【Twenty-Four Solar Terms】
Autumnal Equinox (Shūbun)

Autumnal Equinox (Shūbun)

Around September 23rd - October 7th

The Autumnal Equinox (Shūbun) is when day and night are almost equal in length.

The sun is lower in the sky, the sunlight softens, and the number of clear, autumn-like days increases.

With high skies, thin wisps of clouds, and golden rice ears swaying in the wind, it is truly autumn. The chirping of insects resounds loudly in the cool mornings and evenings. It is also a time when the vividly blooming spider lilies in the fields capture the eye.

The autumnal equinox, when the sun rises directly in the east and sets directly in the west, has long been called "Higan no Chūnichi" (the middle day of the Higan period), a day to revere ancestors and give thanks to nature.

 

Seventy-Two Micro-Seasons

Around September 23rd - 27th: "Thunder Ceases to Rumble (Kaminari sunawachi koe wo osamu)"

This is when the rumbling of thunder, a lingering sign of summer, subsides.

Cumulonimbus clouds disappear, and mackerel and streaky clouds spread across the autumn sky. The blowing wind begins to feel lighter.

 

Around September 28th - October 2nd: "Insects Hide and Block Up Their Doors (Mushi kakurete to wo fusagu)"

This is when insects that live underground begin to prepare for hibernation.

As temperatures drop, nature regains its tranquility. The chirping of insects resounding in the grass at night feels somewhat distant and soft.

 

Around October 3rd - 7th: "Water in the Rice Paddies Dries Up (Mizu hajimete karu)"

This is when water is drained from the rice paddies and rice harvesting progresses.

Golden rice ears ripen and sway in the wind, and the joy of harvest overflows in the farming villages. The shimmering glow of the ears bathed in autumn light announces the arrival of the season of abundance.

 

Seasonal Delights, Events, etc.

The Autumnal Equinox is in the midst of autumn's bounty.

Chestnuts, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and other comforting flavors adorn the dining table.

During this period, there is the autumn Higan, with a custom of visiting graves to express gratitude.

The classic offering, a confection wrapped in anko (red bean paste), is called botamochi in spring and ohagi in autumn.

Looking up at the clear night sky, the Summer Triangle slowly dips towards the west, while winter constellations appear in the east. The transition of the seasons can also be felt in the stars of the night sky.

 

"Autumnal Equinox" Summary

The Autumnal Equinox is a time when nature balances "stillness" and "movement."

Day and night, light and shadow, heat and coolness... everything shows a momentary harmony.

Rice ears swaying in the wind, the chirping of insects at dusk, and the golden light. This is a season when nature paints its most beautiful balance.

From now on, the world will lean towards stillness.

At the end of the day, why not gaze at the western sky and feel the quiet breath of the season in the setting sun's light?