Vernal Equinox Day

Vernal Equinox Day, known in Japan as Shunbun no Hi (春分の日), is a national public holiday observed in 2026 on March 20. It marks the astronomical vernal equinox, when day and night are approximately equal in length, and traditionally symbolizes the transition from winter to spring. The holiday is part of Japan’s seasonal calendar and reflects the cultural importance of harmony between nature, society, and the changing seasons.

The modern holiday was established under Japan’s National Holidays Act of 1948, which defines its purpose as “admiring ancestors and mourning those who have passed away.” Its origins are connected to the imperial Shunki Korei-sai, a spring ceremony honoring imperial ancestors, as well as to the Buddhist observance of Higan. Over time, Shunbun no Hi developed into a broadly shared occasion for family remembrance, visits to ancestral graves, and appreciation of the natural world, rather than a strictly religious festival.

Vernal Equinox Day falls within Higan, a seven-day Buddhist period beginning three days before the equinox and ending three days afterward. Many families return to their hometowns, clean and decorate graves, offer flowers, incense, and water, and pray for deceased relatives. People may also visit Buddhist temples, spend time with older family members, and enjoy the first signs of spring, including blooming flowers and longer daylight. Because the holiday is a national day off, parks, gardens, and tourist areas can be especially busy.

A traditional seasonal food associated with the spring Higan period is botamochi, a sweet made from glutinous rice covered with red bean paste. The spring version is commonly called botamochi, while the similar autumn offering is known as ohagi. There is no single fixed greeting equivalent to “Merry Christmas,” but people may say “Shunbun no Hi omedetou gozaimasu” in an informal celebratory context, or use seasonal expressions such as “Haru rashiku natte kimashita ne” (“It is beginning to feel like spring”).