What is Marine Day?
Marine Day (海の日 Umi no Hi), also known as “Ocean Day” or “Sea Day”, is a Japanese national holiday celebrated on the third Monday in July. This day gives thanks to all that the ocean provides Japan as an island nation – food, jobs, protection and recreation. This holiday began when Japan’s 122nd emperor, Meiji the Great, returned to the port of Yokohama in 1876 from a trip to Hokkaido.
Coinciding with the end of tsuyu (rainy season), many people take advantage of the summer weather for a beach trip or other related festivities.
One traditional pastime for school children involves making dorodango, or mud balls. These fragile balls of mud are mixed with microorganisms and are thrown into lakes, oceans and rivers to clean them of sludge and slime and breaking down chemicals and toxins while improving the microbial population and diversity.
In Odaiba, a seaside park in Tokyo, many volunteers gather to light hundreds of paper lanterns arranged in a stunning array of patterns. Visitors are invited to walk among this sea of lanterns and enjoy their surroundings.
Northern Okinawa also hosts a number of events in honor of Marine Day, including a large fishing competition.
Many communities host beach clean up days on this holiday and bring awareness to keeping the seas clean.
You can learn more about Japanese Festivals by visiting the Vancouver Public Library and borrowing the book: The Great Festivals of Japan. This book provides an insight into an aspect of Japanese culture rarely seen outside of Japan, with many photographs exploring the human and individual aspects of the whole festival experience.
And, of course, if you want to start learning the language, you can find which library offers materials in Japanese to help you along. We’ve got the list here.
To our Japanese friends, have a Happy Marine Day on July 17th.