First reeds sprout

In 2026, April 20th marks the start of the first micro season of the solar term "Grain Rains" ("Kokuu") called First Reeds Sprout / Grow 葭始生 Ashi hajimete shōzu. Overall, it is the 16th micro-season of the year. 

First Reeds Sprout / Ashi Hajimete Shozu marks the period when reeds being to push new shoots through the wet sail along rivers, ponds and marshes. The photo in this post was taken in a previous year on April 21st. The character for "ashi" 葭 is another way to write 葦, the tall, hollow stemmed reed that is used for thatching, crafts and sudare blinds in Japan. Because "ashi" sounds like 悪し (“bad”), people often prefer the auspicious reading yoshi "good". 

During this micro-season nature around water becomes more alive. Water grasses thicken, algae brighten and there is more and more 'fresh green'.  Historically, this period aligns with the time farmers being preparing rice paddies - another example of new life in wet places.