shokan and Daikan (Major Cold) is known as "Kan no Uchi," marking the coldest time of the year. It's also when the new year begins, and work and new school terms start.

Seasonal events characteristic of January follow, such as Nanakusa-gayu (seven-herb rice porridge) on January 7, Kagami-biraki (mirror-opening ceremony) on January 11, and Koshogatsu (Little New Year) on January 15.

《Seventy-Two Microseasons》

Approx. January 5-9: "Seri Sunawachi Sakau" (Water dropwort flourishes)

Approx. January 10-14: "Shimizu Atataka wo Fukumu" (Springs begin to warm)

Approx. January 15-19: "Kiji Hajimete Naku" (Pheasants start to crow)

Water dropwort, one of the seven spring herbs, begins to grow in cold waters, frozen water in the ground melts, and pheasants start crowing "keen" for courtship.

 

On January 7, let's take care of our tired stomachs from the year-end and New Year holidays by eating Nanakusa-gayu, a rice porridge containing the seven spring herbs: seri (water dropwort), nazuna (shepherd's purse), gogyo (cudweed), hakobera (chickweed), hotokenoza (henbit), suzuna (turnip), and suzushiro (daikon radish).