From May 15, 2026 to May 20, 2026, the corresponding solar term in the Nijūshi Sekki (24 solar terms) is 立夏(Rikka), and the corresponding microseason in the Shichijūni Kō (72 microseasons) is 竹笋生(Takenoko shozu).

What Is “Takenoko shozu” (竹笋生)?

"Takenoko Shōzu" (竹笋生), meaning "bamboo shoots spring forth," is one of the Shichijūni Kō (72 microseasons) — Japan's traditional system for capturing the subtle shifts of nature throughout the year. It falls as the final microseason of "Rikka" (立夏, "the start of summer") within the Nijūshi Sekki (24 solar terms), corresponding roughly to May 15–20. The name evokes the powerful energy of bamboo shoots pushing up through the earth, and with them, the sense that early summer has truly arrived. Bamboo shoots are celebrated as a seasonal delicacy from spring through early summer, and they hold a cherished place in Japanese food culture. Whether simmered gently or cooked into a fragrant rice dish, "takenoko" (bamboo shoots) is one of the quiet pleasures that belong to this time of year alone. The Shichijūni Kō is a traditional Japanese calendar that marks the small changes of the natural world in roughly five-day intervals. Embedded in "Takenoko Shōzu" is a sense of vigorous growth — of plants reaching upward and life brimming over in the early summer air. Even in the midst of a busy daily life, pausing to notice seasonal ingredients or the nature close at hand can make the turning of the seasons feel all the richer.

List of Japan’s 72 Microseasons