Tōji (Winter Solstice)

What Is Tōji? The Meaning and Customs of the Longest Night of the Year

Around December 22 is "Tōji," the winter solstice -- the day with the shortest period of daylight and the longest night of the year, when the sun reaches its southernmost point in the sky. It's one of the 24 traditional solar terms (sekki) and falls around December 21-22 each year. Because daylight hours gradually lengthen after Tōji, it's also known as "ichiyō-raifuku" -- a turning point where yin reaches its peak and begins turning to yang, traditionally regarded as an auspicious day when fortunes begin to recover.

Foods with "N" in Their Name

There's a custom of eating foods whose names contain the syllable "n" on Tōji, believed to bring good luck:

• Kabocha (nankin, pumpkin): The most iconic Tōji food, rich in vitamins and helpful for preventing colds.
• Renkon (lotus root): Its many holes, through which you can see clearly, make it an auspicious food symbolizing foresight.
• Ginnan (ginkgo nuts): A prized winter delicacy.
• Ninjin (carrots): Rich in beta-carotene, which supports immune function.
• Kinkan (kumquats): A gentle winter fruit, soothing to the throat.

Yuzu Bath

The custom of taking a bath floated with yuzu citrus on Tōji dates back to the Edo period. It combines a wordplay -- "yuzu" sounds like "yūzū" (flexibility, or things going smoothly) -- with the belief that the fragrance of yuzu wards off evil spirits. Yuzu is also known to improve circulation, ease cold sensitivity, and promote relaxation, benefits that modern science has helped confirm.

Ideas for Spending Tōji

• Warm up with simmered kabocha or kabocha miso soup.
• Float whole yuzu fruits in your bath and relax in a yuzu bath.
• Pay attention to sunrise and sunset times, and treasure the short daylight hours.
• Use Tōji as a "halfway point" to reflect on the year as it draws to a close.