Higan originated as Buddhist terminology for "the other...that is, the shore opposite to this one, meaning the next world. In customary usage...referred to the three days before and after the spring and autumnal equinox as "Higan"...became tradition. So why...memorial services for our ancestors? There are various theories...because it sinks in the west, thinking of it as the Western Pure Land...the days when it sinks due west, a connection to the Pure Land...considered connected to memorial services for our ancestors.... Also, Higan is a holiday celebrated exclusively in Japan...regarding which, from time immemorial...