八十八夜/hachijyuuhachiya
八十八夜(5月2日頃)は立春(2月4日頃)から数えて八十八日目のことで、茶摘みや田植えの時期を知らせる、暦の上での目安とされています。
また、八十八夜の3日後は夏の始まりである「立夏」。
お茶摘みは春の終わりと、夏の始まりの知らせでもあります。
八十八夜 (Hachijuuhachiya, one of the days of the Japanese calendar, meaning 88th night, around 2 May) is the 88th day counting from 立春 (Risshun, meaning the beginning of spring, around 4 February) and is regarded as a calendar reference, signalling the time for tea picking and rice planting.
Three days after 八十八夜 is 立夏 (Rikka), the beginning of summer.
Tea picking also signals the end of spring and the beginning of summer.