Takasago website has adopted a new theme.

What if kaori were visible?

Japan has seventy-two distinct seasons—a new season arrives every five days. The changes in the seasons can be sensed in wild flowers, nuances of the wind, and insects appearing in the garden. Nature’s changes never stop. The habit of noticing each of these tiny changes led to Japan’s sense of kaori, a sense of smell that satisfies both body and mind, often translated as fragrance.

The first page you see at our corporate website takes up the theme of expressing kaori through other senses.
Aromas and fragrances cannot be communicated directly over the web, so the design uses color to represent kaori, changing regularly to present a new kaori each time you visit the site.

Takasago develops technology relating to kaori and we also play a part in developing the culture of kaori. Our website’s top page expresses that stance.

The kaori visuals change their color a little at a time along with the seasons.
The gradations change so that each visitor never sees the same visual twice.

Visit Takasago’s website to encounter, explore, and gain a sense for the depth and significance of kaori. Bring all your senses to bear on discovering hints at the next season carried by the air. Experience afresh the joy of kaori.

Japan’s 72 Microseasons and traditional colors of Japan

立春 Risshun (Beginning of Spring)
1	February 4–8	東風解凍 Harukaze kōri o toku	The east wind melts the thick ice.
2	February 9–13	黄鶯睍睆 Kōō kenkan su	Bush warblers sing in the countryside.
3	February 14–18	魚上氷 Uo kōri o izuru	Ice cracks, allowing fish to emerge.
雨水 Usui (Rain Water)
4	February 19–23	土脉潤起 Tsuchi no shō uruoi okoru	Rain falls, moistening the soil.
5	February 24–28	霞始靆 Kasumi hajimete tanabiku	Mist lies over the land.
6	March 1–5	草木萌動 Sōmoku mebae izuru	Trees and plants put forth buds.
啓蟄 Keichitsu (Insects Awakening)
7	March 6–10	蟄虫啓戸 Sugomori mushito o hiraku	Hibernating insects emerge.
8	March 11–15	桃始笑 Momo hajimete saku	Peach trees begin to bloom.
9	March 16–20	菜虫化蝶 Namushi chō to naru	Cabbage whites emerge from their cocoons.
春分 Shunbun (Spring Equinox)
10	March 21–25	雀始巣 Suzume hajimete sukū	Sparrows begin building their nests.
11	March 26–30	櫻始開 Sakura hajimete saku	Cherry blossoms begin to bloom.
12	March 31–April 4	雷乃発声 Kaminari sunawachi koe o hassu	Thunder rumbles far away.
清明 Seimei (Fresh Green)
13	April 5–9	玄鳥至 Tsubame kitaru	Swallows return from the south.
14	April 10–14	鴻雁北 Kōgan kaeru	Wild geese fly north.
15	April 15–19	虹始見 Niji hajimete arawaru	Rainbows begin to appear.
穀雨 Kokuu (Grain Rain)
16	April 20–24	葭始生 Ashi hajimete shōzu	Reeds begin to sprout.
17	April 25–29	霜止出苗 Shimo yamite nae izuru	Rice seedlings grow.
18	April 30–May 4	牡丹華 Botan hana saku	Peonies bloom.
立夏 Rikka (Beginning of Summer)
19	May 5–9	蛙始鳴 Kawazu hajimete naku	Frogs begin croaking.
20	May 10–14	蚯蚓出 Mimizu izuru	Worms wriggle to the surface.
21	May 15–20	竹笋生 Takenoko shōzu	Bamboo shoots sprout.
小満 Shōman (Lesser Fullness)
22	May 21–25	蚕起食桑 Kaiko okite kuwa o hamu	Silkworms feast on mulberry leaves.
23	May 26–30	紅花栄 Benibana sakau	Safflowers bloom in abundance.
24	May 31–June 5	麦秋至 Mugi no toki itaru	Barley ripens, ready to be harvested.
芒種 Bōshu (Grain in Ear)
25	June 6–10	蟷螂生 Kamakiri shōzu	Praying mantises hatch and come forth.
26	June 11–15	腐草為螢 Kusaretaru kusa hotaru to naru	Fireflies fly out from moist grass.
27	June 16–20	梅子黄 Ume no mi kibamu	Plums ripen, turning yellow.
夏至 Geshi (Summer Solstice)
