Recommended for seniors! Liven up your event with a Respect-for-the-Aged Day quiz!

peach

In Journey to the West, Sun Wukong’s job in Heaven was to manage the peaches known as Pantao. However, he ate those peaches himself and is said to have become immortal. Incidentally, in China peaches have long been believed to ward off misfortune and evil and to bring longevity. In Japan, they are also cultivated—though not in large numbers—in Wakayama and Fukushima prefectures.

crane

Kakujusensai is pronounced “gakujusensai.” Because cranes are said to live for a thousand years, the phrase carries the meaning of longevity. By the way, in reality wild cranes don’t live a thousand years; they are said to live about 20 to 30 years. Among birds, they are considered relatively long-lived. In zoo records, some cranes have lived even longer, with a record of 61 years.

Elderly Week

The week from September 15, the former Respect for the Aged Day, to September 21 is designated as Elderly Week. Elderly Week is a time to promote awareness of elderly welfare. Its purpose is to encourage Japanese citizens to deepen their understanding and interest in welfare for the elderly, and to encourage older adults to strive to improve their own quality of life. It differs from Respect for the Aged Day, which is a day to honor seniors and celebrate longevity.

Double Ninth Festival

In China, the Double Ninth Festival is commonly observed as a day to honor the elderly. On this day, families visit graves and carry out traditional customs passed down from their ancestors. In Chinese culture, odd numbers are considered auspicious, and September 9, when the highest yang number 9 is doubled, is called Chongyang (the Double Ninth). By the way, the other five seasonal festivals are: Jinjitsu (Human Day) on January 7, Shangsi on March 3, Duanwu (Dragon Boat Festival) on May 5, and Qixi (Tanabata) on July 7.

warding off evil

There are 60 types of the sexagenary cycle in the calendar, such as Kōshi and Ototsuji, and it completes a full cycle in 60 years. Because of this, turning 60 was seen as completing one cycle and returning to the year of one’s birth. Since it symbolizes returning to the calendar of one’s birth—becoming like a baby again—it became customary to present a red chanchanko (a sleeveless celebratory vest) for the kanreki (60th birthday) celebration. Also, like the red color of shrine torii gates, red is believed to ward off misfortune and evil, so it has come to be a color associated with celebrating longevity.

Surely, thank you.

Because Taka Town in Hyogo Prefecture is the birthplace of Respect for the Aged Day, it created a “Respect for the Aged” song with the aim of passing down the spirit of honoring the elderly forever. The lyrics were compiled in 2013 from submissions by elementary, junior high, and high school students in the town. They also unveiled a preventive care exercise routine set to the song and produced a CD, which they distribute free of charge to organizations in municipalities nationwide as well as to television and radio stations.

Crane and Turtle

Cranes for a thousand years, turtles for ten thousand—since ancient times in Japan, cranes and turtles have been regarded as auspicious animals. It is said that this idea originally appeared in ancient Chinese philosophical texts, which recorded the tradition that cranes live a thousand years and turtles ten thousand. This Chinese belief was passed down to Japan. Although they do not actually live for a thousand or ten thousand years, cranes and turtles are indeed long-lived animals.