Ichitaro Day

What Is Ichitaro Day?

August 28 marks "Ichitaro Day," established in 2010 by JustSystems Corporation, the developer of the Japanese word-processing software "Ichitaro." The day is also recognized by the Japan Anniversary Association.

Celebrating a Landmark Japanese Word Processor

Ichitaro was released on August 28, 1985, and went on to transform how Japanese-language documents were created. This anniversary was established to mark the 25th anniversary of that release.

• Established by: JustSystems Corporation in 2010
• Origin: Commemorates the 25th anniversary of Ichitaro's release on August 28, 1985
• Recognition: Certified by the Japan Anniversary Association

Software That Shaped Japanese-Language Computing

With features built specifically for Japanese kanji conversion and document layout, Ichitaro has been used for decades across government offices, schools, and homes alike — growing in step with the spread of personal computers throughout Japan.

Where the Name "Ichitaro" Comes From

The name "Ichitaro" is said to honor a junior high school student named Taro whom JustSystems founder Kazunori Ukigawa tutored as a university student, and who later died of illness. "Taro" is also a classic Japanese boy's name, and the name carries the wish "Taro, become number one (ichi) in Japan." The first version of Ichitaro has been certified as an "Information Processing Technology Heritage" item by the Information Processing Society of Japan.

Ways to Mark the Day

• Look into the history and evolution of Ichitaro
• Trace the changes in Japanese word-processing software over the years
• Think about the document software you use every day
• Learn more about the development of Japan's IT industry

The Software That Changed How Japan Writes

Ichitaro Day looks back on the software that helped shape Japanese-language document creation. August 28 is a good day to appreciate the everyday convenience of the word processors we use without a second thought.