Usagi Yojimbo DojoBoard

Today is Keiro no Hi (Respect for the Aged Day). It is a national holiday to celebrate and honor the elderly. It was first celebrated in 1966, and was to be observed every September 15. In 2000, many holidays were moved to Mondays to give a three day weekend. Respect for the Aged Day is now held on the third Monday in September.

The observance can be traced back to 1947 when it was a regional holiday known as Old Folk's Day. It's popularity spread throughout Japan.

Given how terribly the elderly are often treated in the Western world (Hollywood in particular has a very disturibng obsession with youth and general "newness") that a day dedicated to the more senior among us is a good thing to hear about.

In France, we're supposed to have a "Fête des grands-mères" (Grandmothers' Day) on 1st Sunday of March, but it's not official. Nothing more than a commercial event.

If I can reassure you, old people are nearly as discarded in Europe as in America.