In Rhythm with Tokyo’s Seasons
In Japan, nature is observed with remarkable precision. Long before the modern calendar, time was tracked using the 24 Sekki—a traditional solar calendar that divides the year into 24 distinct seasonal shifts, each lasting about 15 days.
Rather than four broad seasons, the Sekki calendar highlights subtle changes in the environment: a shift in evening light, a soft turn in the wind, or the exact moment a flower blooms.
Each month bridges two of these micro-seasons. This guide explores the two Sekki unfolding in Tokyo right now—and how their spirit is captured in your room’s floral arrangement.
August in Tokyo:
The Two Shifts
Risshū / 立秋
7–22 August
"The Beginning of Autumn"
While midsummer temperatures in Tokyo remain high, the calendar marks Risshū as the initial, gentle turning point toward autumn. The shift is subtle: the angle of late-afternoon light begins to soften, morning skies appear clearer, and the evening humidity starts to lift.
Shoshō / 処暑
23 August – 6 September
"The Lessening of Heat"
Shoshō marks the moment the intense heat of high summer begins to ease. Evening breezes turn noticeably cooler, cicada songs quieten, and seasonal flora displays deeper, more saturated hues.
秋来ぬと
目にはさやかに
見えねども
風の音にぞ
お驚かれぬる
—藤原 敏行
『古今和歌集』
“That autumn has come
is not yet obvious to the eye,
and yet, in the sound of the wind,
I am suddenly startled to feel it.”
—Fujiwara no Toshiyuki
(Kokin Wakashū, 905 AD)
Seasonal Poetry
Flora in Focus
Rindō
Japanese Gentian
Celebrated for its vivid, deep-blue trumpet blooms. In Ikebana, Rindō provides a grounding, rich accent that signals the subtle approach of cool early autumn nights.
Susuki
Japanese Pampas Grass
Known for its slender, sweeping plumes. Its arching stems bring movement and airiness to an arrangement, perfectly evoking the late-summer breezes of Risshū.
Kikikyō
Chinese Bellflower
A beloved seasonal star featuring distinct, star-shaped purple blossoms. It holds a long history in Japanese poetry as one of the traditional seven flowers of autumn.
