Google doodle celebrates Japan’s "Respect for the Aged Day"

Japan celebrates Respect for the Aged Day on September 19. The day is celebrated to remember the elderly and to promote good citizenship. Today Google doodle celebrates Respect for the Aged Day or Keiro-no-Hi in Japanese.

This national holiday traces its origins to 1947, when Nomadani-mura (later Yachiyo-cho, currently Taka-cho), Hyōgo Prefecture, proclaimed September 15 Old Folks' Day (Toshiyori no Hi). Its popularity spread nationwide, and in 1966 it took its present name and status. Annually, Japanese media take the opportunity to feature the elderly, reporting on the population and highlighting the oldest people in the country. This way of celebrating older people quickly spread across Japan, and became a national holiday in 1966. Since 1963, the Japanese government has given a commemorative silver sake cup to Japanese who reach the age of 100.

On this day, people return home to visit and pay respect to the elders. They spend the three-day weekend celebrating their older relatives with shared meals and gifts, like hand-drawn portraits from the grandchildren. In cities and towns, community volunteers deliver free obento lunches to older people—containing meals like juicy Hida beef and rice cooked with matsutake, a beloved spicy mushroom that smells like cinnamon. Many communities also organize keirokai shows at retirement and nursing homes, where children perform dances and honor older people with elegant bouquets.

Happy Respect for the Aged Day! Thanks to all of our elders who take the time to share their wisdom, experiences and stories.

Stay tuned to get more Google doodles on Devdiscourse!

Source: Google doodles, Wikipedia

Also Read: Google doodle celebrates Costa Rica Independence Day 2022