Autumn Equinoctial Week
(AKI-no HIGAN / 秋の彼岸)

When Is Higan?

 

Autumn Equinoctial Week this year (2023) is from September 20 (Wed) to September 26 (Tue).

 


 

Higan is the period of three days before and after the Autumnal Equinox Day (September 23rd this year). It becomes cooler around this period.

 

What Is Higan And What People Do in Japan?

 

Higan (彼岸)” means another world. It originally meant spiritual enlightenment in Buddhism, but “Higan” as a custom is traditionally specific to Japan.

People visit their ancestors’ graves and put rice cakes covered with bean jam, dumplings, and other things on their household shrines.
 

 

Ohagi and Botamochi

 

The photo below is the rice cakes covered with bean jam (ohagi).

 


 

Their name changes depending on the season, and they are named after a seasonal flower.

It is called “ohagi (おはぎ)”, because it is the bush clover (hagi / 萩) season, around the Autumnal Equinox Day.
 

(Photo: hagi / bush clover)
 

Around the Vernal Equinox, it is called “bota-mochi (ぼたもち)”, because it is the peony flower (botan / 牡丹) season.
 

(Photo: botan (peony)

 

 

 

Category : 24 Divisions of The Solar Year , Japanese Culture , text @en

Tag : 24 divisions of the solar year , 24sekki , corona virus , COVID-19 , COVID19 , Emergency , Japanese culture , season , tanabata , The coronavirus , 日本の文化

Shoko Shuseikan

Shoko Shuseikan

Shimadzu's historical museum located next to...

Ishibashi Memorial Hall & Gion-no-su Park

Ishibashi Memorial Hall & Gion-n...

Five Historical stone bridges used tospan th...

Kagoshima City

Kagoshima City

Kagoshima City is the capital of Kagoshima p...

Tsukiyomi Shrine

Tsukiyomi Shrine

This shrine is the biggest shrine in Sakuraj...

Hirakawa Zoo

Hirakawa Zoo

Over 200 kinds animals including koalas, Pol...

Kagoshima Chuo Station Area

Kagoshima Chuo Station Area

Kagoshima Chuo station area is getting activ...

Amami Oshima

Amami Oshima

The island is blessed with the cobalt blue s...

Yoron

Yoron

Yoron is a small but the first class resort ...

Jambo-mochi

Jambo-mochi

Jambo is Kagoshima's local sweet. It is rice...

Mishima Islands & Toshima Islands

Mishima Islands & Toshima Islands

Non touristic but beautiful islands remain l...

Kagoshima City Aquarium “Io World”

Kagoshima City Aquarium “Io Wor...

The aquarium introduces sea creatures which ...

Waterfront’s New Spot “DOLPHIN PORT”

Waterfront’s New Spot “DO...

Kagoshima's newest spot "Dolphin Port" opene...

October , 2023

U M T W R F S
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
 
  
   
    

Event & Art

KAGOSHIMA MARATHON 2024

KAGOSHIMA MARATHON 2024

start : Mar. 03, 2024

TANIYAMA FURUSATO FESTIVAL 2023<br />(TANIYAMA FURUSATO MATSURI / <br />谷山ふるさと祭)

TANIYAMA FURUSATO FESTIVAL ...

start : Oct. 22, 2023

KAGOSHIMA KINKO-WAN SUMMER NIGHT FIREWORKS DISPLAY 2023<br />(かごしま錦江湾サマーナイト大花火大会)

KAGOSHIMA KINKO-WAN SUMMER ...

start : Aug. 19, 2023

Food & Drink