1. Nomadani Village in Hyogo started the idea before Respect for the Aged Day became a national holiday in 1966
Respect for the Aged Day became a national holiday in 1966. However, the seed was planted not in a national conference room, but in Nomadani Village in Taka District, Hyogo Prefecture (now Yachiyo Ward, Taka Town). The National Social Welfare Council states that a respect-for-the-elders event held in the village in 1947 was the trigger that led to the later "Old Folks' Day," "Day for the Elderly," and "Respect for the Aged Day."[1] Looking at the years reveals the distance: the village meeting was in 1947, and it became a holiday in 1966, a gap of 19 years. It took nearly 20 years for a small village event to become a national holiday. Some sources say the village set its "Old Folks' Day" in 1948, so this article describes the 1947 event as the trigger. So, what were the villagers thinking when they held this meeting?
2. The village meeting aimed to cherish the elderly and borrow their wisdom to build the village
The purpose of the meeting is said to have been "to cherish the elderly and borrow the wisdom of older people to build the village."[2] It is said that the then-village mayor Masao Kadowaki and others proposed it, but some materials credit the vice-mayor, so it cannot be pinned to one person. It is reported that on the day, people aged 55 and over were transported by motorized tricycles, and they were treated to food and Banshu Kabuki theater at the public hall.[3] If they had only welcomed, fed, and entertained them, it would have ended as ordinary hospitality. But the purpose included "borrowing wisdom" and "building the village." It was a mindset of relying on older people as partners in the village. The target age of "55 and over" was the benchmark for "elderly" at that time. Reading it with today's definition of elderly creates a gap.
3. Why the village chose September 15 for its day honoring the elderly
One explanation given is that it was the farming off-season and a time with good weather.[4] It was decided during a season with less farm work and good weather. A commentary from Doshisha Women's College writes that this date was chosen "by coincidence."[4] Regarding September 15, there is also a theory linking it to the legend of the Yoro Waterfall. However, it is suggested that this explanation may have been added later.[4] The origin of the date varies by source and cannot be definitively decided. Although the date was chosen almost by chance, that day spread from the village to the outside world.
4. How "Old Folks' Day" became "Respect for the Aged Day"
In 1950, a prefectural movement for respect and welfare began in Hyogo, designating September 15 as "Old Folks' Day" (Toshiyori no Hi).[1] The following year, in 1951, the Central Social Welfare Council (now the National Social Welfare Council) proposed a national movement, setting September 15 as "Old Folks' Day" and the days from the 15th to the 21st as the movement week.[1] This means it spread nationwide within four years of the village meeting. Later, "Old Folks' Day" became the "Day for the Elderly," and in 1966, it became the national holiday "Respect for the Aged Day."[1] The timing of the name change varies by source, with some citing the 1963 Elderly Welfare Law and others 1964. The reason for the name change is that the sound of the word "toshiyori" (elderly/old person) was considered negative.[4] One can view this as the focus shifting from a word stating age to a word expressing respect. That reading is the writer's own interpretation and does not necessarily show what the people who changed the name intended.
5. What the Holiday Law and the Elderly Welfare Law Each Say
The Public Holiday Law defines the purpose of Respect for the Aged Day as "to respect and love the elderly who have contributed to society for many years, and to celebrate their longevity," and sets the date as the third Monday of September.[5] While the village meeting was on September 15, today’s Respect for the Aged Day is a holiday with a moving date each year. On the other hand, the Elderly Welfare Law designates September 15 as the "Day for the Elderly" and September 15 to 21 as "Week for the Elderly."[6] Its purpose is to deepen the public's interest and understanding of elderly welfare, and to encourage the elderly themselves to strive to improve their lives.[6] The holiday "Respect for the Aged Day" and the "Day for the Elderly" on September 15 are separate days written in separate laws. The village's idea of "borrowing wisdom" seems to remain in a form close to the latter law's phrase about "the elderly's own motivation."
6. What Taka Town does today as the birthplace of Respect for the Aged Day
Taka Town still promotes itself as the "birthplace of Respect for the Aged Day." The Kobe Shimbun reported in September 2021 that they hold an annual art exhibition to promote this status.[7] The town where the 1947 meeting was held continues to keep that memory alive through an art exhibition. The village meeting was one starting point of Respect for the Aged Day, but it cannot be called the only one, and sources differ on some details, such as the origin of the date.
7. A way to try the meeting's idea by asking an older person for their wisdom
Try putting the meeting's idea into practice. Ask a family member or an older neighbor one question: "How did you do things in the past?" or "What useful tricks do you still use?" and write it in a notebook. After hearing the answer, ask one follow-up question: "Why do you do it that way?" This preserves the reason behind the wisdom. If there are no older people at home, you can ask a school teacher or look in library books. Try to write one sentence in your own words explaining why that wisdom is still useful today. That is a step closer to what the villagers meant by "borrowing wisdom." You can see the difference between the Public Holiday Law and the Elderly Welfare Law by comparing the Cabinet Office and Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare pages.[5][6]