Kome Kome Club Day

What Is Kome Kome Club Day?

August 8th is "Kome Kome Club Day" in Japan. To mark the 40th anniversary of the debut of Kome Kome Club, the band known for hits such as "Roman Hikou" and "Kimi ga Iru Dake de," the record company Sony Music Labels Inc. established the day, which was recognized and registered by the Japan Anniversary Association on August 8, 2025. The date borrows from the fact that August 8th is known as "Rice Day," because the kanji for rice (米, kome) contains two "八" (eight).

A Holiday Born From the Kanji for Rice

Kome Kome Club is a Japanese band formed in 1982 that made its major-label debut in 1985.

• Origin: break down the kanji "米" and you get "八," "十" and "八" (eighty-eight), so August 8th, a day of double eights, is known as "Rice Day"
• A fitting match: the band's name contains the character "米" twice, linking it to "Rice Day"
• Purpose: to celebrate the band's 40th anniversary year in 2025

August 8th Was Already "Kome Kome Day"

Even before the official recognition, Kome Kome Club had chosen August 8th, calling it "Kome Kome Day," for releases and other milestones. For example, the best-of album "LAST BEST: Hosaku Sanmai" was released on August 8, 2017. On the day of the recognition, a talk event was held at the live venue Crocodile in Harajuku, Tokyo, where the official recognition of "Kome Kome Club Day" was announced.

Tips for Marking This Day

• Listen to some of Kome Kome Club's best-known songs
• Look into the meaning of "88" hidden inside the character for rice
• Learn about traditional sayings related to growing rice
• Look up the origin behind the name of your favorite musical artist

An "88" Hidden in a Single Character Connects Music and Food

Born from the unexpected angle of how a kanji character is constructed, this holiday reveals the depth hidden in wordplay. August 8th is a day to listen for the numerical stories tucked inside familiar characters.