Spring equinox and spring higan

In 2026, both the spring equinox and spring higan are on March 20th. In Japan, the equinox is also a national holiday. In addition, the week surrounding it forms the spring Higan, a Buddhist observance. Today, March 20th, is the main day and it is also marked three days before the equinox and three days after.

On this day, the sun rises due east and sets due west, and its longitude reaches 0 degrees. Creating the impression that day and night are nearly equal, though in practice daylight is slightly longer. Traditionally, this balance symbolizes harmony, renewal, and the quiet turning toward spring’s fuller light.

In Japan, it is a time for visiting family graves, tending to ancestral altars, and reconnecting with seasonal rhythms. Many regions also treat it as the informal start of agricultural work, when the soil begins to warm and the natural world stirs awake.