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Taking place annually on November 23, Labor Thanksgiving Day in Japan is celebrated as an occasion for commemorating labor and production and giving one another thanks. In ancient times this festival was celebrated as the Rice Harvest Festival or popularly known in local language as Niiname-sai. The ancient festival’s origination dates back hundreds of years. It is believed that the festival was celebrated as early as November of 678. Tradition has it that the emperor would dedicate the season’s fresh harvest to the gods and taste the rice himself for the first time.

It was during the Meiji Era (1868-1912) that the date for this festival was set on November 23rd, and it has been maintained ever since. The modern version of this festival was started after World War II in the year 1948, but the ancient tradition is still continued behind closed doors by the imperial family while the Labor Thanksgiving Day is celebrated by the public as a national holiday.

All government offices and schools remain closed for the holiday. This holiday encourages people to think about the environment, peace, and human rights. School children in Japan create drawings for the holiday and present them as gifts to the local police stations.