Email Day (Denshi Mail no Hi)

What is "Email Day"?

January 23 (1/23) is "Email Day." The date comes from a wordplay where "1" is read as "ii" (good) and "23" as "fumi" (a letter/written message), together forming "ii fumi" — meaning "a good letter." It was established in 1994 by the Electronic Messaging Association (now JUSA) to promote the spread of email — the communication tool of the digital age — and encourage its proper use.

The birth and spread of email

The history of email began in 1971, when Ray Tomlinson sent a message between two different computers on ARPANET, the precursor to the internet. His choice to use the "@" symbol to separate the username from the computer name became the basis of the email address format we use today.

The spread of email in Japan

In Japan, email spread rapidly in the late 1990s alongside the growth of home internet access. As a groundbreaking way to deliver text instantly and cheaply — alongside postcards, letters, and phone calls — it dramatically changed both business and private life across society.

How email works and how it has evolved

Email travels across the internet like a relay race, passed from the sender's server to the recipient's server. Originally plain text only, email today can include image and document attachments and richly designed HTML formatting — its range of expression has grown enormously.

How communication has changed

With the rise of social media and chat apps, short exchanges have shifted to other tools, but email remains essential as "a means that leaves a formal record" and "an official channel of communication" — indispensable in business settings and any situation where reliability matters.

The benefits and features of email

• You can send and read messages on your own schedule, without taking up the recipient's time
• You can accurately deliver the same information to many people at once
• Sent and received messages are stored, serving as a written record
• You can attach files (documents or photos) to share visual information
• You can instantly connect with anyone in the world, across borders

Email etiquette and security

In the spirit of "a good letter," it's worth keeping communication pleasant. Writing a clear subject line and including a polite greeting brings "warmth" and "trust" to what is otherwise just digital text.

Staying safe online

At the same time, risks like spam and phishing exist. Avoiding links and attachments from unknown senders and managing your passwords carefully are now part of modern "literacy" for protecting your information.

Tips for enjoying Email Day

• Send a catch-up email to an old friend or former teacher you've lost touch with
• Tidy up your inbox and unsubscribe from newsletters you no longer need — a little digital detox
• Refresh your email signature for the new season
• When expressing thanks, choose slightly more thoughtful words to craft a truly "good letter"

Rediscovering the joy of sending words

Email Day is a day to appreciate the convenience of sending words with a single touch, while also valuing the feeling you put into each message. Even text on a screen always carries something of the sender's heart. On January 23, why not send someone special a thoughtful "good letter" in your own words?