Culture Day · Worksheet 1
One Day, Many Stories: November 3 in Japan
Read the story. 英文を読もう。
1In Japan, November 3 has had many different lives. First, it was the birthday of Emperor Meiji. From 1873, the whole country celebrated it as a holiday. After he died in 1912, it became an ordinary day. Then in 1927, it became a holiday again called Meiji Setsu.
2Then something big happened. On November 3, 1946, Japan announced its new constitution. This constitution says that Japan gives up war. Two years later, lawmakers made November 3 a new holiday called Bunka no Hi, or Culture Day.
3Why culture? The law says the day is for loving freedom and peace and for moving culture forward. The writer Yamamoto Yuzo helped choose the new holidays. He said the new constitution was special because no country had ever given up war before. Lawmakers even thought about calling it Peace Day.
4Today, Culture Day is full of art and learning. At the Imperial Palace, the emperor gives the Order of Culture to great scientists, artists, and writers. In 1969, the three Apollo 11 astronauts received it too. Many museums hold special events, and some open their doors for free. Schools often have culture festivals around this time.
5Many people also say that November 3 is usually sunny. From 1961 to 2000, Tokyo was sunny on 80 percent of these days. So take a walk, visit a museum, or try a new hobby. Culture is not only in museums. It is in everything people make and share.
- constitution 憲法
- announce 発表する、公布する
- emperor 天皇、皇帝
- ordinary ふつうの
- lawmaker 国会議員、立法者
- give up あきらめる、放棄する
- freedom 自由
- peace 平和
- order 勲章
- astronaut 宇宙飛行士
- museum 博物館、美術館
- festival 祭り