What are the festivals in Japan?

Valentine's Day [Festival] Valentine's Day is quite important to young men and women in Japan. Usually on this day girls make chocolates with their own hands or go to buy some refined chocolates and gifts, etc. to give to their boyfriends or people they love. In addition, there is also an activity called "Yili Chocolate", which is also a kind of chocolate delivery on Valentine's Day, except that there is no love element in the object of the delivery, but rather, it is a way of thanking for the usual care and help on this day. In addition, it is now customary for boys to send anonymous bouquets of flowers to girls on this day.

White Valentine's Day [Festival] In the third century, Valentine's Day was established by the Roman Emperor to commemorate the rescue of a pair of lovers who were to be executed for violating the ban on love and marriage on February 14th. One month later, on March 14th, the rescued lovers swore that their love would last forever, and in honor of this day, it was designated as White Valentine's Day. This holiday spread from Europe to the rest of the world. Nowadays, White Valentine's Day in Japan is a day for boys to express their feelings for girls. On February 14th, girls send gifts or chocolates to their favorite boys, and on March 14th, if the boys also have feelings for the girls, they will return the gifts to the girls.

The Needle Offering [Festival] The Needle Offering is a day of rest for women who work as seamstresses, and it is a day when the needles that are used for sewing are offered to women who work as seamstresses. Generally, December 8 is designated as the day for needle offering, but in some areas, February 8 is also designated as the day for needle offering. This is a valuable day of rest for seamstresses who are very busy during the week.

Father's Day [Festivals] Father's Day, like Mother's Day, is a day when children are expected to show their appreciation and care for their fathers. At the same time, it reminds everyone to be filial to their fathers on weekdays. According to a survey, fathers in Japan have fewer and fewer opportunities to spend time with their children, partly because fathers are busy with their work and partly because fathers have little time to spend with their children as they grow up. Therefore, on Father's Day, fathers are sometimes urged to take advantage of the opportunity to communicate more with their children.

Mother's Day [Festival] Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May every year, and it has been celebrated in the United States since 1914, when it was designated as Mother's Day. In addition, I believe that since childhood, you must have heard the story of the origin of Mother's Day, and you should be quite aware of all the actions of Mother's Day. On this day, in addition to red carnations and gifts for mothers, it is also a special day to let mothers have a good rest, so as to thank mothers for their hard work and care. But in fact, as a child, we should be a good filial piety mother, help mother's favor, so that mother is happy every day.

April Fools' Day [Festival] April Fools' Day, like Christmas, is not directly related to the history of Japan, as these festivals were introduced from Europe and the United States. April 1 is known as April Fools' Day because it is a day when people are tricked into thinking that they are fools by telling them unintentional lies and jokes. On this day, you can relax a bit and treat nonsense or funny jokes as a game!

Earthquake Memorial Day [Festival] At 11:58 p.m. on September 1, 1923, a terrible earthquake that killed and injured about 190,000 people occurred in and around Kanto. The memorial service for the earthquake is held on September 1 every year at a memorial hall in Sumida-ku, Tokyo.

Disaster Prevention Day [Festival] September 1 is Disaster Prevention Day. It was set as a day to prevent the recurrence of the tragedy of September 1, 1923, the Great Kanto Earthquake. Therefore, it is a day for evacuation drills for schools, municipalities, companies, and districts throughout Japan. Hiroshima Hibakusha Memorial Day [Festival] August 6 is Hiroshima Hibakusha Memorial Day. In addition to commemorating those who lost their lives in World War II, it is also a day to pray for the absence of war and for peace everywhere.

Nagasaki Bombing Remembrance Day [Festival] August 9 is Nagasaki Bombing Remembrance Day. It is a day to commemorate those who lost their lives in the Second World War as a result of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, and to pray for the absence of war and for peace everywhere.

