February 11th is one of Japan's many public holidays, "National Foundation Day". In this article, we're going to go into detail about this public holiday's history and origins.
What is "National Foundation Day"?
February 11th was originally the day on which Japan's Emporer took the throne, with the original name being "Empire Day" (Kigensetsu in Japanese). However, after the second world war in 1948, the General Headquarters (GHQ) was worried that through "recognizing empire day, won't the people who believe in the Emporer more start to gain more unity?" and through that worry abolished the day. In 1966, it was registered as a day to "Celebrate and love the country" being renamed to "National Foundation Day".
When is National Foundation Day in 2026?
National Foundation Day in 2026 will be Wednesday, February 11th. It's a national holiday, and most companies in Japan are closed.
The Founding is Part of a Myth?
In the Chronicles of Japan, this was the day when the first Emporer of Japan was enthroned. To this day, National Foundation Day is the time in which any new Emporers of Japan are enthroned. However, it is said that there is no evidence that Emperor Jimmu even existed and is recognized as a myth. Due to Emperor Jimmu being recognized as a myth, some people have the opinion that this national holiday is not one that was officially created.
Why Is There a “No” in “Kenkoku Kinen no Hi” (National Foundation Day)?
Overseas, public holidays that commemorate independence or revolution are known as an anniversary. For example, America's Independence Day, when they gained independence from Britain in 1776.
Japan, however, does not have an independence day or a revolution day, and it is difficult to pinpoint the exact date the country was founded. For this reason, it is not called Kenkoku Kinenbi (“National Foundation Day”), but Kenkoku Kinen no Hi, which includes the particle “no(の).” This small word changes the nuance.
In other words, Kenkoku Kinen no Hi is not a day to celebrate the specific date when Japan was founded, but a day to celebrate the fact that the nation of Japan came into being.
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