Aug 10, 2020
Mountain Day 2020
This Doodle’s Key Themes
Today’s Doodle commemorates Japan’s Mountain Day (山の日), a national holiday in honor of the geological wonders of the Japanese archipelago. This year the holiday is observed on August 10, initially intended to coincide with the day after the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games, but is traditionally celebrated each year on the eleventh day of the eighth month. Many view symbolism in the August 11 date, as the Japanese character for 8—八— resembles the sides of a mountain, and the numeral 11 looks like two trees, as illustrated in the Doodle artwork.
Japan’s topography has been sculpted by millions of years of tectonic activity. The result is one of the world’s most stunning collections of peaks, which includes over 100 active volcanoes. With over 80 percent of the country covered in mountainous terrain, the Japanese government decided in 2016 to dedicate an entire day to its towering landscape.
Many celebrate by visiting one of Japan’s many peaks and enjoying a quiet hike in nature, or admiring their silent beauty from afar.
Happy Mountain Day, Japan!
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