Sep 19, 2022
Respect for the Aged Day 2022
This Doodle’s Key Themes
Today’s Doodle celebrates Respect for the Aged Day, or Keiro-no-Hi in Japanese. On the third Monday of September, Japanese communities pay respect to older citizens who have paved the way for future generations.
In 1947, the holiday originated in a small village now known as Taka. Taka’s mayor, believing the younger generation should look up to older community members, invited everyone to the village auditorium to enjoy delicious treats while listening to older adults pass on wisdom. This way of celebrating older people quickly spread across Japan, and became a national holiday in 1966.
Today, families 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 time to share their wisdom, experiences and stories.
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