March 21, 2010

O-Higan (or Higan)/お彼岸(彼岸)

Today, March 21, is Vernal Equinox Day, and it's a national holiday in Japan. The Japanese are now enjoying the three consecutive holidays (March 20 through 22) this year. Vernal Equinox Day is also in the middle of O-Higan (or simply Higan). In O-Higan, it is customary to have botamochi.
今日、3月21日は春分の日で、日本では国民の祝日です。今年、日本人は今、三連休(3月20~22日まで)を楽しんでいます。春分の日はまた、お彼岸(または単に彼岸)の真ん中(中日(ちゅうにち)です。お彼岸には、ぼたもちを食べる風習があります。


Regular azduki botamochi and kinako botamochi.
通常の小豆の牡丹餅(ぼたもち)と黄粉(きなこ)のぼたもち。
They were not made by me or my wife; they were given to us by my wife's brother and his wife, as they usually do on this particular day every year.
私や私の妻が作ったものではなく、妻の兄とその奥さんからもらったものです。毎年この日にくれます。

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