Today’s Japanese word “Ohigan” (Equinoctial week of autumn).
The “Ohigan” is a unique Buddhist event in Japan.
This period is generally visiting the grave. Then, we go to meet the spirits of ancestors.
“Ohigan” (Equinoctial week) is the 7 days of around the “vernal equinox day” and “autumnal equinox day”. It has these day and 3 days before and after.
This year’s autumn equinoctial week is 9/19-9/25.
These days have a special name in “Ohigan”.
September 19: “Higan-iri” (equinoctial week start).
September 22: “Higan-no-chuunichi” (equinox or Autumnal Equinox Day holiday).
September 25: “Higan-ake” (equinoctial week finish).
By the way, there is a flower that was derived from the “Ohigan”.
Its name is “Higan-bana” (red spider lily).
It is the flowers blooming in the season of “Aki-no-Ohigan” (autumn equinoctial week).
Because time of the flowering was “Ohigan”, now it has its name.
And there is the food of “Ohigan” .
It is a “O-hagi” and “Bota-mochi”(each food is a rice dumpling covered with bean jam).
These looks are the same. But, each name varies according to season to eat. Origin of these names are the name of the flower to represent the each “Ohigan”.
Spring is “Peony” = “Bota-mochi”, autumn “Hagi” = “O-hagi”.
These are one of the Japanese important culture.
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