Love Letter Day (Rabu Retā no Hi)

What Is Love Letter Day?

Every year on May 23rd is "Love Letter Day" (ラブレターの日, also called 恋文の日, Koibumi no Hi) in Japan. It was established by Shochiku Co., Ltd. The date comes from wordplay: 5 (ko), 2 (fu), and 3 (mi) can be read as "koibumi," an old Japanese word for love letter. May 23, 1998 was also the opening day of the film "Love Letter," based on a story by Jiro Asada and starring Kiichi Nakai. It is a day to rediscover the value of putting your feelings into words for someone you care about.

Love Letters in Film and Literature

Love letters have long been an important way to reach someone you cannot meet in person.

• The film "Love Letter": The film is based on a short story included in Jiro Asada's collection "Poppoya" (The Railroad Man). It tells the story of a letter from a woman in a sham marriage, and is said to be the first film adaptation of Asada's work.
• "Sōmonka" in the Man'yōshū: The Man'yōshū, compiled in the Nara period, contains many "sōmonka" — poems exchanged to express love and longing. The culture of conveying feelings through waka poetry continued into the aristocratic society of the Heian period.

The Word "Koibumi"

"Koibumi" (恋文) means a letter expressing romantic feelings. In earlier times, letters accompanied by waka poems were central to courtship, and the choice of paper, the scent of incense, and even the handwriting were seen as expressing the sender's feelings and refinement. The loanword "rabu retā" (love letter) came into wide use in the modern era.

Fun Facts About Love Letters

• Sealing wax: In Europe, letters were once closed with sealing wax stamped with a crest or seal, showing that the letter had not been opened and identifying the sender.
• "P.S.": P.S. is short for the Latin "post scriptum" ("written after") — a note added after the main text is finished.
• Professional letter-writers: In times when few people could read and write, some people earned a living writing letters for others.
• Two days in one: May 23 is also Japan's "Kiss Day," marking the 1946 release of the first Japanese film with a kissing scene.

Ideas for Love Letter Day

• Write a handwritten message card to your family, partner, or someone who has helped you
• Go beyond "thank you" and write specifically what you appreciate about them
• Enjoy the film "Love Letter" or other novels and films about letters
• Reread letters you've received in the past

Time Spent Choosing Words Is a Gift, Too

May 23rd is a day to put into words the feelings we rarely say out loud. In an age of instant messaging, a letter written with carefully chosen words has a special warmth. Today, why not write even a short note to someone important to you?