Vernal Equinox Day

    Vernal Equinox Day (春分の日 Shunbun No Hi) is a Japanese national holiday. As this is the sun will be approaching to the earth equator, this natural phenomenon makes daytime and nighttime to be equal. Mostly Vernal Equinox Day will be on March 20th or 21st of every year depending on natural phenomenon, in 2024 is on March 20th. After this day, daytime will be longer and nighttime will be shorter.

    As Buddhism belief on this phenomenon, it says that, the Buddha will guide the lost soul of passed away people to cross the river of this world and other-world, then both worlds will connect together and be able to communicate to the other world.

    This day most of Japanese people will go back to their hometown and gathering with their families then spend time on doing activity together such as visiting their ancestor graves then, clean the area, putting flowers and other decoration, offer foods and Botamochi (A sweets made of rice cake with red beans paste) and pay respect to their beloved-ancestor and the Buddha. As a Buddhist, they belief that by doing this will help their ancestor souls to be able to cross the river and rest in peace.

Vernal Equinox Day is a day where day and night time to be equal 

Pay respect to their ancestor

Botamochi, a Japanese sweet made of rice cake and cover with red beans paste

 

  Vernal Equinox Day is a day to “Remind the goods of nature and strive to the future” As this day is a first coming sign of Spring. The warm of the Spring will enrich flower to be bloomed, make leaf to turn to green, weather will be warmer and relief coldness of winter, this freshness made us to think that it is a good time to start to do new thing. Thanks to this natural phenomenon that made this freshness and good feeling for everyone.



This day is a coming sign of the Spring

    Moreover, on March 21st is the International Day of Forests, to encourage people to realize importance of forest resources and their goods. We can say that March 21st is another day to remind us the existence of nature and people, without natures (Soil, water, air, tree, sea, and mountain) human may unable to live. We should enrich and save each other for our sustainable world for our next generation.