Shosho -- The Easing of the Heat
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What Is Shosho?
Shosho usually falls around August 23rd (August 23 in 2026; in some years it falls on the 22nd). It is one of Japan's twenty-four solar terms, falling on the day the sun's ecliptic longitude reaches 150 degrees. It marks the point when the harshest summer heat is said to finally begin easing.
A Change of Season Captured in the Name "The Heat Subsides"
The character "sho" (処) carries the sense of "settling down" or "coming to rest," so "shosho" describes the time when the heat begins to subside. The Edo-period almanac guide Koyomi Binran explains it as the time when "the summer energy settles and begins to withdraw."
- Its place among the solar terms: the term following Risshu (the start of autumn), marking a period when the calendar begins to carry a growing hint of autumn
- The doorway to typhoon season: about ten days after Shosho comes "Nihyakutoka" (around September 1), the 210th day counted from Risshun, long used as a marker for the approaching typhoon season
- The actual weather: though the calendar marks this as when the heat eases, many regions still experience intense lingering summer heat
Leading Up to "Nihyakutoka" and "Nihyakuhatsuka," Days Farmers Feared
The period from Shosho into September often sees the rice plant's flowering overlap with typhoon season, making it a time farmers have long needed to watch carefully. Nihyakutoka and Nihyakuhatsuka, which follow Shosho, are known as unlucky days for farmers.
Tips for Marking This Day
- Double-check your preparations for typhoon season
- Review how you're managing your health through the lingering summer heat
- Learn about Shosho's place among the twenty-four solar terms
- Look for ingredients or scenery around you that hint at autumn's approach
Past the Peak of Summer Heat, Autumn Draws Slowly Closer
The intense heat of summer gradually eases from Shosho onward, as quiet preparations for autumn begin. Let Shosho be a chance to listen for the first faint signs of autumn, even amid the heat that still lingers.