Happiness Day (Kōfuku no Hi)

What Is Happiness Day?

Every year on May 29, Japan observes "Kōfuku no Hi" (Happiness Day). The date comes from the wordplay "ko (5) u fu (2) ku (9)," which together sound like "kōfuku," the Japanese word for "happiness." It was established by Humony Inc. (now Sagawa Humony Co., Ltd.), a company that sells greeting cards and gifts for celebrations and condolences, and is registered with the Japan Anniversary Association. The day was created with the wish that people around the world can live happily and peacefully, and the company once invited the public to send messages such as "I want to be happy" and "I want to make someone happy."

Humanity's Long Pursuit of Happiness

"What is happiness?" is a question philosophers have explored since ancient times.

• Aristotle's "highest good": In the Nicomachean Ethics, the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle described happiness (eudaimonia) as the ultimate goal everyone seeks — the "highest good."
• "The greatest happiness of the greatest number": The British philosopher Jeremy Bentham, active in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, championed utilitarianism, which takes the greatest happiness of the greatest number as the aim of society.

Happiness on the World Stage

• International Day of Happiness: In 2012, the UN General Assembly designated March 20 as the International Day of Happiness.
• The World Happiness Report: Since 2012, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and its partners have published the World Happiness Report, which compares countries using factors such as GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, social support, and freedom to make life choices.

Interesting Facts About Happiness

• The Nordic countries: Nordic countries regularly top the World Happiness Report, with Finland ranked first nine years in a row from the 2018 to the 2026 edition. Denmark is known for "hygge," a word for cozy, comfortable moments.
• Spending on others: Psychology research has reported that people who spent money on gifts or donations for others felt happier than those who spent it on themselves.
• Happiness spreads: A long-term study of social networks reported that one person's happiness tended to spread to their friends and even to friends of friends.
• The character for happiness: One theory holds that the kanji 幸 ("happiness, fortune") originally depicted handcuffs, and came to mean the good fortune of escaping misfortune.

Ideas for Spending Happiness Day

• Write down three good things that happened today and notice the small joys around you.
• Send a message or card of thanks to someone who has helped you.
• Make time for a small habit that relaxes you, such as a morning walk or a cup of coffee.
• Try putting your own definition of happiness into words.

A Day to Notice the Small Joys Around You

May 29 is a day to think a little about happiness. It isn't found only in special events — it's also in a cup of coffee or a casual chat with someone you care about. Why not say a simple "thank you" to someone around you today?