When is Autumnal Equinox Day?
On September 22nd, 23rd or 24th, the Autumnal Equinox is celebrated as a national holiday in Japan.
In Japan, this holiday is known as 'Shūbun-no-hi'. The exact day can vary due to astronomical observations, so the date for the following year is usually announced in early spring.
History of Autumnal Equinox Day?
The sun rises exactly in the east and sets exactly in the west on this day, making day and night equal in length.
From this day forward, the sun crosses over the equator to the Southern Hemisphere, meaning it rises and sets in the Southern Hemisphere, meaning that the days will begin to become shorter than nights in the Northern Hemisphere, heralding the arrival of Autumn.
Autumnal Equinox Day was established as a national holiday in 1948. Before then, the autumnal equinox was an imperial ancestor worship festival called 'Shūki kōrei-sai' and the holiday had its roots in Shinto traditions as a time to give thanks to the deities for a successful harvest.
The equinoxes are also a special time for Buddhists who traditionally see them as days when the border between the worlds of the living and the dead is at its thinnest, making the equinoxes important days to honour ancestors and remember the dead.
The Japanese use Autumnal Equinox Day to pay respects to deceased family members, visit family graves and hold family reunions in honour of those who have passed.
Silver Week
If Respect for the Aged Day falls on September 21st and Autumnal Equinox falls on September 23rd and either September 21st is a Monday or September 23rd is a Friday, then September 22nd is declared as a people's holiday (kokumin no kyuujitu) - creating 'Silver Week'. The most recent Silver Weeks took in 2009 and 2015 and the next one will be in 2026.
