Ice Cream Day

What Is Ice Cream Day?

Every year, May 9th is "Ice Cream Day" in Japan. In 1964, the Tokyo Ice Cream Association (now the Japan Ice Cream Association) named this date -- just after the spring holidays, when ice cream season begins -- "Ice Cream Day," donating ice cream to facilities and hospitals in Tokyo and holding an "Ice Cream Festival" at a hotel. Following this, from 1965 the association made May 9th "Ice Cream Day," and it has held promotional events across Japan around this date every year.

The Taste of "Civilization and Enlightenment": A History of Ice Cream

Ice cream arrived in Japan alongside the modernization of the Meiji era as an "amazing food."

• The birth of "aisukurin": Japan's first ice cream is said to have been "aisukurin," made and sold in 1869 (Meiji 2) at an "ice water shop" opened by Machida Fusazō on Bashamichi street in Yokohama. A serving cost 2 bu -- said to be about 8,000 yen in today's money -- making it a true luxury. Some say it first went on sale on May 9th, but no records have been found to confirm this.
• The 1860 mission to America: The first Japanese people to taste ice cream are said to have been members of the diplomatic mission that visited the United States in 1860 (Man'en 1).

How Ice Cream Spread from Ginza

Tokyo's Ginza district was one of the places that helped ice cream reach a wider public.

• Shiseido's soda fountain: In 1902 (Meiji 35), Shiseido Pharmacy (today's Shiseido) in Ginza opened a soda fountain modeled on American drugstores and began selling ice cream and ice cream sodas. This later became the Shiseido Parlour.
• Industrialization in the Taishō era: In the Taishō era, industrialization advanced and the predecessors of today's manufacturers began producing ice cream one after another, making it something families could enjoy casually.

Interesting Facts About Ice Cream

• Three types of "ice cream": Under Japan's ministerial ordinance on milk products, frozen desserts are divided into "ice cream," "ice milk," and "lacto ice" according to their milk solids and milk fat content; anything else is called "hyōka" (ice confection). You can check the "type" on the package.
• Why ice cream has no best-by date: When stored below -18°C, its quality changes very little, so manufacturers are allowed to omit a best-by date.
• Brain freeze: The headache that comes from eating something cold too fast is called an "ice cream headache." There are several theories about how it works, and eating slowly is said to make it less likely.
• Short-lived vanilla flowers: Vanilla flavor comes from the fruit (pod) of the vanilla orchid. Each flower wilts after about a day, so on farms the flowers are often pollinated by hand.
• The association's promotions: From 1970, the Japan Ice Cream Association spent many years giving away free ice cream across Japan on the second Sunday of May.

Tips for Spending Ice Cream Day

• Enjoy your favorite flavor or a new release you've had your eye on -- a small reward for making it through the busy start of the fiscal year.
• Compare the "type" labels on packages and try a tasting of ice cream, ice milk, and lacto ice.
• Share ice cream with family, friends, or coworkers and talk about the ice creams you loved as a child.
• Watch out for brain freeze and take your time savoring each bite.

A Soft, Melting Bite Makes an Early-Summer Day a Little Brighter

May 9th is a day when adults and children alike can smile over a single cold bite. Ice cream, first sold as a luxury in Meiji-era Yokohama, is now something anyone can enjoy. Behind each bite lies more than 150 years of history. In this season of fresh greenery, why not slowly savor your favorite ice cream when you need a short break? Make it a day to find a small pleasure before the hot season begins.