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Thursday, October 8 (archive)

Today in Japan

Watercolor of dew-covered autumn grasses, a wooden house, people walking and ginkgo nuts

What day is it?

  1. Kanro, or "Cold Dew"寒露（二十四節気）

    Today is kanro, or "cold dew," one of the 24 seasonal divisions of the traditional calendar. In 2026 it starts on October 8th. The idea is that the morning dew now feels cold on your skin. The air gets drier and the sky clearer, and in the mountains up north, the leaves are changing color. It's a good time for hiking.

  2. 1977年制定Wood Day木の日

    If you put the kanji for ten, 十, on top of the kanji for eight, 八, you get 木, the kanji for "tree" or "wood." That's why October 8th is Wood Day in Japan. Lumber industry groups started it in 1977, and events around this date encourage people to use more local wood. About two-thirds of Japan is covered in forest.

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  3. Bone and Joint Day運動器の健康・骨と関節の日

    The Japanese Orthopaedic Association marks October 8th as a day to think about the health of your bones, joints, and muscles. The date is said to come from the katakana ホ, the first sound of hone, or "bone," which looks like 十 and 八 put together. Around this time, orthopedic doctors give public talks in many parts of the country.

If someone asks you

Q

Why are so many houses in Japan made of wood? Isn't that risky with all the earthquakes?

A

Wood has always been the easy choice here, because about two-thirds of the country is forest. Wood is also light, and the lighter a building is, the less force it takes in an earthquake. Today's wooden houses have to meet strict national earthquake standards, so being wooden doesn't mean being weak. The bigger worry with wood is fire, which is why building rules are tighter in crowded city areas.

In season Ginkgo nuts 銀杏（ぎんなん） Ginnan are the nuts of the ginkgo tree, and they come into season in autumn. People roast them in the shell, crack them open, and eat the soft green nut inside with a little salt. You'll also find them in chawanmushi, or savory egg custard. The fruit around the nut smells awful, so people wear gloves to pick them. Don't eat too many at once, because they can make you sick. Micro-season 49 of 72 鴻雁来こうがんきたる Wild Geese Return Wild geese arrive from the north to spend the winter. Their V-shaped formations against an autumn sky are a standard subject in Japanese painting.

Phrase of the day

It's getting a little chilly in the mornings.

Sentence of the day

October 8th is kanro, the time of year when the morning dew starts to feel cold. It's also Wood Day, because the kanji 十 and 八 together make 木, the character for wood.

Related topics

Sources

Earlier days