'Heat and Cold last until Higan'
暑さ寒さも彼岸まで
Simply put 'shunbun' (春分) means 'spring division', indicating that hours of light and dark are balanced. As the (above) saying goes, the cold grip of winter should now fade to a slight chill.
SPRING EQUINOX
March 20th is 'Shunbun-no-hi' (春分の日)
a straight line
all the way to Kyōto...
umbrella-hatted blossom viewers
京迄は一筋道ぞ花見笠
-Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶), 1822.
Trans. David G. Lanoue.
'Vernal Equinox Day' has been a national holiday since 1948.
'Heat and Cold last until Higan'
暑さ寒さも彼岸まで
Simply put 'shunbun' (春分) means 'spring division', indicating that hours of light and dark are balanced. As the (above) saying goes, the cold grip of winter should now fade to a slight chill.
In the past 'Higan-no-Nakaba' (彼岸の半ば 'Middle of the Equinoctial Week') was a time for visiting graves to honour ancestors. It was also a time for spring cleaning and for making important changes (such as beginning a new hobby or finishing an important project).
