Welcome to the Kurashi no Koyomi

Well, sort of. This is 72 Microseasons, a newsletter about Japan viewed through the lens of an ancient almanac and its tiny, poetic seasons, called kō—originally featured in the Kurashi no Koyomi, a “lifestyle calendar” introduced in 1684. All credit to its original editor, astronomer and Go champion Shibukawa Shunkai.

Further thanks & credit to the sites kurashikata.com and kurashi-no-hotorisya.jp, from which I’ve translated and borrowed images.

What are the 72 Microseasons?

Check out the intro post for more details, but in short they’re exactly what they sound like: seventy-two small periods of time marked by changes in the natural world. Just like the Four Seasons, but micro.

How often will these go out?

My own personal focus and interest-willing, every 4-5 days in time with the microseasons themselves.

Too many newsletters already?

I’m also posting over on cohost and a more micro version on Twitter, if you’re a microseasons purist who doesn’t want all the added rambling.

Like this kind of thing?

Maybe you’d also like the Substacks that inspired me to start this one: How to Japanese by Daniel Morales, Roden by Craig Mod, Japanese One Word at a Time by Bob Myers, and Make Believe Mailer by Patrick St. Michel.