The week of the vernal equinox starts on 18th of March and extends to the 24th, and during these days, all families hold religious rites for the dead.
On the middle day of the Higan (21st), the Japanese make special visits to their family cemeteries to pay respect to their ancestors.
Higan seems to be of unknown origin, but it was widely observed in the eighth century. In February 806, the Emperor Heizei (the 51st) issued an ordinance that Higan should be generally observed in the country. The Meiji Government made the equinox day a national holiday, in view of its religious significance to the people. The Emperor himself offers prayers for the Imperial ancestors on this day.
The Higan observance comes from a Buddhist belief that when the night and day are equally divided, Buddha appears on earth for a week to save stray souls and lead them to Nirvana. Having been so long followed by.the people, this Buddhist service has also created many customs that make it a big social event.
Higan, meaning the other shore comes from the Buddhist idea that there is a river marking the division of this earthly world and the future world of salvation. The river is full of illusions, passion, pain and sorrow. Only when one crosses the river, fighting strong currents of temptation, to the other shore, does one gain enlightenment.
The visit to the family cemetery is a happy event, and in some districts, the people have quite a merry time taking food and sake there. Usually they sweed the ground, offer incense and flowers, and say their prayers to the ancestors for the salvation of the dead.
The custom of offering food to the dead during the week developed a general custom of giving such specially prepared food to friends and neighbors. Of course no meat i s used in the Higan food. The most common food is Ohagi or soft rice ball covered with sweetened bean paste. Sushi or vinegared rice with vegetable, the Japanese counterpart of sandwiches, is also made in many households to offer to the ancestors and distribute to their friends and neighbors.
We have in Jaoan a saying (Atsusa Samusa mo Higan ma de) that Higan is the limit of both heat and cold, i.e., the cold season will be over by the time of the vernal equinox, and the hot season by the autumnal ecuinox.