Summer and Winter Solstices
When do we all turn off the lights together in Japan? ―The decision took a lot of discussion. Some proposed "Earth Day" when people think of caring for the Earth while others suggested "the day World War II ended" to wish for peace.

It was finally agreed to set a date that all people, wherever they live on Earth, could celebrate together. It didn't seem right to consider dates meaningful to only one country or a date that was convenient for a few people.

The solstices―summer and winter―come to everyone, no matter where they live on earth. The summer solstice is the longest day and the shortest night in the northern hemisphere, while it is the shortest day and the longest night in the southern hemisphere. We set the date for the solstices because it is the earth's time. While we think about the earth rotating around the sun and where we are in the universe, we wish for waves of warm candlelight to spread around the globe, beyond boundaries, principles, social positions and nationalities.