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The Autumn Equinox, when the sun is directly over the equator and daylight and night are equal in the temperate zones, is on or near September 23 in the northern hemisphere and March 21 in the southern hemisphere. In the northern hemisphere it's the first of a multicultural series of harvest festivals which continue through most of the Fall season. As sunlight fades, Autumn is a time for reflection and quiet inward growth. Persephone returns to the underworld, and all things cease to grow as Demeter grieves. Yet we are cheered to know that there will be many celebrations to brighten the coming cold season. |
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 Japanese Art from Kaleidoscope 
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As Spring is the time for
planting, so is Fall the time for reaping what was sown.
Abundance of daylight gives way to the time of increasing
darkness, and if all has gone well, there will an abundant
harvest to carry us through to the new agricultural year.
The Japanese celebration of
the Equinox, Higan, is a seven day festival, with three days
preceding and three following the day of the equinox. These
six days reflect the six perfections - giving, observance of
the precepts, perservence, effort, meditation and wisdom.
On the middle day, families visit and care for graves of
ancestors. Higan is an ancient festival, a time for joyful
remembrance. Ceremonial foods are eaten, especially "Ohagi,"
a rice dumpling with bean jam.
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