Vernal Equinox Day
A day to praise nature and show affection for living things
Shunbun no Hi (Vernal Equinox Day) is a national holiday celebrated around March 20th or 21st. Its purpose is "to praise nature and show affection for living things."
An Astronomical Holiday
Unlike most holidays, the exact date of the Vernal Equinox Day is not fixed by law. It is determined astronomically as the day when the sun crosses the celestial equator, making day and night approximately equal in length. The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan announces the date for the following year every February.
Ohigan and Botamochi
The Vernal Equinox marks the middle of a 7-day Buddhist festival period known as Haru no Ohigan. It is a time for people to visit their ancestors' graves. It is customary to eat botamochi, sweet rice balls covered with red bean paste. The red beans were historically believed to ward off evil spirits, and the name "botamochi" comes from the peony flower (botan) that blooms in spring.