Words Day (Kotoba no Hi)

What Is Words Day?

May 18 is "Kotoba no Hi" (Words Day). The date comes from the wordplay "ko (5) toba (18)" — 18 read as "to (10) + ba (8)" — which together sound like "kotoba," the Japanese word for "words" or "language." The day's original founder was unclear, but in 2019 participants in a lecture series held at BUKATSUDO in Yokohama's Minato Mirai district ("Kotoba no Kikaku 2019") established a "Kotoba no Hi" of the same name, and it was registered with the Japan Anniversary Association. It is a day to use words with care and to appreciate how words let people understand one another.

The Thinking Behind the Day

• Fresh green leaves of May: May was chosen because the "ha" (葉, leaf) in "kotoba" (言葉) evokes the fresh greenery of the season.
• Written in hiragana: The name is written in hiragana (ことば) rather than kanji (言葉) to include a broad sense of "language," such as sign language and braille.
• Enriching daily life: Another aim is to make everyday life richer through words.

Where the Word "Kotoba" Comes From

One theory holds that "kotoba" combines "koto" (言, speech) and "ha" (端, edge or fragment). In ancient Japanese, "koto" alone was used for language, and the forms "koto no ha" and "kotoba" later spread. The preface to the Heian-period poetry anthology Kokin Wakashū famously begins: "Japanese poetry takes the human heart as its seed and grows into countless leaves of words (koto no ha)."

Distinctive Features of the Japanese Language

• A diverse writing system: Japanese uses three different scripts together — kanji, hiragana, and katakana.
• Honorific expressions: Keigo, which changes depending on the listener and situation, reflects the structure of human relationships in Japanese society.
• Reliance on context: Japanese often omits the subject and relies on context to fill in meaning.

The Relationship Between Words and Society

• Law and contracts: Laws and contracts are defined through words.
• Media and language: Newspapers, television, and the internet all convey information to society through words.
• Change over time: The birth of new words and slang reflects how society itself is changing.

Things to Try on Words Day

• Look into the origins of words you use every day
• Thank someone close to you in especially careful, polite words
• Learn a simple greeting in sign language or braille
• Write down your favorite words or personal motto

The Invisible Infrastructure That Supports Daily Life

Words Day on May 18 is a day to take a fresh look at "words," something we rarely notice consciously. The choice of a single word can change how a message is received. Today, why not choose your everyday words with a little extra care?