Sunday, March 23, 2008

Vernal Equinox Day in Tagesan Fudouson

Vernal equinox day falls on about March 20, the day when the sun reaches the vernal equinox, and the length of day and night is equal.

In Japan, it is designated as a national holiday for praising nature and showing love of all living things. This has been a Buddhist festival day.

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.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really hope to visit some of these spectacular places you always photograph. I am hoping that I can make it to Japan by sometime next year. As always, I enjoy your blogging and photography, sir. Keep up the good work.

godzilla_rabbit said...

When you come to Japan, please let me know. I can show you around beautiful Tochigi prefecture.
:-)