“Taisho” in 2023 is on July 22 or 23.
According to the fixed-weight method, it is when the solar longitude is 120 degrees. According to the equilibrium method, it will be July 23, approximately 213.06 days after the winter solstice. From there, about 15 days will be known as “Taisho”.
As the word implies, it is the hottest time of the year. It is the time when the weather is clear and the temperature continues to rise.
Traditional custom (風習)
In “Taisho”, people send “Shochu-mimai”(Greeting card) to their friends and relatives to care for their health during the severe heat of the season. Schools are also closed for the summer. This is a good opportunity to think about those people we do not usually see.
On the day of the Ox in “Doyou”, it is customary to eat “Unagi”(an eels), which is full of stamina, to get through the hot summer.
Not only eel, but also tempura has been eaten for a long time as a way to get over the heat.
This is also the time of year when the ocean opens, swimming pools open, and mountains open. It is a time when many people become more open.
Seventy Two Appearances (七十二候)
The 24 seasons each divide three seasons and further express the subtle changes in seasons. These are referred to as the “72 appearances” and were commonly used, especially in agriculture, in ancient Japan and China.
初候 (1st 5days) （Japan） 桐始結花 Paulownia nuts begin to grow.
（China） 腐草為蛍 Rotting grass becomes steaming fireflies.
次候 (2nd 5days) (Japan・China） 土潤溽暑 The soil becomes damp and muggy.
末候 (Last 5days) (Japan・China） 大雨時行 Occasionally heavy rain falls
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