Autumnal Equinox Day in Japan
Autumnal Equinox Day is a Japanese national holiday whose date follows the autumn equinox and whose legal purpose is to honor ancestors and remember the dead.[1] Many people mark the season by visiting family graves during the autumn Ohigan period, and some offer ohagi at home or at a family altar.[4][5]
A holiday with a changing date
Japan’s holiday law names the day Shūbun no Hi, or Autumnal Equinox Day, and defines it as the autumn equinox day rather than assigning it a fixed date. The law describes its purpose as honoring ancestors and remembering those who have died.[1]
The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan defines the equinox day as the calendar day that contains the moment the Sun passes the autumnal equinox point. The holiday’s date is formally decided when the observatory’s calendar almanac is published in the government gazette in February of the preceding year. That is why the date can vary from year to year.[1][2]
Legal status and the holiday’s history
Autumnal Equinox Day has been one of Japan’s national holidays since the National Holidays Act was enacted in 1948. The act says national holidays are holidays, and it sets a substitute rule: when a national holiday falls on Sunday, the nearest following day that is not itself a national holiday becomes a holiday.[1][3]
The day’s predecessor in the prewar holiday calendar was Shūki Kōreisai, an imperial court rite associated with honoring imperial ancestors. The postwar law retained the autumn equinox as a holiday but expressed its meaning in terms of honoring ancestors and remembering the dead.[1][3]
Ohigan, grave visits and ohagi
Autumnal Equinox Day is the middle day of the autumn Ohigan period, which includes the three days before and after it. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries describes grave visits and offerings to ancestors as customs associated with the equinox period. Families may visit a cemetery to remember relatives, though customs and participation differ from household to household.[4]
Ohagi is a familiar autumn offering and seasonal food. It is made from rice shaped into portions and covered with sweet bean paste or another coating; the Ministry of Agriculture notes that names and recipes vary, and that some places use the name botamochi even in autumn. The day’s official meaning is remembrance, while the specific foods and practices are family and local traditions.[4][5]
What to expect for work and travel
The holiday law establishes the day as a national holiday, but it does not mean every private workplace must close. Japan’s labor standards set minimum weekly rest requirements, while work schedules depend on workplace rules; people should check their employer’s calendar if they need to know whether they are working.[1][6]
There is no single opening schedule for every shop, service or transport operator that can be assumed from the holiday’s legal status. Japan Post provides a location search for individual post offices, including branches with counters open on weekends or holidays. Travelers should check opening times and service timetables with the specific office, business or operator they plan to use.[7]
Frequently asked questions
Is Autumnal Equinox Day a day off in Japan?
Why does the date change?
What do people do on the holiday?
Are shops, post offices and transport services open?
Opening times and services vary by business and location. Japan Post’s search tool lists local post office hours, including holiday counters; check directly with each shop or transport operator for its schedule.[7]
Sources and references
Sources used for Autumnal Equinox Day in Japan:
- 国民の祝日について- Cabinet Office, Government of Japan
- 何年後かの春分の日・秋分の日はわかるの？- National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
- 各「国民の祝日」について （参考情報）祝日法制定の経緯- Cabinet Office, Government of Japan
- 春の和菓子ぼたもち- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
- ぼた餅 栃木県- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
- 労働時間・休日- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
- 郵便局・ATM・ポストをさがす- Japan Post Co., Ltd.