Respect for the Aged Day is a public holiday in Japan which is celebrated annually to honor elderly citizens in the country. And since Japan is considered an old nation because of its large elderly population it is even more important.
This day is celebrated annually on every third Monday in the month of the September and because of that it falls on 19th September this year in 2022.
It was started in 1966 as a national holiday and was held on every September 15. Since 2003, Respect for the Aged Day is held on the third Monday of September due to the Happy Monday System.
| Event | Respect for the Aged Day |
|---|---|
| Date | September 19, 2022 |
| Day | Monday |
| Significance | The holiday observed with the intention of honoring senior citizens |
| Observed by | Japan |
Respect for the Aged Day History:
The origins or this holiday lies aftermath the World War 2 when a small town called Nomatanimura (now renamed as Yachiyocho), in the Hyōgo Prefecture in Japan, decided that September 15 be known as ‘Old Folks’ Day’ or Toshiyori no Hi. The mayor of that town, Masao Kadowaki, believed that people should look up to their elders (those 55 and over) for guidance after all the chaos and hardship that the war has caused.
Why this date was chosen has different stories behind it, some legends say that on this day the Yoro Falls in Japan miraculously cured a young man’s father, while others say this date was selected because a legendary regent named Prince Shotoku established a home for the aged, which was, in turn, named after a god who was born on this date. And there are many other stories as well.
Over the years, this local celebration gained popularity all over Japan, then it was renamed as Keiro no Hi, and reached its peak status over two decades later, when it was designated as a national holiday by government. The actual date of this holiday changed when Japan introduced a system known as the Happy Monday System.
Since 1963, the Japanese government has given a commemorative silver sake cup to all Japanese who reach the age of 100. In 1963 the number was 153, but with numbers increasing, the government decided to reduce the size of the cup to cut costs in 2009.
Respect for the Aged Day Significance:
Today Japan is one of the oldest country in ye country as its median age is over 50 years old and with a low population growth rate it is also experiencing a decline in its population as of now. This all means that in future the number of elderly citizens in the country is gonna grow even more.
And we all are aware that elderly people requires genuine care of them in their retirement age. So this day encourages the youth and young people of the country to take care of the elderly people in the country. As the country is growing old so it is very important that proper care should be taken of the elderly people as there will be less younger people in future so it can create problems for the elderly to live well.
Not just that spending time with the elderly people can also help you in growing your emotions but you will also get a chance to learn a lot from them as they carries valuable experience throughout their lives so this information must be passed on to the younger generation so that they can be little extra careful in making decisions in their life.
Also often elderly people feels very lonely and isolated from society at this point if age especially if they are living alone with no one to take care of them. So at this point it is our responsibility to make them feel good about their retirement age. And we can simply do it by spending some quality time with them.
Respect for the Aged Day Celebrations:
As it is a public holiday so on this day, people especially young people likes to return to their home to visit and pay respect to the elders of the family. Some people also likes to volunteer in neighborhoods by making and distributing free lunch boxes to older citizens as a way to express gratitude to them.
Entertainments and other related stuffs are sometimes provided to the older people by teenagers and children with majorly keirokai performances and some other activities as well. Special television programs are also featured by Japanese media on this holiday which are specially meant for elderly people in the country according to their taste.
People especially children generally tend to be a little more nicer and socialize with the elder people to check on them that how they are doing in their lives and also takes some very good advice from their experiences. Sometimes children also arranges vacation trips for the older people in the family so that they can go for a nice trip to enjoy and have a great time.
Most Searched FAQs on Respect for the Aged Day:
1. When is Respect for the Aged Day is celebrated?
Respect for the Aged Day is celebrated annually on every third Monday of September in Japan.
2. Why there are so many older people in Japan?
Japan’s high proportion of elderly citizens has been attributed to its long period of low fertility and a very high life expectancy.
3. What is the median age of Japan?
Japan's median age as of 2020 data is 48.4 years, one of the highest in the world.