Yakiniku Day (Yakiniku no Hi)

What Is Yakiniku Day?

Every August 29th is "Yakiniku Day" (焼き肉の日, Yakiniku no Hi) in Japan. It was established in 1993 by the All Japan Yakiniku Association (Zenkoku Yakiniku Kyokai), a business cooperative made up of companies that run yakiniku (grilled meat) restaurants. The date comes from a wordplay reading of 8-2-9 as "ya-ki-ni-ku." The aim is to encourage people worn out by the summer heat to eat yakiniku and build up their stamina.

How Japan's Yakiniku Culture Developed

Japanese yakiniku developed in its own way as different food cultures blended together.

• Edo-period "momonji-ya": Even in the Edo period, when eating meat was officially frowned upon, there were shops called "momonji-ya" that sold meat such as wild boar and venison.
• The word "yakiniku": In Kanagaki Robun's 1872 book "Seiyo Ryori Tsu" (A Guide to Western Cooking), the word "yakiniku" was used to translate "barbecue."
• Postwar horumon-yaki: The style of today's yakiniku restaurants is said to have spread after World War II, rooted in Korean restaurants and grilled offal (horumon-yaki) shops, together with Japan's own dipping-sauce culture.
• Smokeless roasters: Smokeless grills that draw smoke downward spread in the 1980s. Because diners' clothes no longer smelled of smoke, yakiniku restaurants are said to have become easier for families and women to enjoy.

One of Japan's "Big Three" Anti-Summer-Fatigue Days

Yakiniku Day is sometimes counted, along with "Doyo no Ushi no Hi" (the eel-eating day in late July) and "Tempura Day" on July 23, as one of the three food-related days for fighting summer fatigue. Around Yakiniku Day, member restaurants of the association have also carried out community activities, such as inviting residents of social welfare facilities to their restaurants.

Fun Facts About Yakiniku

• Why sauces contain fruit: Yakiniku sauces often use apple or Asian pear juice. Protein-breaking enzymes in fruits such as pears are said to help tenderize the meat.
• Separate tongs and chopsticks: Using tongs for raw meat and chopsticks for eating cooked meat is an important hygiene habit that keeps bacteria such as Campylobacter, a cause of food poisoning, out of your mouth.
• Where the savory aroma comes from: The browned color and savory smell of grilled meat come from the "Maillard reaction," in which proteins and sugars in the meat react with heat.
• The origin of "horumon": A well-known story says the word comes from the Kansai dialect "horu-mon" (things to throw away), but this is also called a folk etymology, and the true origin is unclear.
• Two ways to write it: The day's name is written 焼き肉, but restaurant and association names usually write it 焼肉, without the okurigana.

Tips for Marking This Day

• Gather around the grill with family or coworkers and thank each other for getting through the summer
• Order a cut you don't usually try and enjoy the differences in flavor and texture
• Balance the meat with vegetables such as lettuce wraps and namul
• Keep separate tongs for raw meat and chopsticks for eating, to stay safe

A Day to Gather Around the Grill and Recharge at Summer's End

August 29th is Yakiniku Day, born from the "ya-ki-ni-ku" wordplay. At this time of year, when the heat tends to wear people down, it is nice to gather around the grill, cook your favorite cuts and enjoy conversation. Mind the cooking and hygiene, eat well, and get through the rest of summer in good shape.