Microseason: Warm winds blow

The first micro-season of the solar term "Lesser Heat" is Warm Winds Blow, 温風至 Atsukaze itaru. It is the 31st micro-season of the year. In 2026, it is on from July 7th to 11th. It is the period when warm southern winds begin to move across Japan, carrying the first real heat of midsummer. And almost uncannily, July 7th, 2026, has been forecast to bring warmer weather than we have been experiencing.

This micro‑season is subtle, but you can feel it in everyday life if you pay attention: laundry dries faster, cicadas begin to stir, and the breeze that once felt cool now arrives (unfortunately) with a warm weight. If you haven't already, its time to crack out any and all cooling products you have! It’s also the time of Tanabata and wind chime season, so warm winds gently move both the tanzaku strips and set the wind chimes ringing.

In nature, the warm winds encourage rapid growth. Rice paddies deepen in color, vegetables like cucumbers and tomatoes swell quickly, and lotus flowers begin to open in ponds across Japan. Farmers watch the weather closely, as the shift from rain to heat affects irrigation and early summer harvests. Dragonflies become more active, grasses thicken, and the landscape takes on the lush, vibrant look of true midsummer.