Japan Culture Navi 日本語

Wednesday, October 14 (archive)

Today in Japan

Watercolor of an early steam locomotive in an autumn landscape, yaki udon, blank paper sheets of different sizes and a plain notebook, freshly cooked new-crop rice and rice stalks

What day is it?

  1. 1872年開業Railway Day鉄道の日

    Japan's first railway officially opened on this day in 1872, linking Shimbashi in Tokyo and Yokohama. The date became Railway Memorial Day in 1922, and in 1994 the government renamed it Railway Day so that it would be a day for all rail companies, not only JR. Train events are held around the country this month, and some are hugely popular with rail fans.

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  2. Yaki Udon Day焼うどんの日

    Kokura, in Kitakyushu, says it is the birthplace of yaki udon, or stir-fried udon noodles. On this day in 2002, the town held a cook-off against Fujinomiya, a city famous for its yakisoba, and the event made Kokura's dish known nationwide. A local group chose this date as Yaki Udon Day. One popular story says a shop started frying udon after the war because it couldn't get yakisoba noodles.

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  3. World Standards Day世界標準の日

    On this day in 1946, delegates from 25 countries met in London and decided to create a world body for standards, which became ISO. Japan has its own national standards, called JIS, and one surprise for visitors is paper size. A4 is the same everywhere, but Japan's B5 is slightly bigger than the international B5, so a Japanese B5 notebook is a little larger than an international B5 sheet.

If someone asks you

Q

Why are there so many train fans in Japan?

A

Trains are a big part of everyday life here, especially in big cities, so kids grow up seeing them every day. There are also lots of different lines and train types, so there's always something new to collect, ride, or photograph. Some fans mainly take photos, some just love riding every line, and some collect station stamps or tickets. Most are quiet hobbyists, but a few photographers get a bad name for crowding platforms or trespassing.

In season New-crop rice 新米 Shinmai, or new-crop rice, is rice harvested in the fall and sold the same year. It holds more moisture, so it cooks up soft and shiny and smells a little sweet. Many people use slightly less water than usual when they cook it. Stores put up "shinmai" signs from around September, and many people say the best way to enjoy it is plain, with just a simple side dish. Micro-season 50 of 72 菊花開きくのはなひらく Chrysanthemums Bloom Chrysanthemums bloom. The flower is the crest of the imperial family and appears on Japanese passports, but it is also the ordinary flower for graves.

Phrase of the day

Japan's first railway opened in 1872, between Tokyo and Yokohama.

Sentence of the day

Today is Railway Day, marking Japan's first train line in 1872, and it's also Yaki Udon Day. If you take a long train ride this fall, try an ekiben, or station bento, made with this year's new rice.

Related topics

Sources

Earlier days