Hello, I am Yoshi Tanaka from NILS Japanese language school. Today’s topic is a national holiday, Shunbun no hi 春分の日 or Vernal [Spring] Equinox Day.
Shunbun is when the sun reaches the vernal equinox, and it’s the day when day and night are of equal length. it si usually around March 21st (March 20th this year) and the day is designated a national holiday. It falls during the week of higan 彼岸 in Japan, which means “the next world for Buddhists.” Since this is believed to be when the spirits of ancestors return to this world, people visit their family graves, clean them, offer flowers and burn incense.

March 19th News, from NILS Japanese language school.