Spring

Tomorrow is a national holiday to celebrate the vernal equinox. Vernal is another word for spring, and equinox means that the length of the daytime and nighttime are equal.

In many Western countries the vernal equinox is considered to be the first day of spring. However in the southern hemisphere (for example New Zealand, Chile and South Africa) it is exactly the opposite season and it is the first day of autumn.

Spring gets its name as this is the time for new life to spring into the world. Plants begin to grow again, and new animals are born. It is a time of refreshment, renewal and change, after the difficult months of winter.

In Japan it seems that spring and cherry-blossom are very much connected. I thought the cherry-blossom would be very early this year, but I haven’t seen any yet.