Once again it’s that time of the year when the air is a sweet breeze and the warm sunshine kisses you. Once again it’s the Spring Equinox Day. It is a widely celebrated festival of Japan which marks the end of the long hostile winter and the beginning of warm and cozy spring.
Locally known as ‘Shunbun no Hi’ or the “Vernal Equinox” is that day of the year when day and night are of equal length. Such a day usually falls on the 20th or 21st of March in Japan.
It also means that the cherry blossom festival is close; hence one gets to see the scenic vista of pink cherry tree blossom all over the place. The day allows people to connect with nature and show their love for all living things.
Although the Spring Equinox Day is a one day festival, the celebrations are spread over seven days it starts three days before the Vernal Equinox Day and ends three days after, this period is called ‘Higan’. During this period people pay their respects to their ancestors. Family graves are visited, cleaned and offerings of flowers and incense are made to console the ancestral spirits.
‘Shunbun no Hi’ was established as a national holiday during the Meiji-period. If you happen to be in Japan during this time of the year ‘Shunbun no Hi’ is definitely a sight not be missed at any cost. It seems like a soulful union of nature, mankind and festivities. On this warm occasion of ‘Shunbun no Hi’, we at HKS Designer and Consultant International Company Ltd. give you warm wishes.
