August 12, 2016

Yesterday, August 11, Japan celebrated its newest national public holiday: Mountain Day. With the addition of Mountain Day, Japan now celebrates 16 national holidays, which is more than many other countries observe. The United States has 10 federal holidays. Canada has 9 (with more scheduled by province), and Australia has 7 (but more are instituted by local governments). So, what is Mountain Day all about?

Japan’s most famous landmark, Mount Fuji, is just one of the many inspirations for Mountain Day. Credit: © Shutterstock

Japanese lawmakers adopted Mountain Day in 2014 and scheduled its first observance for 2016. The campaign for Mountain Day was a longstanding cause for the Japanese Alpine Club and other climbing, hiking, and mountain-related groups. They wanted to celebrate Japan’s mountainous terrain and its connection to national history and culture. Japan’s revised Law on National Holidays says that Mountain Day provides “opportunities to become familiar with mountains and be thankful for blessings from mountains.” Despite the day off to appreciate mountains, a majority of Japanese people said they would use the new holiday to appreciate resting at home.

The Japanese number eight, hachi, resembles a mountain. Credit: © Shutterstock

Aside from fixing Japan’s holiday-less August, lawmakers picked August 11 to coincide with Mountain Days already observed by several municipal governments. August was also a good choice because it is month number eight. In kanji, the character for 8 is hachi (八), which looks pretty much like a mountain. Kanji is the Japanese system of writing using modified Chinese characters.

Japan’s public holidays include traditional days to honor hard work (Labor Thanksgiving Day, November 23); the Vernal (March 21) and Autumnal (September 22) equinoxes; New Year’s Day (January 1); National Foundation Day (February 11); and the Emperor’s Birthday (December 23). But the holiday schedule also includes tributes to plants and nature (Greenery Day, May 4); the sea (Marine Day, July 18); the elderly (Respect for the Aged Day, September 19); and mental and physical fitness (Health and Sports Day, October 10). With the institution of Mountain Day, Japanese holidays now cover all months of the year but June. So, holiday number 17—June Solstice Day?—can’t be too far behind.

As in many countries, holidays in Japan sometimes fluctuate. The dates given are for 2016.