Originally Posted by
jib71
Actually, after considering this I think that Setsubun no hi coinciding with 2.2.2 or 2.2.22 will be vanishingly rare in both Western and Japanese calendars, because setsubun no hi usually falls on February 3rd.
Thank you for this, I really had no idea that Setsubun ever fell on any other date than the 2nd. I enjoyed the convenience of remembering 1st Jan, 2nd Feb, 3rd Mar (Girls’ Day), 5th May (Children’s Day), 7th Jul (Tanabata - date varies). But it makes sense when one understands the link between Setsubun and the lunar calendar - and no imposed Christian Saint to fix a celestial occurrence to a set feast day (as happens with St Joseph and the Spring/Vernal Equinox and St John and the Summer Equinox/Solstice).
You’ve fully answered (beautifully!) the question I didn’t understand enough to have asked.