11: Autumn Equinox Day ( September 23rd )
Autumnal Equinox Day (秋分の日, Shubun no Hi) takes place on September 23rd or 24th, depending on the year. On this day the sun crosses the equator from the Northern to Southern Hemisphere, making both day time and night time exactly the same in length. After the Autumnal Equinox the days start to get shorter and the nights longer.
The seven-day period around the Autumnal Equinox - from three days before till three days after - is called Higan (彼岸) in Japan. It is a period when the summer heat starts to give way to the cool and fresh autumn air.
In Japan Autumnal Equinox Day is an official national holiday. It does not just signify a change of seasons; it is also a day when Japanese pay their respects to their family members that passed away. People make visits to their family graves: they clean the tombstone, offer flowers, food and incense to their ancestors and pray for them.
