Biscuit Day

What Is Biscuit Day?

Every year on February 28th, Japan celebrates "Biscuit Day." It was established in 1980 by the All Japan Biscuit Association. The date commemorates a historical event: on February 28, 1855, Shibata Hoan, a Mito domain doctor of Dutch medicine living in Nagasaki, sent a domain official a document describing how to make bread and biscuits, which he had learned from the Dutch. Because the word "biscuit" comes from the Latin bis coctus ("twice baked"), the date also plays on "ni-do yaku" (2-8, "bake twice"). The day is meant to spread awareness of how delicious and nutritious biscuits are.

The Birth of Japan's First "Biscuit Recipe"

In the late Edo period, the military needed long-lasting portable food. Shibata Hoan, a practicing doctor in Nagasaki, was asked by a Mito domain official to learn how to make Western preserved foods such as bread and biscuits for military rations, and he learned the method from the Dutch. His "Pan Biscoito" recipe document is considered the first in Japan to describe how to make biscuits. February 28th marks the day this letter -- a blend of intellectual curiosity and practicality that pioneered Japan's Western confectionery culture -- was sent.

A Trusted Emergency Food for Disaster-Prone Japan

Today, biscuits have established themselves as an important "emergency stockpile food." With a long shelf life of several years and no cooking required, they're an easy way to get energy quickly, making them a top choice for household and municipal emergency supplies. So February 28th is also a good time to check the expiration dates on any biscuits in your emergency stockpile.

Fun Facts About Biscuits

• Shibata Hoan: A Dutch-studies doctor from the Mito domain whose curiosity opened the door to biscuit-making in Japan.
• The difference from cookies: Under Japanese labeling rules, a product can optionally be called a "cookie" if it has a handmade appearance and its combined sugar and fat content is 40% or more by weight.
• Kanpan's cousin: Japan's "kanpan" hardtack is actually classified as a type of biscuit.
• The holes in biscuits: These small holes let air escape during baking, preventing the biscuits from warping or puffing up too much.
• British "dunking": The tradition of dipping biscuits into a hot drink to soften their crisp, twice-baked texture.

One Crisp Bite, and a Smile Spreads

Biscuit Day is a day to appreciate a simple but timeless flavor that never gets old. A single small biscuit carries within it the curiosity of a late-Edo doctor, as well as the refined techniques of modern artisans. On February 28th, why not share some biscuits with family or friends and enjoy a gentle, sweet conversation along with that satisfying crunch?

Tips for Enjoying Biscuit Day

• Order a slightly higher-quality biscuit than usual, or try a few varieties side by side to find your favorite.
• Open up your emergency backpack and check the expiration date on any stockpiled biscuits, replacing them if needed.
• Follow in Shibata Hoan's footsteps and try baking simple homemade biscuits, filling your home with the smell of fresh baking.
• Pour yourself a hot drink in your favorite mug, add some biscuits, and treat yourself to a luxurious little break.

A Simple Biscuit, a Comforted Heart

February 28th falls at a quiet turning point of the season. After enduring winter's cold, your body welcomes the gentle sweetness of a biscuit. May today bring you a light, crisp step toward spring, and a deeply satisfying sense of contentment. Happiness, after all, can always be found in a single biscuit.