Confectionery Day
Food DaysWhat Is Confectionery Day?
The 15th of every month is "Confectionery Day" in Japan, established in 1981 by the National Confectionery Industry Association. The date traces back to the annual festivals held on April 15th at Kitsumoto Shrine in Wakayama Prefecture and Nakashima Shrine in Hyogo Prefecture, both of which enshrine the patron deity of sweets -- hence the 15th of each month.
Japan Has a God of Sweets
That deity is Tajimamori-no-Mikoto, a figure who appears in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki. Legend has it that he was sent by Emperor Suinin on a journey in search of fruit -- the raw material of confectionery.
- Established by: the National Confectionery Industry Association, in 1981
- Origin of the date: the April 15th festivals at the shrines of the confectionery deity, applied to the 15th of every month
- The deity: Tajimamori-no-Mikoto, said to have brought back the fruit used in sweets
- The shrines: Kitsumoto Shrine (Wakayama) and Nakashima Shrine (Hyogo)
- Purpose: to boost consumption of sweets and promote confectionery culture
December Moves More Sweets Than Any Other Month
Christmas cakes, boxed sweets sent as year-end gifts, and confections laid out for New Year visitors all converge in December. For bakeries and confectionery counters, it is the month that decides the year.
Tips for Marking This Day
- If you have not ordered a Christmas cake yet, look up shops and decide today
- Pick one kind of sweet you never normally buy
- Visit a long-established local wagashi shop and look for a seasonal item
- Think about what sweets to bring into the office at year-end
Something Sweet Keeps a Busy Month Running
The busier the season, the more a pause is worth. The 15th of the month -- and December's in particular -- makes a fine excuse for one sweet thing in the middle of a hectic day.