September Respect for the Aged Day of Japan
In Canada, you have National Grandparents’ Day in September.
In Japan, the third Monday of September is called “Respect for the Aged Day” and is a national holiday.
The purpose of Respect for the Aged Day in Japan is to “honor the elderly who have served society for many years and celebrate their longevity.
This is why it is called “Respect for the Aged Day” in Japan. On the occasion of Respect-for-Senior-Citizens Day, neighborhood associations throughout Japan deliver congratulatory gifts and enjoyable events are held at senior citizens’ associations and welfare facilities. Every household also celebrates the day by giving gifts, eating a feast together, and so on, for parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents.
Respect-for-Senior-Citizens Day is said to have originated in 1947 in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, when an event was held to honor the elderly. The date, September 15, was chosen because it was during the off-season and the weather was ideal for holding such an event.
Respect for the Aged Day is a day to honor the elderly, but one may wonder how old one should start celebrating, or whether one should be afraid of being disliked for celebrating when one is still young.
As it turns out, there is no set rule as to how old one should start celebrating Respect-for-Senior-Citizens Day.
In Japan, in fact, the average age of the first time it is celebrated is 66.
What to do on Respect-for-Senior-Citizens Day?
Send gifts and letters
Have a meal
Go on a trip
Help with housecleaning, etc.
These are the most common things to do.
In any case, the first premise is to spend time with grandparents and do things that will make them happy.
In Japan, the Prime Minister of Japan gives a special ceremony to those who will reach 100 years of age during the current fiscal year (including Japanese nationals residing overseas and foreign nationals residing permanently in Japan) to “congratulate those who have reached 100 years of age and thank them for their many years of contributions to the development of society, as well as to promote interest and understanding in the welfare of the elderly among a wide range of people in Japan. The silver cups are presented on Old People’s Day (September 15) as a token of congratulations and a commemorative gift to deepen the public’s interest in and understanding of the welfare of the elderly.
What kind of Respect-for-Senior-Citizens Day are you planning to spend this September?
I wish all the elderly people in the world a happy September!
This article was contributed to the September 2024 issue of Cowichan Valley Voice.
