Transcript Keiro No Hi (Respect-for-the-Aged-Day)

敬老の日
(Respect-for-the-Aged-Day)
By:
Mike Howie
History
• Started by Mayor Masaokadowaki of
Yachigocho Village in 1947
• Declared September 15 as Old Folk’s Day
• Became a national holiday in 1966
• Moved to the third Monday of September
in 2003 because of the Happy Monday
Seido
Why do they have this holiday?
• It is a day to express respect for aged
people, thank them for their contributions
to society, and celebrate their longevity
How is it celebrated?
• There are no particular customs because
this is a relatively new holiday
• The Governor of Tokyo visits centenarians
and presents them with commemorative
gifts
• Most people do something with their
elders on this day (shopping, golfing, etc.)
Who is it for?
• Designed for people over 65
• Not just family, anyone that you know that
is over 65
Statistics
• 22 million people in Japan are 65 or older
(17% of Japans population)
• The oldest living person is Japanese and is
115
• Average life expectancy for a Japanese
woman is 84 to 93
• Average life expectancy for a Japanese
man is 78 to 87
Kanji
• 祖父 – Grandfather (mine)
• お爺さん – Grandfather (another’s)
• 祖母 – Grandmother (mine)
• お婆さん – Grandmother (another’s)
• 敬老の日 – Respect-for-the-aged-Day