Piknik Day
Food DaysWhat Is Piknik Day?
The 29th of every month is "Piknik Day" in Japan. It was established by Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., which sells Piknik, a line of carton-packed milk drinks. The date is a pun: 29 can be read "nikku," matching the end of the brand name.
Reading 29 as "Nikku"
Two and nine are read together as "nikku" and layered onto the tail of the brand name. Because the drink is an everyday one, the company made it the 29th of every month rather than a single annual date.
- Established by: Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd.
- Origin of the date: 29 read as "nikku," the ending of "Piknik"
- Why monthly: because it is an approachable, everyday drink
- Product feature: a carton-packed dairy drink that keeps 90 days at room temperature
Ninety Days Without Refrigeration
Piknik comes in strawberry, fruit, yogurt, cafe au lait and coffee varieties. Part of its appeal has been that it needs no refrigeration and keeps for 90 days.
Tips for Marking This Day
- Look over the carton drinks on the shelf at your local store
- Buy a few room-temperature drinks to keep in reserve
- Pick the flavor you drank as a child
- Compare best-before dates and see how storage life differs
Keeping Well Is a Reason to Be Chosen
A drink that takes no fridge space and keeps for months is also useful as disaster stock. The 29th at year's end is a convenient day to review the drinks you keep on hand.