Japan's Sea Day

Sunset in the Sea of JapanThe sea, the sea, the bottomless world.

Yes, of course, these words are not Japanese songs, but believe me, the sea is a bottomless world and an invaluable treasure for Japan.

In Japan, there was a holiday thanking the sea.

Cut off from large continents by the Sea of Okhotsk in the north, the Sea of Japan in the west, the Pacific Ocean in the east and the East China Sea in the south, Japan has always relied on the mercy of the sea. Since ancient times, all areas of life and production, the movement of people and the movement of goods, including the penetration of foreign culture into Japan, are closely related to the sea.

More than 400 years ago, the first foreigners came to Japan by sea, preaching Christianity and carrot-and-stick paving the way to a closed country. Later, in July 1853, the American Admiral M. Perry entered the capital port of Uraga, and in August the Russian Admiral E. V. Putyatin moored to the southern port of Nagasaki. Both countries, having made enormous diplomatic efforts, signed peace and trade and economic agreements with Japan.

Terakuji Temple

The treaty between Russia and Japan was signed in the resort town of Shimoda in the small Buddhist temple of Terakuji in the south of the Izu Peninsula. The temple has been preserved, and here is what is literally written on the memorial plaque in Russian:

Place where it was signed
Russian-Japanese Treaty on Peace and
Neighbourhood relations

On October 15, 1854, Vice-Admiral Putyatin of the Russian Imperial Navy arrived in the city of Shimoda to negotiate a treaty that would clarify mutual territorial claims and initiate trade relations between Japan and Russia. On November 4, 1854, a major earthquake occurred during negotiations between the two sides. The resulting tsunami destroyed a significant part of the city and Putyatin’s ship Diana. Despite these difficulties, negotiations continued, and on December 24, 1854, a treaty of peace and good neighborliness was signed between Japan and Russia. *

And the reason for the establishment of the sea day was an event not so important, but associated with the name of the highest person.

In the distant 1876 (9th year of the Meiji period), the Emperor on the ship Meiji-maru travels with greetings to the northern prefectures and returns safely to the port of Yokohama exactly on July 20. In 1941, this date was immortalized under the name "Sea Jubilee". Gradually throughout the country, at the initiative of people of maritime professions, the movement is increasing in order to deepen the understanding of the people of the importance of professions related to the Navy, shipbuilding, port work.

In the early 90-ies of the last century, becoming more aware of the importance of the sea for Japan, much louder voices and speeches for the establishment of a national holiday – “Sea Day”. The result was not long in coming. After a partial revision of the National Holidays Act in March 1995, July 20 became "Sea Day" and an official holiday in Japan since 1996.