Day 2: Japanese Holidays

Today is the 2nd day of my 100 days diary challenge.

It is a bank holiday on Vernal(Spring) Equinox Day in Japan. It is usually 20th or 21st March. It depends on the astronomical measurement. Vernal Equinox Day means Spring is really coming. We usually change winter coat to spring coat (in Tokyo), and starting to think about next season (new school season, Hanami). It's like Easter day (but no big ceremony is held).

There is also a proverb, "Cold day ends by Vernal Equinox, hot day ends by Autumnal Equinox." (暑さ寒さも彼岸まで)

There is also a bank holiday for Autumnal Equinox Day. In each 7 days around Equinox days, people would visit the grave of their family and ancestors traditionally, and this so called "Ohigan(お彼岸)", higan means the world of nirvana.

We would bring sweets as offering. The most general sweet for Vernal Equinox Day is "Ohagi" or "Botamochi"(sweet beans with rice cake) .