early spring; beginning of spring
Refers to the very start of spring, often with a poetic or seasonal nuance. Can be used in both literal and literary contexts.
The wind of early spring is still cold.
New Year; New Year's
Specifically refers to the New Year period, often used in seasonal greetings or traditional contexts. More literary than 正月.
Let's go look for flowers that bloom in early spring.
I wish you a happy New Year.
It was a bright day fitting for the New Year.
Compound of 初 (hatsu, 'first') + 春 (haru, 'spring'). The New Year sense arises from the traditional lunar calendar, where the new year coincided with the beginning of spring.