Labor Thanksgiving Day is celebrated as a national holiday in Japan.
As a means of celebrating the work done throughout the year, Japan celebrates a Labor Thanksgiving Day every year on 23rd November. If you’re visiting Japan on this day it’s important to know that this day is a national holiday and so many banks and government offices will be closed.
History of Labor Thanksgiving Day in Japan
The festival in Japan is a time to reflect not just on the work one has done over the last year, but also to give thanks for others who may have performed work on your behalf. The festival has been celebrated for several centuries as the Rice Harvest Festival or Niiname-Sai as it’s known in Japanese.It is believed that the festival was celebrated as early as November of 678.Tradition has it that the emperor would dedicate the season’s fresh harvest to the gods and taste the rice himself for the first time.
The date was fixed during the Meiji Era (around the turn of the 20th century). Ever since it has been celebrated on November 23rd.The modern version of this festival was started after World War II in the year 1948, but the ancient tradition is still continued behind closed doors by the imperial family while the Labor Thanksgiving Day is celebrated by the public as a national holiday.
Japan travel tip:
Planning a trip to Japan or even further afield? Avoid major public and religious holidays by planning with our International calendar. Ours is the only one to include full listings of Japanese public and national holidays, as well as the public holidays in over 200 countries.
