The Doodle of today honours Keiro-no-Hi, or Respect for the Aged Day, in Japanese. Japanese communities honour senior citizens who have paved the path for future generations on the third Monday in September.
The holiday was founded in 1947 in Taka, a tiny town. Taka’s mayor invited everyone to the village auditorium to fully participate of delightful treats while listening to older community members impart wisdom because he thought the younger generation should look up to them. This method of honouring senior citizens spread quickly throughout Japan, and in 1966 it was declared a national holiday.
Families now celebrate their elderly relatives over the course of a three-day weekend with shared meals and gifts like hand-drawn pictures from the kids. Volunteers from the local community distribute free obento lunches to senior citizens in cities and towns.
These lunches include dishes like tender Hida beef and rice that has been cooked with the spicy, cinnamon-scented matsutake mushroom. Numerous communities now have keirokai performances at nursing and retirement homes, where young people dance and present lovely bouquets to senior citizens.
Happy Respect for the Aged Day! We are grateful to all of our seniors who take the time to offer their knowledge, insights, and experiences.
