Learn Japanese with JapanesePod101.com! Learn about Japanese Culture with JapanesePod101.com. Last week the Japanese recognized Keirō no Hi - Respect for the Aged Day - a Japanese holiday to honor elderly citizens held on the third Monday of September. Today we’ll learn about the history of this holiday and how the Japanese celebrate it. Stop by JapanesePod101.com for more great feature and tools to take your Japanese studies to the next level.
This entry was posted on Sunday, October 1st, 2006 at 11:59 pm and is filed under Japanese Culture Classes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
26 Responses to “Japanese Culture Class #27 - Respect-for-the-Aged Day”
JapanesePod101.com says:
October 2nd, 2006 at 1:35 am
Mina-san, we hope you’re having a great weekend wherever you are! 
Alan says:
October 2nd, 2006 at 2:01 am
「雨が降っています」と書きたかったです。 
I’ll just go listen to the podcast shall I?
Peter says:
October 2nd, 2006 at 2:07 am
Alan-san, こちらも雨です。Thanks for the update!
書きたいでした。ー＞書きたかったです。Tai is actually an auxiliary adjective, and conjugated in the same fashion as i-adjectives.
宜しくお願いします。
スティーブン2112 says:
October 2nd, 2006 at 2:37 am
America has National Grandparents day (1978) which is similar. (First Sunday after labor day).
Usually Elementary schools invite grandparents to come to their grandchildren’s classes. Teachers typically will have some small activities to have the grandparents and grandchildren to do.
Alan says:
October 2nd, 2006 at 3:12 am
Over here in the UK we also have an aging population, although the trend is not nearly as pronounced as that in Japan. People are also living longer, placing further pressure on the pension system. The government is gradually increasing the retirement age by a couple of years (over the next two decades roughly) to help compensate. However I think it’s much worse in Spain. 
In 2005
21.0% of Japan’s population was over 65 in 2005
13.9% of Europes population was over 65 in 1995
(I’m guessing about 15% to 16% over 65 in 2005 for Europe)
In 2050
37.5% of Japan’s population will be over 65
27.6% of Europes population will be over 65
No wonder the Japanese government is trying to encourage people to start families. However, surely such a big gap can only be closed by allowing immigration, but this would entail some cultural sacrifice. It’s difficult to maintain a common world view across the entire population, as we are currently finding in the UK. 
katie says:
October 2nd, 2006 at 5:09 am
i’d be willing for forgo my career and move to Japan to help out with the population problem
Sindy from Brooklyn says:
October 2nd, 2006 at 5:52 am
Hi mina-san how is everyone doing? I’m fine Happy Sunday!
Today’s lesson Keirō no Hi - Respect for the Aged Day was great I like it so much! I was thinking that I made a mistake the other day and I already say happy Keirō no Hi maybe I got confused see my comment at
http://www.japanesepod101.com/2006/09/18/survival-phrases-39-visiting-a-temple/#comments
Its today not the other day got it! In Mexico we also have Keirō no Hi but it is on August 28 it passed out!
What I’m so surprise is to learn that they have that day here in the USA we didn’t had that before its new!
I’m also surprise with Alan’s data about Europe and Japan so here is North America data too:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_America
I agree with katie I also planning moving to Japan too I let you know in the future so if you want we can go together and both visit JP101 location and all the JP101 staff ok! S_R_C
Belton says:
October 2nd, 2006 at 7:19 am
With Japan probably having to accept immigration to cope with it’s aging population, the shortage is unlikely to be in the skilled workforce but the unskilled workforce. So the majority of immigrants will come from somewhere where a low paid job in Japan is seen as a step up.
Probably Chinese from the less affluent parts of China I’d guess rather than Europeans or Americans. Although determined people from there might take advantage of a more liberal immigration policy.
今日は、雷雨が降っていました。
Why is Takase-san’s name called out around 12:50 ???
SteveNagoya says:
October 2nd, 2006 at 11:31 am
I love this podcast. My only suggestion would be that it come before the holiday so that I could try it out on my Japanese Family. Thank you.
Mique says:
October 2nd, 2006 at 12:15 pm
“Keirou no hi” used to fall on September 15, but several years ago, the government moved it to the third Monday of September. By moving it to Monday which is the next day of Sunday, the nation can have longer holidays. And that is called “Happy Monday” system.
But why JP101.com picked up this day which has already passed by as a topic now, Peter-san?
“体育の日(Taiiku no hi)” is coming soon; October 9, the second Monday of October.
“Mothers’ Day” and “Fathers’ Day” they were referring are not national holidays but “Children’s Day” is. I’m sorry for mothers and fathers 
Anyway, thanks to Yoshi-san. You let me know what I didn’t know about “Keirou no hi”.
sylvie says:
October 2nd, 2006 at 5:29 pm
In France, we have a “grandma day” wich is the fourth of March for 2007.As for the japanese White Day, it was a brand’s idea (for France a coffee brand) . It is very recent : 1997, in fact the children offers a gift to their grandma, often some flowers. The granpas are forgotten!
Daniel Beck says:
October 2nd, 2006 at 10:19 pm
Some notes for the Save Peter Campaign™:
“It’s a yuge issue”
And what was the “Meiji error”? 
Yeah, what was up with the “Takase!” bit? Yoshiさん、have you been sabotoging editing again? 
Vicky says:
October 3rd, 2006 at 1:49 am
Tech guy-san, Please double check the files of lesson notes and kanji closed-up. 
Sylvie says:
October 3rd, 2006 at 4:51 am
Yes, the link for the lesson notes and kanji are the same!
Eran says:
October 3rd, 2006 at 5:23 am
Vicky-san / Sylvoe-san,
The link to the Kanji Close-Up PDF has been corrected. There is a mistake with Lesson # in the PDF but it will be corrected tomorrow.
Thanks for reporting this issue.
Eran
Karen says:
October 3rd, 2006 at 7:20 pm
皆さん、初めまして。Karenです。
台湾(Taiwan)では敬老の日もありますよ。
It’s on 9/9 in lunar calendar(means 10/30 this year.).
I don’t quite remember if it’s national holiday before, anyway, it’s not now.
But we couldn’t just respect elders on that day, we should respct them all the time, aren’t we?
Keith says:
October 3rd, 2006 at 10:38 pm
This is one of my favorite culture lessons to date. The comments by Sakura-san and Yoshi-san were terrific. Great job as always!
Jason says:
October 3rd, 2006 at 11:17 pm
アメリカは普段若さを憧れていて、老人を捨てる社会です。悲しいなあ。若者は若いから、何もわかるはずがないのに。私、若さが悪いと言っている訳じゃありません。ただ、「なんでアメリカはそんなに若さを大切にしている？なんで老人を大切にしていない？」と悩んでいます。確かに、若さは目に美しいです。ですが、老人にも美しさがあります。目で見にくいかもしれないが、きっとあります。私は目だけで見る人がかわいそうだと思います。
つまり、しっかりして老人を尊敬しろ、アメリカの若者共め！Lizさんみたいに経験があるからな。
rudyryu says:
October 3rd, 2006 at 11:21 pm
Very interesting conversation.
Was also interesting and funny — laughed out loud a few times.
j-POD0101 Team please keep up the great work!!
Gambatte kudasai! Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
Sindy-san says:
October 8th, 2006 at 9:22 am
Hey Harv is it you the guess that JP101 is going to have next week? it would be a pleasure to know you! I looking forward to you lesson! S_R_C
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