From Jun 21, 2026 to Jun 25, 2026, the corresponding solar term in the Nijūshi Sekki (24 solar terms) is 夏至(Geshi), and the corresponding microseason in the Shichijūni Kō (72 microseasons) is 乃東枯(Natsukarekusa karuru).

What Is “Natsukarekusa karuru” (乃東枯)?

"Natsukarekusa Karuru" (乃東枯) is one of the Shichijūni Kō (72 microseasons), the traditional Japanese calendar system that delicately captures the subtle transitions of the seasons. It is the first microseason of the Nijūshi Sekki (24 solar terms) known as Geshi (夏至, "the Summer Solstice"), and it usually falls around June 21–25 each year. The phrase literally means "when the natsukarekusa withers," with natsukarekusa (乃東) being an old Japanese name for the plant utsubogusa (self-heal). Self-heal sprouts in winter and blooms with purple flowers from around May through July. By the time of the summer solstice, however, its flower spikes begin to darken, appearing almost withered. While other plants thrive under the strong summer sun, growing lush and vibrant, this one quietly fades away. People in ancient Japan noticed this quiet transformation and preserved it in the Shichijūni Kō. This microseason forms a pair with "Natsukarekusa Shōzu" (乃東生), the first microseason of the Winter Solstice. The plant sprouts at the winter solstice and withers at the summer solstice—a natural rhythm unfolding over half a year. Through the life cycle of a single plant, people of the past perceived the deeper rhythms of nature. The blackened, dried flower spikes are used as a traditional herbal medicine called "kagosō" (夏枯草, "summer-withered grass"). When brewed as a decoction, it has diuretic and anti-inflammatory properties. The liquid has also long been used externally for sprains, swellings, edema, and even as a gargle. Its English names are "heal-all" and "all-heal," reflecting the belief that it can "heal everything." It is remarkable that such quiet, withering forms can conceal such powerful medicinal qualities. The summer solstice is the time of year when the days are longest and the noon shadows shortest. In Japan, it falls in the heart of the rainy season, when humid, damp days continue without end. Amid this lush and growing world, the quiet fading of self-heal stands as a symbol of the refined sensitivity to seasonal change embedded in the traditional Japanese calendar.

List of Japan’s 72 Microseasons