Shokuiku (Food Education) Day
OtherWhat Is Shokuiku Day?
The 19th of every month is "Shokuiku Day" -- Food Education Day -- in Japan. It was set by the government's Basic Plan for the Promotion of Shokuiku as a recurring occasion to keep food education efforts going year-round. The date comes from a pun: "iku" in shokuiku sounds like the Japanese reading of 19. June is separately designated Food Education Month.
An Anniversary Fixed by National Policy
Unlike most Japanese food anniversaries, this one was set by a government plan rather than a company or trade group.
- Origin of the date: "iku" (育, to nurture) sounds like 19 in Japanese
- Basis: designated as the 19th of each month by the Basic Plan for the Promotion of Shokuiku
- Related period: June is Food Education Month each year
- What shokuiku means: building, through varied experience, the knowledge of food and the ability to choose a balanced diet, so as to live well
Local Governments Take Part Too
Shokuiku Day and Food Education Month appear regularly in the newsletters and notices of Japanese cities and prefectures -- in school lunch bulletins, public facility displays and community cooking classes.
Tips for Marking This Day
- Make time to sit down to a meal together as a household
- Write out the nutritional balance of a typical day's meals
- Look up what is in season and add a winter ingredient to your menu
- Read through food education information from your city or workplace
A Monthly Prompt to Look at How You Eat
December brings more eating out and more gatherings, and routines slip easily. Shokuiku Day is a reminder that busy stretches are exactly when it helps to check in on your diet.