A week including the three days immediately before and after vernal equinox day is called Higan. During Higan, the spirits of ancestors are recalled, Buddhist rites are carried out and family graves are visited.
My parents-in-law, having an ancestors’ grave in Utsunomiya, visited the grave last week all the way from Tokyo.
My wife and I visited Tagesan Fudouson temple in Utsunomiya and had a short lecture of the temple by the higher rank priest there. I visited the temple several times before, but it was the first time for me to have had the historical and religious explanation of the temple. It was very interesting.
It has been warmer and warmer these days. The cherry blossom top season is just around the corner. 
The first nine years of education, six years elementary school and three years junior high school, are compulsory in Japan. My elder daughter Emi has graduated a junior high school last week. I thought that someday the day would come, but it really came to her.
She goes to a senior high school in Utsunomiya coming April, so our life style does not change much.
But, my friends’ twin daughters go to a high school in different prefecture. The fifteen-year old sisters will live together in different town apart from their parents… sigh. I understand their father’s feelings very much and sympathize him.
The sisters are also my friends. I play tennis with them once or twice a week for more than one year. They used to quarrel each other in every occasion. I thought it was annoying, but to think about that it’s impossible to play tennis with them makes me sad.
I want to congratulate my daughter and the sisters on the graduation and wish their wonderful high school days.
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