Diary Day

What Is Diary Day?

Every June 12th is "Diary Day" (日記の日, Nikki no Hi) in Japan. On June 12, 1942, Anne Frank, a Jewish girl, began writing in the red-checked diary she received for her 13th birthday. Inspired by this diary, which would later be read around the world as "The Diary of a Young Girl" (アンネの日記, Anne no Nikki), the day is a chance to reflect on the meaning of recording our daily experiences and thoughts in words.

What Anne Frank's Diary Tells Us

Anne's diary is both a personal record of one girl's life and a precious testimony to an era of war and persecution.

• About two years in hiding: In July 1942, shortly after she began the diary, Anne's family went into hiding in a secret annex in Amsterdam to escape Nazi persecution. For about two years, until they were discovered in August 1944, Anne kept writing about life in hiding and her own thoughts.
• An imaginary friend, "Kitty": Anne wrote much of her diary in the form of letters to an imaginary friend named "Kitty."
• Memory of the World: After the war, thanks to the efforts of her father Otto Frank, the only one of the group to survive, the diary was published in 1947. In 2009, it was inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register.

Japan and Anne Frank's Diary

The first Japanese translation was published in 1952, and it has been read by many generations since. In 2014, more than 300 copies of "The Diary of a Young Girl" and related books were torn in libraries in Tokyo. In response, the Embassy of Israel in Japan and others donated about 300 books to the affected libraries, and many individuals also sent donations.

Fun Facts About Diaries

• Japanese diary literature: In the Heian period, literary works in diary form appeared, such as the "Tosa Diary," written in kana by Ki no Tsurayuki in the voice of a woman, the "Kagerō Diary" by the mother of Fujiwara no Michitsuna, and "The Diary of Lady Murasaki."
• Writing and sorting out feelings: Psychologist James Pennebaker and others have studied "expressive writing" — writing about difficult experiences and feelings — and reported beneficial effects on mental and physical health.
• Three lines are enough: Writing a lot every day is hard. Even one or three lines a day become a valuable personal record over time.
• Handwritten or digital: Both paper notebooks and smartphone apps have their merits. The best method is the one you can keep up.

Ideas for Diary Day

• Get a favorite notebook and pen and write a few lines about your day.
• Look back through old diaries, planners, or photos on your phone.
• Start a habit of jotting down one line of reflection on your workday.
• Read "The Diary of a Young Girl" and reflect on war and peace.

The Meaning of Putting Things into Words

Diary Day on June 12th is a reminder that a single diary is still read by people around the world. Your writing doesn't need to be polished. Just a few lines about how you felt today can become a precious personal record when you read it again someday.