May 4 - Greenery Day – Japan

    Posted on May 4, 2022

This is an update of my post published on May 4, 2011:

Today is near the end of Japan's Golden Week, a string of holidays that includes Showa Day (April 29), Constitution Memorial Day (May 3), and Children's Day (a.k.a. Boy's Day, May 5).

This is a day to commune with nature and to be thankful for its blessings. Even though nature sometimes dishes out huge disasters (like the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that ravaged Sendai and nearby areas of Japan!), there are plenty of things for which we all, including the Japanese people, can feel grateful. 

We could all use a Greenery Day to remind us to think of the environment. How about a visit to your local arboretum or botanical garden, a hike in the woods, or a work session in a garden. Don't have a garden? Start one! Or use Google to find a community garden you can work in on a regular basis.

Also on this date:

Remembrance of the Dead in the Netherlands 

Intergalactic Star Wars Day

May the Fourth Be With You!

Bloomsday

Maytime Frolics for Irish Fairies

Actor and WWII hero Audrey Hepburn's birthday

Restoration of the Republic of Latvia

Cassinga Day in Namibia

Petite and Proud Day

Birthday of Bartolomeo Cristofori, inventor of the piano

Great American Grump Out

(First Wednesday of May)

Plan ahead:

Check out my Pinterest boards for:

• May holidays 
• May birthdays 
• Historical anniversaries in May
  
  

And here are my Pinterest boards for:

• June holidays
• June birthdays
• Historical anniversaries in June

April 29 – Shōwa Day in Japan

 Posted on April 29, 2017

Today's Japanese holiday has been renamed twice. 

It is the birthday of Emperor Shōwa - also known as Emperor Hirohito. He was the imperial ruler over Japan during World War II, when Japan was part of the Axis along with Hitler's Nazi German and Mussolini's Italy, and the Axis powers were fighting against the Allies - also known as most of the rest of the world! 

But Hirohito was not prosecuted for war crimes. As a matter of fact, historians disagree with how much responsibility Hirohito had for the decision making that resulted in so much death and destruction for so many.

While Hirohito lived, this holiday was named - naturally enough - "The Emperor's Birthday." After Hirohito died, in 1989, April 29 was celebrated as Greenery Day - because the emperor loved plants. It was a day to go out into, and connect with, nature.

But in 2007, Greenery Day was moved to May 4, and April 29 went back to more directly commemorating Hirohito. It is called Shōwa Day because that is the name for Hirohito in Japan, now that he is gone.

Here are some amazing things about Japan:

Tokyo's a busy, modern, beautiful city.

Even some of the factories are beautiful!

Japan is known for the gorgeous Mt. Fuji...
...and for many lovely temples.

Japan is also known for its many colorful vending machines...

...including unusual vending machines like a robot vending machine, above,
and an egg vending machine, below.

Castles in Japan are beautiful!

And cherry blossom season is amazing!!!

Also on this date:

World Wish Day

International Dance Day

Zipper Day

Anniversary of the publication of Roget's Thesaurus

Chemist Harold Urey's birthday

Teach Children to Save Day

Eeyore's Birthday Party

 

Plan ahead:

Check out my Pinterest boards for:

• April holidays
• April birthdays
• Historical anniversaries in April

And here are my Pinterest boards for:

• May holidays
• May birthdays
• Historical anniversaries in May

May 4, 2011 - Greenery Day – Japan

I figure it's time for the world to direct its attention back to Japan, again, and donate a bit more to recovery from the devastating March earthquakes and tsunami.

After all, we are nearing the end of Japan's Golden Week, a string of holidays that includes Showa Day (April 29), Constitution Memorial Day (May 3), and Children's Day (a.k.a. Boy's Day, May 5).

This is a day to commune with nature and to be thankful for its blessings. Even after nature has dished out SUCH a huge disaster, there are plenty of things for which the Japanese people can feel grateful. But it must be so much harder this year than usual to feel appreciation toward Mother Earth!

Still, when nature can't be counted on, perhaps human nature can step in with help. So donate, again, to Japan.

We could all use a Greenery Day to remind us to think of the environment. How about a visit to your local arboretum or botanical garden, a hike in the woods, or a work session in a garden. Don't have a garden? Start one! Or use Google to find a community garden you can work in on a regular basis.

Also...

A friend just reminded me that it is Star Wars Day:

May the Fourth be with you.