Rain moistens the soil

"Rain moistens the soil" is the name of the fourth micro season of the year and the first of the solar term "Usui". In Japanese it is "tsuchi no shō uruoi okoru" 土脉潤起. It is sometimes translated as "rain falls and the earth moistens" too. In 2026 it is from February 19th to 23rd. 

In traditional Japanese seasonal language, this micro season describes the period when frozen winter ground begins to thaw, allowing moisture to seep into the soil again. Snow turns to rain, the earth softens, and life beneath the surface quietly stirs.

When the soil becomes soft, the seeds and microorganisms that have been sleeping in the soil all at once awaken. " "Tsuchi no shō uruoi okoru" , "rain moistens the soil", marks an awakening of spring.