春分の日 - Vernal Equinox Day

The equinox, the time when the day and night are equal, occurs twice in a year on about March 21st and September 23rd. In Japan, the days that fall on the vernal equinox and the autumnal equinox are called shunbun-no-hi and shubun-no-hi. They have been designated as national holidays. Vernal Equinox Day and Autumnal Equinox Day also fall on the main day of a seven-day Buddhist memorial service called higan, and many Japanese people visit their family graves on those days.

昼と夜の長さがちょうど等しくなる日が、一年に二回、3月21日頃と9月23日頃にやってきます。日本では、3月21日頃にあたる方を春分の日、9月23日頃にあたる方を秋分の日(しゅうぶんのひ)と呼び、どちらも国民の祝日になっています。春分の日・秋分の日はまた、仏教で言う「彼岸」(ひがん)の中日に当たり、多くの人が先祖の墓参りをする日でもあります。