Respect for the Aged Day falls on the third Monday of every September in Japan. Learn about how the country celebrates this holiday – and how current events in Japan cast it in a different light.
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ToggleWhen is Respect for the Aged Day?

Respect for the Aged Day used to be celebrated on September 15th. However, in 2003, the Japanese government implemented a “Happy Monday” system. This moved many bank holidays to coincide with the closest Monday.
As such, Respect for the Aged Day is now celebrated on the third Monday of each September. What’s more, the one week following the day is referred to as the 老人週間 (rojin shukan; week for the elderly), when people are urged to be extra respectful to their elders.
The theme of Respect for the Aged Day day is to thank old people for the years of service they have provided, thank them for their wisdom, and wish them a long and happy life ahead.
Respect for the Aged Day around the world
Many countries around the world have similar days – Grandparents Day in the U.S, England, France, Italy, Taiwan, and Poland. China and Korea have a similar “respect the old” day in China and Korea, though apparently not many people even know of its existence.
Japan is unique in declaring the the day a national holiday. There are a total of 15 bank holidays a year in Japan, referred to as shukujitsu (祝日). Keiro no hi is one of these, demonstrating the importance placed upon it.
How did Respect for the Aged Day come about?

There are two main theories about the origin of Respect for the Aged Day.
One is that in around 593 A.D, one of the four Shikain (imperial institutions) built under Prince Shotoku (聖徳太子), which was built to support the elderly, was founded on September 15. The other theory is based on a story about a boy who lived with an elderly, alcoholic father.
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In short, the boy was a poor woodcutter unable to provide his father with enough liquor. One day, he fell in the mountains and rolled into a valley. He found the river through the valley was of sweet liquor! He took this home to his father, who was impressed with the flavor. After that, he brought the liquid back to his father daily, making him a happy man.
Supposedly, on 20th September, 717 A.D, the reigning emperor visited this place and declared the day a national holiday.
There’s a strong sense of age equating to wisdom in Japan. Obasuteyama is a famous fable in which a ruler who hated old people banished anyone over a certain age.
One man who loved his mother hid her from sight. There are many versions of how the story goes after that. However, the gist is that the grandma, with her years of wisdom, showed the lord the error of his ways. He revoked the law.
Obasuteyama – the name means something like “mountain for granny-dumping” – continues to live on in modern lore as a place where people supposedly abandoned their old parents. (The real Obasuteyama is in Nagano Prefecture.) The tale itself serves to teach young folks that disrespecting the elderly in any way is a sign of being poor, unintelligent, and unsuccessful.
What happens on Respect for the Aged Day?
In practical terms, on the third Monday of every September, many shops offer freebies and discounts for the elderly. Hotels and tourist attractions provide discounts for families who bring the elderly with them. (That’s right – your grandparents become living GroupOn discounts.)
Gift-giving is rare but happens. One survey said that 6% of people send a gift to an elderly person they know valued at over 10,000 yen, and 53% spend between 3,000 and 5,000 yen.
Additionally, the government gives gifts to people who turn 100 years old. In 2017, there were 67,824 people aged over 100 nationwide, with 32,097 turning 100 that year.
The problems of an elderly population

These days, Japan’s population is rapidly shrinking – and aging. That’s leading to a host of news issues that’s led some to wonder: is Japan being too deferential to the elderly and shaping its society around them?
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A few news stories in recent years have brought this subject to the forefront. In one widely discussed incident, the city of Aokijima closed a park used by many kids in the community. While the city denied it, many accused officials of yielding to frequent complaints from an elderly resident who whined about the noise.
Japan has also seen an increase in the number of accidents – some fatal – caused by elderly drivers. In one incident in 2019, an elderly man killed a mother and child in Ikebukuro. The man had told friends he was going to stop driving due to his age but failed to do so. That incident – and many others like it – have led to increased testing for elderly drivers and calls for the aged to surrender their driver’s licenses voluntarily.
Respect for the Aged Day will likely remain a public holiday in Japan for many years to come. However, the country will need to figure out how to continue to honor its elderly citizens while also planning for the future.
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Sources
ハッピーマンデー制度. Wikipedia JP
Story of Obasuteyama. Link no longer active
年間の祝日日数は何日?祝日の意味や定義とは?Japan Culture Lab
姨捨山(おばすてやま)(長野地域(ちいき)). Nagano Prefecture