28	June 21–26	乃東枯 Natsukarekusa karuru	Prunella flowers wither.
29	June 27–July 1	菖蒲華 Ayame hana saku	Irises bloom.
30	July 2–6	半夏生 Hange shōzu	Crowdipper sprouts.
小暑 Shōsho (Lesser Heat)
31	July 7–11	温風至 Atsukaze itaru	Warm winds blow.
32	July 12–16	蓮始開 Hasu hajimete hiraku	Lotuses begin to bloom.
33	July 17–22	鷹乃学習 Taka sunawachi waza o narau	Young hawks learn to fly.
大暑 Taisho (Greater Heat)
34	July 23–28	桐始結花 Kiri hajimete hana o musubu	Paulownia trees begin to produce seeds.
35	July 29–August 2	土潤溽暑 Tsuchi uruōte mushi atsushi	The ground is damp, the air hot and humid.
36	August 3–7	大雨時行 Taiu tokidoki furu	Heavy rains fall.
立秋 Risshū (Beginning of Autumn)
37	August 8–12	涼風至 Suzukaze itaru	Cool winds blow.
38	August 13–17	寒蝉鳴 Higurashi naku	Evening cicadas begin to sing.
39	August 18–22	蒙霧升降 Fukaki kiri matō	Thick fog blankets the land.
処暑 Shosho (End of Heat)
40	August 23–27	綿柎開 Wata no hana shibe hiraku	Cotton bolls open.
41	August 28–September 1	天地始粛 Tenchi hajimete samushi	The heat finally relents.
42	September 2–7	禾乃登 Kokumono sunawachi minoru	Rice ripens.
白露 Hakuro (White Dew)
43	September 8–12	草露白 Kusa no tsuyu shiroshi	White dew shimmers on the grass.
44	September 13–17	鶺鴒鳴 Sekirei naku	Wagtails begin to sing.
45	September 18–22	玄鳥去 Tsubame saru	Swallows return to the south.
秋分 Shūbun (Autumnal Equinox)
46	September 23–27	雷乃収声 Kaminari sunawachi koe o osamu	Thunder comes to an end.
47	September 28–October 2	蟄虫坏戸 Mushi kakurete to o fusagu	Insects close up their burrows.
48	October 3–7	水始涸 Mizu hajimete karuru	Fields are drained of water.
寒露 Kanro (Cold Dew)
49	October 8–12	鴻雁来 Kōgan kitaru	Wild geese begin to fly back.
50	October 13–17	菊花開 Kiku no hana hiraku	Chrysanthemums bloom.
51	October 18–22	蟋蟀在戸 Kirigirisu to ni ari	Crickets chirp by the door.
霜降 Sōkō (First Frost)
52	October 23–27	霜始降 Shimo hajimete furu	Frost begins to form.
53	October 28–November 1	霎時施 Kosame tokidoki furu	Drizzling rain falls gently.
54	November 2–6	楓蔦黄 Momiji tsuta kibamu	Maple leaves and ivy turn yellow.
立冬 Rittō (Beginning of Winter)
55	November 7–11	山茶始開 Tsubaki hajimete hiraku	Sasanqua camellias begin to bloom.
56	November 12–16	地始凍 Chi hajimete kōru	The land begins to freeze.
57	November 17–21	金盞香 Kinsenka saku	Daffodils bloom.
小雪 Shōsetsu (Light Snow)
58	November 22–26	虹蔵不見 Niji kakurete miezu	Rainbows disappear.
59	November 27–December 1	朔風払葉 Kitakaze konoha o harau	The north wind blows leaves off the trees.
60	December 2–6	橘始黄 Tachibana hajimete kibamu	Tachibana citrus trees begin to turn yellow.
大雪 Taisetsu (Heavy Snow)
61	December 7–11	閉塞成冬 Sora samuku fuyu to naru	The skies stay cold as winter arrives.
62	December 12–16	熊蟄穴 Kuma ana ni komoru	Bears hide away in their dens to hibernate.
63	December 17–21	鱖魚群 Sake no uo muragaru	Salmon swim upstream en masse.
冬至 Tōji (Winter Solstice)
64	December 22–26	乃東生 Natsukarekusa shōzu	Prunella sprouts.
65	December 27–31	麋角解 Sawashika no tsuno otsuru	Deer shed their antlers.
66	January 1–4	雪下出麦 Yuki watarite mugi nobiru	Barley sprouts under the snow.
小寒 Shōkan (Lesser Cold)
67	January 5–9	芹乃栄 Seri sunawachi sakau	Parsley thrives.
68	January 10–14	水泉動 Shimizu atataka o fukumu	Springs once frozen flow once more.
69	January 15–19	雉始雊 Kiji hajimete naku	Cock pheasants begin to call.
大寒 Daikan (Greater Cold)
70	January 20–24	款冬華 Fuki no hana saku	Butterburs put forth buds.
71	January 25–29	水沢腹堅 Sawamizu kōri tsumeru	Mountain streams gain a cover of thick ice.
72	January 30–February 3	鶏始乳 Niwatori hajimete toya ni tsuku	Hens begin to lay eggs.