September
25
Antiques Day
OtherWhat Is Antiques Day?
September 25 is Antiques Day (Kotto no Hi) in Japan, established by Koresho-kai Co., Ltd., a Kyoto-based antique and art auction house, and certified by the Japan Anniversary Association in 2017.
Rooted in an Essay from the Edo Period
The origin of Antiques Day traces back to an essay written during the Edo period by the writer Santo Kyoden.
- Origin: Established by Koresho-kai Co., Ltd. and certified by the Japan Anniversary Association in 2017
- Source: Based on a date recorded in Santo Kyoden's essay collection Kottoshu, Volume 3 — the 25th day of the 9th month of the 12th year of the Bunka era
- Purpose: To introduce more people to the appeal of antiques and classical art
Objects That Carry Their Own Stories
Antiques hold traces of the craftsmanship, aesthetics, and generations of care from the era in which they were made. Picking up a single piece and tracing its history is one of the distinct pleasures of antique collecting.
How to Spend the Day
- Visit an antique market or antique shop
- Read about Santo Kyoden and his essay Kottoshu
- Look into the history of an old item you own
- Browse antique auction listings or catalogs
A Day to Learn from the Past and Bring It into the Present
Antiques Day traces its roots to a passage in an Edo-period essay. September 25 is a day to quietly turn your attention to objects that have been passed down across generations.