こんばんは。先週の木曜日はサンクスギビングでした。That got me thinking: does Japan have any similar holiday? It turns out the answer is yes, and it's right around the same time!
勤労感謝の日(Labor Thanksgiving Day, pronounced きんろうかんしゃのひ) is celebrated every year on November 23 unless that is a Sunday, in which case it is celebrated on November 24. Labor Thanksgiving Day was established in 1948 as a celebration of human rights as codified in the new constitution. This picture shows children making pictures to thank firefighters and police officers for Labor Thanksgiving Day. The root of the holiday goes back to ancient Shinto traditions, dating to the seventh century A.D. if not even earlier. 新嘗祭（にいなめさい）is a harvest celebration in which the people thank the かみ (spirits) for a good harvest. To this day the emperor still offers the first rice of the year to the gods and eats it himself as a ritual meal.
I would love to hear from any Japanese people what their favorite holidays are and how they are celebrated!
じゃあ、また！
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