Shosho -- The Easing of the Heat

What Is Shosho?

Around August 23rd is "Shosho" in Japan, one of the 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 word "shosho" means that the heat is beginning to subside.

• 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
• A marker at "210 days from Risshun": Shosho falls roughly 210 days after Risshun, and has long served 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

A Warning Marker for Farmers, Alongside "Nihyakutoka" and "Nihyakuhatsuka"

Shosho often coincides with both the rice plant's flowering period and the height of typhoon season, making it a period farmers have long needed to watch carefully. Together with Nihyakutoka and Nihyakuhatsuka, it serves as one of the important markers in the farming calendar.

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 August 23rd be a chance to listen for the first faint signs of autumn, even amid the heat that still lingers.