Celebrate All Things Green During Japan's National Greenery Day

Following Showa Day and Constitution Memorial Day during Japan’s annual Golden Week, a series of national holidays beginning at the end of April, is Greenery Day. As you may have guessed, Greenery Day, celebrated May 4th, stays true to its name and celebrates all things green! The holiday can also be referred to as Midori no Hi, which literally translates to green day. 

The idea for the holiday came about after the passing of Emperor Hirohito, the same emperor honored during Golden Week’s first holiday Showa Day. Emperor Hirohito was a lover of nature and spreading of environmental awareness had always been very important to him. In fact, he dedicated much of his life to this cause and spend a great deal of time looking for ways to improve the environment, including opening the Imperial Biological Research Institute. The beloved Emperor passed in January of 1989 and the people of Japan wanted to find a way to remember him and continue the work that he was passionate about- so what better way than to create a holiday dedicated to nature and the environment! 

Originally, April 29th, which was the Emperor’s birthday, was dubbed Midori no Hi, following his death. However, the Japanese government decided Emperor Hirohito’s birthday should still be celebrated each year despite his passing, so Greenery Day was moved to May 4th and thus Showa Day was born. This way, the country can honor the Emperor’s memory and all his accomplishments on his birthday while still taking a day to celebrate nature and all things green.

Today, Japanese citizens use May 4th as an excuse to flock to their local parks with their families for some springtime fun. Cities, such as Tokyo, host dozens of events such as concerts, parades, and planting trees. The holiday is also used to address current environmental issues and spread awareness. Initiatives are taken to clean up parks, beaches, and streets. So if you are in Japan during this time, especially around Tokyo, expect to see hundreds of people sweeping and picking up trash all over town. 

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Japanese Citizens Will Kickstart Golden Week by Celebrating Showa Day

The end of April and first week of May is the busiest time of the year in Japan, other than the New Year and Obon Festival, and also the most popular time to travel. This “week” is known throughout Japan as Golden Week. It is one of the best times of the year to be in Japan not only because most employees get an entire week off but also due to the string of back to back national holidays. During Golden Week, Japanese citizens will celebrate four major holidays, beginning with Showa Day on April 29th. 

Showa Day was originally celebrated in honor of the Emperor Hirohito’s birthday, whose rule lasted from 1926 to 1989. The beginning of his rule in 1926 saw the beginning of the Showa Era, a time of great change for Japan. Following World War II, Emperor Hirohito was seen as the symbol of the new state and was highly respected and loved by his people. 

Following his death in January of 1989, April 29th was converted to a different holiday, known as Greenery Day. However, in May 2005 the people decided April 29th should still be a day to honor their beloved Emperor, so April 29th was renamed Showa Day and Greenery Day was moved to May 4th. 

Emperor Hirohito’s reign is associated with the rise of Japan as an industrial and economic power. Therefore, Showa Day is meant to encourage the people of Japan to take the time to reflect on their nation’s recovery from the turbulent times that made up Hirohito’s reign, including the rise of Fascism, World War II, and the post-war occupation. The holiday also serves to kickstart the upcoming week of festivities across Japan.

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Learn About How Japan's Golden Week Celebrates All Things Green

Golden Week, the annual string of Japanese public holidays, continues to it’s third event with Greenery Day. Greenery Day, or Midori no Hi, is celebrated on May 4th, and staying true to its name, celebrates all things green! In Japanese, "midori" means green and "hi" means day.

The idea for the holiday came after the passing of Emperor Hirohito in January 1989. He was always a lover of nature and spreading environmental awareness was very important to him. He dedicated much of his time during his life to improving the environment, including opening the Imperial Biological Research Institute.

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Originally, Emperor Hirohito’s birthday (April 29th) was referred to as Midori no Hi, after his passing, but the government decided they wanted to continue to honor the Emperor’s birthday as well as Greenery Day. So in 2007, April 29th was once again Showa Day and Greenery Day was moved to May 4th. This way, Japan can honor all of Hirohito’s efforts and accomplishments while still celebrating all things green!

So how does Japan getting into the spirit of Greenery Day? 

In the spirit of Hirohito’s beliefs, the holiday is used to address current environmental issues. There are initiatives to clean up local areas including parks, beaches, and streets. So if you’re walking around Tokyo during this time, be prepared to see hundreds of people sweeping and picking up trash. But this holiday is much more than picking up trash. In addition to awareness, May 4th is also about cerebration. On this day Tokyo hosts dozens of events, such as planting trees, and people flock to the park with their families for some springtime fun. 

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Golden Week Kicks Off April 29th by Honoring the Birthday of Emperor Hirohito

One of the most exciting weeks in Japan is right around the corner. Golden Week is a series of public holidays celebrated throughout Japan annually beginning April 29th. The festive week kicks of with Showa Day on the 29th.

The original purpose behind the creation of Showa Day was to honor and celebrate the birthday of the Showa Emperor, Hirohito, whose reign stretched from 1926 to 1989. After his death in 1989, April 29th was renamed Greenery day and became the holiday that marked the start of Golden Week. After much debate and effort on the part of many people, and following a series of failed legislative attempts, Greenery Day was moved to May 4th- a change that became official in 2000. It was not until 2007 that April 29th was once again Showa Day. The celebration of the emperor's birth was reinstated because the people felt Golden Week should open with a public reflection of Hirohito's reign and the accomplishments this time period was witness to. The turbulent 63-year period saw the end of Taisho Democracy, the rise of Fascism, World War II, the post-war occupation, the rise of Japan as an industrial economic power, and more. 

Golden Week Celebrations Continue with Greenery Day

The celebrations are still going strong through Japan as Golden Week welcomes its third annual holiday; Greenery Day. Originally, Greenery Day was the replacement holiday for the birthday of Emperor Showa after he passed away in 1989. 

The holiday was named Greenery Day because of the Emperor's great love and appreciation for nature.

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In 2007, April 29th was changed to Showa Day and May 4th became the holiday to celebrate all things green. 

To honor this holiday, people are encouraged to get outside and surround themselves with nature. This includes walks through the country's breathtaking parks and outdoor family gatherings and picnics. Annual tree plantings are held across the country and people come together to get their hands dirty for a good cause- restoring the beauty in our environment!

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Japan Kicks Off Golden Week with Showa Day

Golden Week is one of the most looked forward to and important holiday weeks in Japan. It begins on April 29th with Showa Day and extends all the way through Children's day on May 5th. 

To get in the spirit of Golden Week, the Japanese begin by celebrating the birthday of one of their beloved emperors, Emperor Hirohito- also known as the Showa Emperor. He was the reigning emperor from 1926 through 1989. 

After his death on January 7, 1989 the celebration of his birthday was replaced by the holiday known as Greenery Day, which is also part of the Golden Week celebration. But in May of 2005, April 29th was renamed Showa Day and Greenery Day was moved to May 4th. 


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Emperor Hirohito's reign is so widely celebrated due to its association with the rise of Japan as an industrial and economic power. Showa Day is purposed to encourage the people of Japan reflect on their nation's recovery from a great many turbulent times that occurred during Hirohito's reign, including the rise of Fascism, World War II, and the post-war occupation. 

Has your family received a Nook, Kindle or iPad this year?  Find Fujimini Adventure Series award-winning books here.  Great family-friendly gifts