🥶 24th Solar Term: Daikan (Major Cold)

Start date: Around January 20, 2026

Meaning and Origin

“Daikan” (Major Cold) is the 24th solar term, signifying
the period when the cold is at its most severe throughout the year. It is read as “Daikan.” Literally meaning “the time of great cold,” it is a turning point where the natural world fully takes on its winter form.

However, at the same time, about a month has passed since the winter solstice, and the sun has begun to regain a little of its strength. The bottom of the cold is also a “run-up to spring.”

Changes in Nature

Around Daikan, the air is crystal clear, ponds and rivers freeze in the morning, and your breath flows out as white mist.

The snow is fine, light, and dry, and the way it dances and sparkles in the north wind is as if light itself is scattering.

In mountain villages, snow piles up thick, fields fall asleep, and all of nature is wrapped in a “frozen silence.” Within this stillness, plum buds begin to swell, and preparations for spring are secretly underway.

Scientific Background

Daikan arrives the moment the sun’s ecliptic longitude reaches 300 degrees. The Northern Hemisphere of the Earth is at its furthest point from the sun, and the solar altitude remains low.

During this time, radiative cooling is at its strongest, and early morning temperatures are at their lowest for the year. The average minimum temperature in Tokyo is around 1°C, and it is not uncommon for temperatures in Hokkaido and inland areas to drop below -10°C.

However, after this period passes, the cold gradually eases, and you begin to feel the sunlight during the day as we head toward Risshun (the beginning of spring).

Life and Culture

Daikan has long been considered the “season for preparation.” It is the most suitable time for preparing fermented foods such as sake, miso, and soy sauce. Because the low temperatures suppress the growth of bacteria and allow for slow maturation, “Kan-jikomi” (cold preparation) has been a symbol of deliciousness.

Also, in martial arts, “Kan-geiko” (midwinter training) is held, and in temples, “Kan-gyo” (midwinter ascetic practices) are performed, carrying on the custom of enduring the cold to train the mind and body.

“Kanchu-mimai” (midwinter greetings) are also sent during this period. They express concern for the recipient’s health and embody the spirit of waiting together for the arrival of spring.

Starry Sky and Photography Themes

The night sky during Daikan is the most beautiful and clear of the year. The Winter Diamond (Orion, Sirius, Procyon, Aldebaran, Capella, and Pollux) adorns the southern sky, and sometimes faint streaks of the Milky Way can be seen.

As for photography themes, consider “Light of Silence,” “Frozen Time,” and “Prelude to Spring.” Capturing the “transparency of extreme cold,” such as starlight reflecting on snowfields or moonlight reflected in ice crystals, is very impressive.

Summary in a Nutshell

When the cold reaches its peak and the air becomes clear,
nature freezes everything over,
secretly nurturing new life.
Daikan is the season when the 'silence that gives birth to spring' is perfected.

Hashtag suggestions

#Daikan
#24SolarTerms
#WinterPreparation
#PeakOfWinter
#HarbingerOfSpring