彼岸会(ひがんえ)

ひがんえ
noun
higan service; equinox memorial service
formalwrittenspokenreligionculture
1. higan service; Buddhist memorial service held during the spring and autumn equinoxes
A Buddhist ceremony held during the week centered on the spring equinox (around March 20) and autumn equinox (around September 23). Families visit graves, make offerings, and hold memorial services for the deceased during this period.
彼岸会(ひがんえ)に参加(さんか)する。
To attend a higan memorial service.
春(はる)の彼岸会(ひがんえ)で先祖(せんぞ)の供養(くよう)をした。
We held a memorial offering for our ancestors at the spring higan service.
菩提寺(ぼだいじ)の彼岸会(ひがんえ)に家族(かぞく)全員(ぜんいん)で出席(しゅっせき)し、住職(じゅうしょく)の法話(ほうわ)を聞(き)いた。
The whole family attended the higan service at our family temple and listened to the head priest's sermon.

Compound of 彼岸(ひがん) ('the other shore; higan period') and 会(え) ('gathering; meeting'). The word 彼岸(ひがん) originally refers to the Buddhist concept of the 'other shore' — enlightenment or the afterlife — and the equinox periods are traditionally believed to be times when the worlds of the living and dead are closest.

Cultural note

The higan period lasts seven days: the equinox itself plus three days before and after. During this time, many Japanese families visit cemeteries, clean gravestones, and leave offerings such as flowers and おはぎ (rice cakes coated in sweet red bean paste). Temples hold formal 彼岸会(ひがんえ) services with chanting and sermons.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 彼岸(ひがん): higan period; the equinox season — the broader period, not specifically the service
  • 法要(ほうよう): Buddhist memorial service — a general term for any Buddhist ceremony; not limited to higan
  • お盆(ぼん): Bon festival — the midsummer festival for honoring the dead; a separate observance from higan
  • 供養(くよう): memorial offering — the act of making offerings for the dead; performed during higan and other occasions

Related Words

Compare: 法要(ほうよう) (Buddhist memorial service)
Compare: お盆(ぼん) (Bon festival)
Compare: 供養(くよう) (memorial offering)
general
Added 2026.4.20 18:12 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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