Guest Author - Joy Alari
The Japanese are a fun loving people and every month there is at least one celebration for them to chill at home with family and loved ones, the month of September has its own share of holidays and here they are:
Respect for the Aged Day
In Japan, every third Monday of September is Keiro no Hi, which means "Respect for the Aged Day". Keiro no Hi was originally celebrated on the 15th of September but due to Japan’s implementation of the "Happy Monday System" Keiro no Hi was later moved in 2003 to the third Monday but of the same month.
Keiro no Hi’s origins can be traced back to 1947, though then it was known as "Toshoyori no Hi" or Old People’s Day. In 1966 it was formally declared a national holiday and its name was changed to "Respect for the Aged Day"
Keiro no Hi is a relatively new holiday and there are no special customs associated with it but it is still an important day for all Japanese because this is the special day set aside, to show respect to all the senior citizens in the society, their longevity would be celebrated so also prayers would be offered for their health.
On this day and in most Japanese schools, the children would draw pictures and make various special crafts for their grandparents, so also for the residents in nursing homes.
The media is not exempt from Keiro no Hi, as they would also highlight the various events of this day, by focusing on the oldest residents in Japan, some elders such as Centenarians would even receive commemorative gifts, from their local governments.
Autumn Equinox Day
Another holiday for the month of Sepetember is Shubun no Hi which is also called "Autumnal Equinox Day", Depending on the year, Shubun no Hi is celebrated on every 23rd or 24th of September, on this day both the day and night in Japan, would be exactly the same in length because the sun would cross the equator, from the Northern to Southern Hemisphere. It is after this date that the hours in a day gets shorter while nights get longer.
Autumnal Equinox Day does not just mark a change in seasons because it’s also a day in Japan to pay respect to deceased ancestors. On this day most Japanese visit their family graves and offer special prayers to their lost loved ones, they would also clean the tombstones and lay flowers, as well as burn incense and even offer food.
The week of Autumnal Equinox, actually begins three days before Autumnal Equinox Day and ends three days afterwards, it is called "Higan" in Japan, Higan means "that shore of sanzu river" this is a Bhuddist saying, which means that one is crossing from the shores of ignorance and surffering into enlightenment. Keiro no Hi also marks the end of the summer heat, which gives way to a much cooler and crisper air of autumn.
