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Around this time each year, I have the same conversation with my students: “There’ll be a national holiday next week,” I begin. “Can any of you tell me the name of that holiday?”
Silence.
“C’mon, think. This Thursday — and no peeking at Wikipedia!”
One of the student calls out: “Culture Day!”
“No. Culture Day, or Bunka no Hi, was three weeks ago on Nov 3,” I say. “Thursday, Nov 23. What’s the holiday? Anyone? Anyone?” I feel like the economics teacher in "Ferris Bueller’s Day Off."
“Oh! I know!”
“Ayano, yes, what was it?”
“Kinro Kansha no Hi.”
“That’s right! Now what is Labor Thanksgiving Day? Anyone?”
One student suggests that it is a day we give thanks to our parents for working hard.
“Well, maybe, but there’s more to it than that. Are any of you doing anything special for Labor Thanksgiving Day?”
Crickets.
I go around the room, asking students what their plans are. Some will work at their part-time jobs, others will probably loaf about at home. A few may go shopping.
“If you’re not going to do anything special, why have a national holiday?” I ask. “Whenever a national holiday holiday rolls around, I always try at least to wear my Rising Sun skivvies.”
When half of them laughs, the other half that has been dozing comes to life. Now that I’ve got their attention I ask why some of their holidays, such as the autumnal equinox, Shubun no Hi, fell on a Saturday this year? “Why not move the day to a Monday like so many other holidays? Why is the date for Shubun no Hi and other holidays like Kinro Kansha no Hi fixed?”
They don’t know.
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2 Comments
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Pukey2
I'm just grateful for the day off. And can we please move public holidays which fall on a Saturday to the previous Friday? Who on earth benefits from a Saturday public holiday? Shop workers will work on regardlessly, and office workers don't normally work on Saturday anycase. Absolute waste. Wasn't there 4 this year or last year?