“Wusui” in 2023 is on February 18 or 19.
According to the fixed-weight method, it is when the solar longitude is 330 degrees. According to the equilibrium method, it will be on February 20, approximately 60.87 days after the winter solstice. From there, about 15 days will be known as “Wusui”.
Even though spring has arrived, it is still a very cold season. The meaning of Amamizu is that the snow will turn to rain and the snow will begin to melt. According to the “Koyomi Handbook,” “the sun comes out on the ground, snow and ice melt, and then it becomes rain and water.” This is the season when the cold has passed over the mountain pass and signs of spring begin to appear little by little.
Traditional custom (風習)
The “first day of spring” is a strong southerly wind that blows over Japan’s main island of Honshu. On days when the first day of spring blows, temperatures tend to rise. However, temperatures at this time of year are not stable, and the cold usually returns.
The term “sankanshion” (three cold days and four warm days) refers to the rapidly changing spring season, with three days of cold followed by four days of warmth.
Hina dolls are traditionally displayed around the time of “Risshun” (the first day of spring), but the Hina Matsuri festive and water are deeply connected, and it is said that good luck will be born if they are displayed during the rainy season when water is abundant.
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）土脉潤起 Rain falls and the soil contains moisture
（China）獺祭魚 Otters eat the fish they catch side by side
次候 (2nd 5days) (Japan）霞始靆 begin to loom in the mist
（China）鴻雁来 The geese are crossing to the north.
末候 (Last 5days) (Japan）草木萌動 Plants and trees begin to bud.
（China）草木萌動 Plants and trees begin to bud.
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