Higan [Festival] Higan is celebrated twice a year, during the week between the spring and fall equinoxes. In Buddhism, the word "Pisho" means "the other side of the river where the dead cross". For those who are still alive, the other side of the river is the world of the dead. In order to comfort the ancestors on the other side of the river, it is necessary to visit their graves during this period on the other side of the river.

Final War Memorial Day [Festival] The Allied Powers of World War II demanded that Japan promise to accept unconditional surrender. On August 15, 1945, the Emperor broadcast the news to all of Japan. It is now celebrated as the Day of Remembrance of the End of the War to honor those who lost their lives in the war and to remember that there will be no more wars.

Tsukimi [Festival] In the Oriental world, it is customary to enjoy the moon, and in Japan, on August 15, the moon is enshrined in the window by placing pills and seasonal fruits, etc., and then the moon is viewed. The moon looks especially beautiful hanging high in the clear autumn sky, and for the agricultural-oriented Japanese, the original meaning of the moon is to pray for a good harvest, but now it is purely a moon festival

Seventy-five-three [Festivals] November 15 is a day to pray for the healthy growth of children. In Japan, the odd number is a very auspicious number, so it is worth celebrating this odd year, which is very important for the growth of children. The so-called odd-numbered years are at the ages of three and five for boys, and three and seven for girls. On that day, children and their parents go to the shrine in full costume, and then they buy red and white Chitose syrup in a bag with a picture of a crane or a turtle. Chitose" means a thousand years old, while "crane" and "turtle" symbolize longevity in Japan. In addition, red and white are a lucky combination for the Japanese, so the packaging of the yakitori contains a prayer for the healthy growth of children.

Christmas [festival] is not limited to Christians in Japan, as many people exchange Christmas gifts with family members or boyfriends and girlfriends and enjoy a sumptuous Christmas dinner together on Christmas Eve. Cakes decorated in the Christmas style are often prepared for the occasion. In order to stimulate consumer desire, department stores and companies start to promote the so-called Christmas events before Christmas. Around the second half of November, department stores and shopping malls are decorated beautifully and a series of Christmas sales begin.

The last day of the year, December 31st, is celebrated as New Year's Eve in our language. It is the last day of the year for cleaning the house in preparation for the New Year, and for those who have been away from home to come home and celebrate the New Year with their families. At night, temples all over the country start ringing 108 bells at around 12 o'clock. The Buddhist belief is that there are 108 kinds of worries, and ringing the bell can remove them, so the bell is rung 108 times to remove all the worries. Therefore, at night, people listen to the sound of the bell while eating soba noodles for the New Year, which is a prayer for good health and longevity in the coming year.

New Year's Day [Festivals] The New Year is a very important time for Japanese people. Schools and companies are closed for a week or two, and people who have been away from home go home to their families. In order to welcome the New Year, homes are cleaned inside and out, and seasonal items such as kadomatsu, straw ropes hung on doors, and mirror cakes are prepared. The ringing of the temple bell on New Year's Eve and the soba noodles eaten on New Year's Eve are also used to welcome the New Year. When the New Year arrives, everyone puts on a kimono and goes to the temple to pray for good health and happiness in the New Year. It is also a fun tradition to send New Year's greetings and receive red envelopes.

Adults' Day [Festival] January 15 is Adults' Day. It is a day to bless young men and women who have just turned 20 years old. A bar mitzvah is held on this day to signify that a child has become an adult and will be recognized as a full-fledged member of society. Bar Mitzvahs come in various forms depending on class, region, and gender. In the case of girls, the ceremony is held in a gorgeous dress with sleeves. In addition, once you reach the age of 20, you have the right to vote, the right to become a citizen, and you are allowed to drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes.

Foundation Day [Festivals] February 11th is Founding Day, which is a national holiday. Founding Day does not have the same historical significance as American Independence Day. The original meaning of the word "nation-building" has its roots in the legend of the accession of Emperor Jimmu in ancient times. According to legend, the first emperor, Emperor Jimmu, was crowned on February 11th, which was then regarded as the beginning of the Japanese nation and was designated as Japan's founding day. After World War II, the holiday was abolished on the grounds that there was no historical basis for it, but it was revived in 1967 and continues to this day.

