Entrance to Ohigan

Entrance to Ohigan (彼岸の入り) marks the first day of the Buddhist Ohigan period, observed in both spring and autumn. It begins three days before the equinox, when day and night are nearly equal and the sun sets directly in the west, symbolically linked to the Pure Land in Buddhist belief. 

As such the dates can change slightly some years. But in 2026, the spring Ohigan is from March 17th to March 23rd. Thus, today, March 17th is "(O)Higan no Iri", which I have translated as "entrance to ohigan" in the title, but I think more naturally we say "the first day of Higan" or to translate Higan; the first day of the (spring) equinoctial week. The spring equinox, shunbun no hi, falls on March 20th this year and is an annual holiday in Japan.

It signals the start of a week dedicated to honoring ancestors, visiting graves and offering food like "ohagi". However, the autumn higan seems to be observed to a greater degree than the spring equinox. But "higan no iri" is a day to reflect and pause and for some even the spring equinox is a time to visit family graves.