Japan marks winter solstice toward resurging of sun's power

December 22, 2017

Japan marks winter solstice toward resurging of sun's power

The winter solstice for 2017 fell on the 22nd day of December in the northern hemisphere, including Japan. Weather was relatively fine almost across Japan.  Early risers waited for the sun to come up from behind the mountain or from the sea, while commuting people saw the sun set on their way back home, while thinking about things for tomorrow.
In Fukuoka City, Kyushu, southwestern Japan, the sun rose at 7:19, and it set at 17:15.
The winter solstice means the day in which the sun's meridian altitude comes to the lowest point in a year--in other words, the day which has the shortest interval between the sunrise and the sunset.
According to the astrology-based traditional theory that has been believed in Asia, the sun starts regaining its strength after waning to the weakest point in the winter solstice, called "tohji" in Japan. The season moves toward a warmer, brighter period after passing the winter solstice.
One of centuries-old customs for the winter solstice in Japan calls for taking a "yuzuyu" yuzu citron bath on the tohji day, and the one may not catch a cold in winter.
People in some regions also have "tohjigayu" rice gruel with red beans, which is said to be good for warming the body.
The winter solstice represents the 22nd point in the 24-sequence annual solar term. Only two points are left ahead to complete and restart the solar term cycle at the "risshun" first day of spring on the lunar calendar.

The moon glittering in bitter coldness/
On the ground a small temple that has no gate/
The sky broadly spreads far above/
(A personal translation)

This is a haiku short poem made by Yosa Buson, a poet and a painter who was active in the Edo era in the late 18th century.
The 22nd day of December represented the fifth day of November on the old lunar calendar this year. Actually, a thin moon of the fifth day was seen shining above the mountain skyline lit by the afterglow of the sunset in some areas in Kyushu.
"The day is getting longer and longer, isn't it?" This is a greeting people often exchange around this time of the year. Cold weather continues further, until February or early March, but Japanese know that the day-by-day delay in the sunset is a harbinger of spring.