Autumnal Equinox

Teresa and Adam in Nikko's Autumn

Adam and Canadian randoms; Nikko Autumn

Randoms from the land of freedom and fries; Nikko AutumnAussie randoms; Nikko Autumn

I swear these aren't my parents. Aussie Randoms: Nikko Autumn

Welsh "Mabon"

Shūbun no hi 秋分の日 - Shinjuku, Tokyo

At 21:18, today, September 22, 2009, the tilt of the Earth's axis will be inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, the Sun being vertically above a point on the Equator, thus schlepping in the autumnal equinox. The longer episodes of daylight that we’ve all been enjoying will now cease to exist until the transition from spring to summer in 2010, when the sun moves from the southern hemisphere to the northern.

In ancient Greece the grape harvest took place around the autumnal equinox along with other festivals and celebrations to honor Dionysus, the god of vegetation, the vine, and resurrection who taught humans cultivation methods of grapevines and making wine from fruit. The autumnal equinox also welcomes the Resting Tide, when the physical labor of spring and summer are rewarded with produce from the second harvest. Hence the original Pagan holiday of Thanksgiving; a day to celebrate the last harvest by feasting on the outcome of hard work, both material and magical. The autumnal equinox is celebrated with harvest festivals in countries like Korea, China, and the United Kingdom, and is recognized as a holiday named Shūbun no hi 秋分の日 in Japan and Mabon, a Welsh celebration of old, by Wiccans and Neopagans, as well as World Story Telling Day on a global spectrum.