通訳・翻訳の(有)オフィスICC

敬老の日 (Keiro no Hi)

This coming Monday is 敬老の日 or Respect for the Aged Day, a national public holiday in Japan.

敬 means "respect", 老 means "elderly or aged", and 日 means "day".

As the name suggests, it is a day to honor the elderly in the country. Young children make gifts and cards to give to their grandparents while older children buy gifts or take their grandparents out for dinner. Many restaurants also offer discounts for the elderly on this special day.


How is it celebrated in other parts of the world?

Japan is not the only country that has a special day for the elderly. The elderly are celebrated in other parts of the world as well. The dates vary but most regions celebrate in a similar way as Japan, by giving hand crafted gifts and greeting cards, flowers or simply by spending time together.

Here are some of the countries that celebrate the elderly:

United States – National Grandparents’ Day – First Sunday after Labor Day
Palau – Senior Citizens Day - May 5th
Mexico – Grandparents’ Day (Dia del Abuelo) – August 28th
Poland – Grandmother’s Day (Dzień Babci) – January 21st
Poland – Grandfather’s Day (Dzień Dziadka) – January 22nd
Italy – National Grandparents’ Feast (Festa Nazionale dei Nonni) – October 2nd

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