Vernal Equinox [Festival] The vernal equinox occurs around March 21st. On this day the day will be as long as the night. In Japan, this day is celebrated as a national holiday in order to honor the greatness of nature and to cherish living creatures. The three days before and after the vernal equinox add up to a total of seven days, which is called "the other side of spring. From a Buddhist point of view, the other side of the world means "the ultimate happiness of the world. During this time, whether you are a Buddhist or not, you must visit your grave. It is a way to pay homage to the souls of the deceased by putting flowers and joss sticks on the graves.

Botanical Festival [Festival] April 29 is the Botanical Festival. It was originally a day to celebrate the birthday of the Emperor Showa, but since the Emperor was very concerned about the environment, the day was changed to Botanical Day in 1989, and it has become a national holiday. Japan has a golden week of holidays starting from this day, which includes Constitution Day, four national vacations, Children's Day, and Saturday and Sunday, making it one of the most popular weeks for vacations other than New Year's and summer vacations.

Constitution Memorial Day [Festival] May 3 is Constitution Memorial Day, commemorating May 3, 1947, when the Constitution of Japan came into force. The Japanese Constitution, which was adopted after the Second World War, stipulates in Article 9 that Japan renounces war and does not have an army. However, the existence of the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) is permitted for the purpose of self-defense. In addition to pacifism, national sovereignty and respect for basic human rights are the basic spirit of the Japanese Constitution.

Children's Day [Festival] May 5 is Children's Day, which used to be called Dragon Boat Festival to celebrate the growth of boys. Today it has become a day to celebrate the growth of all children. On this day, families with boys are decorated with May figures. There are also customs such as planting carp flags, making calamus soup, eating rice dumplings and cypress cakes.

Day of the Sea [Festival] The Day of the Sea is celebrated on July 20 and was established in 1966 as a national holiday. It is a national holiday established in 1966 to express gratitude to the sea and the natural world for the resources they provide.

Senior Citizens' Day [Festival] Senior Citizens' Day is celebrated on September 15, 1966 as a national holiday. On this day, people gather with their grandparents, parents, or other older people to show their respect for them.

Autumn Equinox [Festival] The Autumn Equinox is one of the twenty-four solar terms. The autumnal equinox falls on September 23rd of the new calendar, and before the war, it was the day on which the great festival of the Autumn Imperial Spiritual Season was held. After the war, it became a popular festival. The three days before and after the Autumn Equinox add up to seven days, and it is a time to remember ancestors and hold pujas at temples. Folks make glutinous rice balls with bean paste and balls to give to their relatives and acquaintances, and pay homage to their ancestors at their graves or temples.

Sports Day [Festival] In 1966, the second Monday of October was designated as Sports Day to commemorate the opening of the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Cultural Day [Festival] November 3 commemorates the announcement of the new constitution and the celebration of peace and cultural advancement in Japan.

Hard Work Appreciation Day [Festival] November 23 is not a day to thank all those who are working, but a day to show respect for hard work, to celebrate the fruits of that work, and to express gratitude among nationals to each other.

Emperor's Birthday [Festival] December 23 is the birthday of the current [Heisei] Emperor. The celebration of the Emperor's birthday was originally called the "Tenno Festival" and was started by order of Emperor Mitsuhito in the Nara period, but was abolished for a period of time. It was revived as one of the Four Great Festivals under the Restoration Government and became a national festival in 1873. In 1932, a bomb hit the Japanese Concession in Shanghai during the celebration of the Emperor's Birthday and killed the Korean Commander, General Shirakawa. Because of this, the festival was abolished after the war, but it was renamed as the Birthday of the Emperor and has continued to this day.