24 Solar Terms (Nijūshi Sekki)
Pick a year to list the dates of the 24 solar terms — the traditional calendar points, defined by the sun's position, that mark the seasons in Japan. See instantly which term today falls in. Everything is computed in your browser.
| Term | Date | Sun's longitude | Meaning |
|---|
The 24 solar terms in 2026 and 2027
Each solar term is fixed by the sun's ecliptic longitude, not by the calendar, so the dates shift by about a day from year to year. Below are all 24 terms computed for 2026 and 2027; the tool above covers any year from 1900 to 2099.
| Term | Reading | Solar longitude | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 小寒 | Shōkan — minor cold | 285° | Jan 5 (Mon) | Jan 5 (Tue) |
| 大寒 | Daikan — major cold | 300° | Jan 20 (Tue) | Jan 20 (Wed) |
| 立春 | Risshun — start of spring | 315° | Feb 4 (Wed) | Feb 4 (Thu) |
| 雨水 | Usui — rainwater | 330° | Feb 19 (Thu) | Feb 19 (Fri) |
| 啓蟄 | Keichitsu — insects awaken | 345° | Mar 5 (Thu) | Mar 6 (Sat) |
| 春分 | Shunbun — spring equinox | 0° | Mar 20 (Fri) | Mar 21 (Sun) |
| 清明 | Seimei — clear and bright | 15° | Apr 5 (Sun) | Apr 5 (Mon) |
| 穀雨 | Kokuu — grain rain | 30° | Apr 20 (Mon) | Apr 20 (Tue) |
| 立夏 | Rikka — start of summer | 45° | May 5 (Tue) | May 6 (Thu) |
| 小満 | Shōman — grain swells | 60° | May 21 (Thu) | May 21 (Fri) |
| 芒種 | Bōshu — grain in ear | 75° | Jun 6 (Sat) | Jun 6 (Sun) |
| 夏至 | Geshi — summer solstice | 90° | Jun 21 (Sun) | Jun 21 (Mon) |
| 小暑 | Shōsho — minor heat | 105° | Jul 7 (Tue) | Jul 7 (Wed) |
| 大暑 | Taisho — major heat | 120° | Jul 23 (Thu) | Jul 23 (Fri) |
| 立秋 | Risshū — start of autumn | 135° | Aug 7 (Fri) | Aug 8 (Sun) |
| 処暑 | Shosho — end of heat | 150° | Aug 23 (Sun) | Aug 23 (Mon) |
| 白露 | Hakuro — white dew | 165° | Sep 7 (Mon) | Sep 8 (Wed) |
| 秋分 | Shūbun — autumn equinox | 180° | Sep 23 (Wed) | Sep 23 (Thu) |
| 寒露 | Kanro — cold dew | 195° | Oct 8 (Thu) | Oct 8 (Fri) |
| 霜降 | Sōkō — frost falls | 210° | Oct 23 (Fri) | Oct 24 (Sun) |
| 立冬 | Rittō — start of winter | 225° | Nov 7 (Sat) | Nov 8 (Mon) |
| 小雪 | Shōsetsu — minor snow | 240° | Nov 22 (Sun) | Nov 22 (Mon) |
| 大雪 | Taisetsu — major snow | 255° | Dec 7 (Mon) | Dec 7 (Tue) |
| 冬至 | Tōji — winter solstice | 270° | Dec 22 (Tue) | Dec 22 (Wed) |
How to use
Enter a year (or use the Prev / Next buttons) to list that year's 24 solar terms. Above the table you'll see which term today falls in. "Copy list" exports the dates as plain text for planning or reference.
What are the 24 solar terms?
The nijūshi sekki divide the sun's yearly path (the ecliptic) into 24 segments of 15°, each with a poetic seasonal name. The system came to Japan from China and still shapes everyday life: the equinoxes (Shunbun, Shūbun) are national holidays, Risshun marks the calendar start of spring (the day before is the Setsubun bean-throwing festival), and Tōji — the winter solstice — comes with yuzu baths and pumpkin. Because the terms follow the real sun, each date shifts by about a day from year to year. Seasonal greetings in formal Japanese letters are also chosen by the current solar term.
Examples
- Risshun 2026 → February 4. The day before is Setsubun.
- Risshun 2025 → February 3 (a leap-cycle year where it lands one day early).
- Shunbun / Shūbun → the spring and autumn equinoxes, both national holidays in Japan.
- Geshi / Tōji → the longest and shortest days of the year.