SOTSUGYO -- graduation --

March is the season of graduation in Japan.

Fiscal year in school starts at April ends at March.

At the graduation ceremony we can see girls who wear Haori and Hakama, those are Japanese traditional costume.

In the ceremony they sing songs "Hotaru-no-Hikari" and "Aogeba-totoshi".

Hotaru-no-Hikari is expression from attendance and the other is from graduates.

Wish graduates brilliant future!

Shunbun-no-hi -- Vernal Equinox Day --

Shunbun-no-hi occurs on about March 21, the day when the sun reaches the vernal equinox, and the length of the day and night is equal. In Japan it is designed as a national holiday.

Also we call a week which includes Shunbun-no-hi "Higan".

In those days we are required to respect our ancestor with visiting tomb to pray for them.

And more we eat Ohagi in that week.

It is traditional food made by rice covered with bean jam.

Originally it was made in the home to offer to the spirits of the ancestors, but now it is a typical Japanese confectionery.