Children's Book Day

What Is Children's Book Day?

Every April 23rd is "Children's Book Day" (子ども読書の日, Kodomo Dokusho no Hi) in Japan. The day was established by the "Act to Promote Children's Reading Activities" (子どもの読書活動の推進に関する法律), which was promulgated on April 23, 2001 — designating this date as a day to celebrate children's reading and to promote the importance of books and reading in children's development. April 23rd was chosen partly because it coincides with UNESCO's World Book Day and Shakespeare's traditional birthday, giving it an international literary resonance alongside its Japanese significance.

Children's Reading in Japan

Japan has a rich culture of children's literature — picture books (絵本, ehon), children's novels, and manga have all produced works of lasting cultural significance. Japanese picture books are internationally recognized for their artistic quality: works by Mitsumasa Anno (安野光雅), Taro Gomi (五味太郎), and many others have been translated into dozens of languages and won international awards. The tradition of "reading aloud" (読み聞かせ, yomi-kikase) — parents and teachers reading picture books to children — is deeply embedded in Japanese early childhood education.

The Reading Crisis

Japan's Children's Book Day was established in the context of declining reading rates among Japanese children — surveys in the late 1990s showed that a significant percentage of elementary school children read "zero books" in a given month, a trend that alarmed educators and parents who associated reading with vocabulary development, imagination, and academic success. The Act and the Day's designation were responses to this concern, promoting public library programs, school reading time, and family reading activities.

Libraries and Children

Japan's public libraries play a central role in Children's Book Day activities — offering special story hours, book recommendation events, and reading challenges for children. Japan's approximately 3,300 public libraries maintain children's sections with strong collections and active programming, reflecting the country's investment in reading as a foundation for lifelong learning.

Fun Facts

• Most-read children's book: "A Gift from a Whale" (くじらぐも, by Yoko Sano) — a picture book about a class of children who float up to play on a cloud — has been included in Japan's standard elementary school textbooks for over 50 years and is arguably the most universally known Japanese children's story among people educated in Japan.
• Children's Reading Week: April 23rd begins "Children's Reading Week" (こどもの読書週間, April 23 – May 12) — a 20-day promotion coordinated by publishers, libraries, and educational institutions across Japan to encourage children's engagement with books.