Vernal Equinox Day

Vernal Equinox Day
Observed by	Japan
Type	National
Significance	Marks the vernal equinox in Japan Standard Time
Date	Vernal equinox
2012 date	March 20

Vernal Equinox Day (春分の日, Shunbun no Hi) is a public holiday in Japan that occurs on the date of the Northward equinox in Japan Standard Time (the vernal equinox can occur on different dates in different timezones), usually March 20 or 21. The date of the holiday is not officially declared until February of the previous year, due to the need for recent astronomical measurements.

Vernal Equinox Day became a public holiday in 1948. Prior to that it was the date of Shunki kōreisai ( 春季皇霊祭), an event relating to Shintoism. Like other Japanese holidays, this holiday was repackaged as a non-religious holiday for the sake of separation of religion and state in Japan's postwar constitution.

Recent Japanese equinoxes

Past observed and future calculated equinoxes in Japan Standard Time.

Year	Vernal	Day of week	Autumnal	Day of week
2009	March 20	Friday	September 23	Wednesday
2010	March 21	Sunday	September 23	Thursday
2011	March 21	Monday	September 23	Friday
2012	March 20	Tuesday	September 22	Saturday
2013	March 20	Wednesday	September 23	Monday
2014	March 21	Friday	September 23	Tuesday
2015	March 21	Saturday	September 23	Wednesday

See also

• Japanese calendar
• Autumnal Equinox Day
• Nowrouz
• Northward equinox