This was established as a national holiday to commemorate the present Constitution of Japan that took effect on May 3, 1947. Taking the Second World War into consideration, the Constitution of Japan renounced war in Article Nine and made no provision for an army. But there was also an interpretation that an army for self-defense was permitted, and this became the basis for the existence of the present Self-Defense Force. In addition to pacifism, the fundamental spirit of the Constitution of Japan embraces sovereignty of the people and respect for fundamental human rights.
Taue is the activity occurring from May to June of transplanting rice seedlings from nursery to rice paddy. Planting rice seeds is at its peak before and after the 88th night(around May 2) that corresponds to the 88th day counting from the first day of spring, and the transplanting to rice paddys follows the beginning of the rainy season. Because rice is the principal food of the Japanese, the success or failure of the harvest impacts life for a year. Accordingly, taue is an important event, which formerly was a cooperative activity and even a Shinto ritual for village people.
Green tea is the main drink of the Japanese people. Picking the young sprouts and leaves of the tea bush occurs over some three weeks from mid-April till the end of May, especially during the two to three weeks following the 88th night(around May 2) when the tea-picking season is at its height. After the picked tea leaves are steamed, they are massaged the same evening. In the past, tea used to be picked with one's sleeves tucked up with a red sash and a rolled-up towel tied around one's head while singing a tea-picking song, but, along with the advance of mechanization, the artistic effect of old has been lost.
May 5 is Kodomo-no-hi. Originally it was called Boy's Festival and was for celebrating boys' growing up, but now it has become a day to celebrate children in general. On this day, families with boys set out Boy's Festival dolls, patterned after warriors and heroes, and fly carp streamers. Carp have the strength to even swim up waterfalls and have long been taken as symbols of success in life. The day also features the practice from long ago of taking a bath with flag, reputed to have medicinal effect, and it is also essential to make an offering of the traditional Japanese confections of rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves and rice cakes wrapped in oak leaves.
Tanabata is the Weaver Star Festival, which occurs on July 7. The Chinese legend, which has it that Altair(the Cowherd Star) and Vega(the Weaver Star) were split apart by the two banks of the River of Heaven(the Milky Way) and come together once a year on this night, has aligned with Japanese belief. Originally a festival carried out among the Court nobility, it has since the Edo Period(1603-1867) become established among the people at large.
On the night of the 6th, people write their wishes or poems on strips of poetry paper in various color. And hung them on leafy bamboo; then on the night of the 7th, they are put out in the garden. These are attractive enough to be called summer Christmas trees. In recent years, cities like Sendai and Hiratsuka attract sightseers by decorating their shopping street arcades with these tanabata decorations on a large-scale.
Hanabi-taikai constitute a typical summer scene. They originated in the Edo Period(1603-1867) with the exhibition of fireworks held competitively between Tamaya and Kagiya which were firework factories. In summer, fireworks displays occur throughout Japan. Because Japanese summers are hot and humid, these are appropriately lively gatherings for amusement on nights when one is unable to sleep. The spectacle of fireworks blooming beautifully, then disappearing with a pop can be taken as a symbol of graceful resignation or transiency like cherry blossoms.
This is a In Buddhist event occurring from the 13th to 16th of July or August to hold a memorial service to the spirits of ancestors. Because the spirits of the dead are said to return at this time, fires are lit at the entrances to homes so the spirits do not lose their way, and, in addition to lanterns being lit inside homes, the Buddhist home alters are tidied up and vegetables and fruit are set out as offerings. And when bon is over, the spirits are sent on their way. This is called the escorting of the spirits and fires to speed their seeing off are lit at entrances of homes and offerings are floated on rivers and the ocean.
The Second World War ended with Japan's unconditional surrender on accepting the Potsdam Declaration of the Allies. On August 15, 1945, the Emperor conveyed this with a nation-wide radio broadcast. This day is now shusen-kinenbi, and observances are held in every area of the country to memorialize the war dead. It is a day to renew the determination to convey the memories of the wretched war to posterity and not to repeat a war again.
In the Orient there is a custom of appreciating the moon; in Japan, too, on the night of August 15 by the lunar calendar, dumplings offered to the moon, eulalia, seasonal fruits are set out by the window offered to the moon and the full moon is appreciated. The full moon floating in the clear autumn sky appear especially beautiful, but the prototype of tsukimi for the Japanese, who are a farming people, is to liken the moon to a divinity and to pay for abundant subsequent harvests of ripened rice. That is currently how tsukimi is generally observed.
September 15 is Keiro-no-hi and is a national holiday. It is a day to honor the aged, celebrate their long life, pray for their good health in the future, and, in addition, deepen understanding on the issues of welfare for senior citizens.
On this day, regional governments and respect-for-age associations organize all kinds of events such as variety shows and they donate mementos. Volunteers make sympathy visits to old people's homes. Because this country has the world's longest life expectancy, this holiday will likely become increasingly important.