秋分の日
Autumnal Equinox Day
昼と夜の長さがちょうど等しくなる日が、一年に二回、3月21日頃と9月23日頃にやってきます。日本では、3月21日頃にあたる方を春分(しゅんぶん)の日と呼ぶのに対して、9月23日頃にあたる方を秋分の日と呼び、どちらも国民の祝日になっています。春分の日・秋分の日はまた、仏教で言う「彼岸」(ひがん)の中日に当たり、多くの人が先祖の墓参りをする日でもあります。
The equinox, the time when day and night are of equal length, occurs twice a year, around March 21st and September 23rd. In Japan, the day that falls on the autumnal equinox is called shubun-no-hi, and the day that falls on the vernal equinox is called shunbun-no-hi. Vernal Equinox Day and Autumnal Equinox Day are both designated as national holidays. Vernal Equinox Day and Autumnal Equinox Day also fall on the central day of a seven-day Buddhist memorial service called higan. Many Japanese people visit their family graves on those two days.
彼岸(ひがん)
仏教信仰で春分と秋分をそれぞれ中心とする宗教的な一週間を指す。仏教ではこの期間に先祖に会えると考えられ、先祖供養が盛んに行われる。
higan
Higan refers to the weeklong religious period when Buddhist memorial services are performed. Buddhism teaches that people have the opportunity to meet their ancestors during the period. For this reason, people perform memorial services for their ancestors throughout the period.
