Beard Day (Hige no Hi)

What is Beard Day?

August 8th is "Beard Day" (Hige no Hi). It was established in 1978 by Warner-Lambert Japan (now Schick Japan) because the kanji "八" (eight) looks like a moustache. The company made August 8th, when two "八" line up, a day to groom your facial hair and reconsider your personal grooming.

Why August 8th is "Beard Day"

A moustache spreading left and right from under the nose looks just like the kanji "八." Fittingly for a shaving products maker, the shape of the moustache itself became the reason for the date.

• "八" looks like a moustache: The two strokes sweeping outward evoke a moustache.
• A day of double eights: August 8th, when two "八" come together, was chosen as the date.
• Who established it: Warner-Lambert Japan, the predecessor of the Japanese arm of the razor brand Schick.

Trivia about Beard Day

• Different kanji for different beards: Japanese uses 髭 for a moustache, 鬚 for a chin beard and 髯 for side whiskers, depending on where the hair grows.
• Warriors and beards: From the medieval period to the early Edo period, samurai were expected to wear beards, and those with thin beards are said to have sometimes worn false ones.
• Shaving became the norm in the Edo period: Once the shogunate was stable, lords and samurai were expected to shave, and by the mid-17th century being clean-shaven had become the custom.
• A comeback in the Meiji era: Under Western influence, beards became fashionable again in the Meiji era among politicians and military men such as Ito Hirobumi.
• Japan's "four big face days": Ear Day (March 3), Nose Day (August 7), Beard Day (August 8) and Eye Care Day (October 10) are sometimes grouped together under this name.

Ways to enjoy Beard Day

• Groom your beard, or try a new style.
• Reconsider your shaver and grooming products.
• Get professional care at a barbershop.
• Compare beard styles in portraits of historical figures.

A beard is an important part of expressing individuality

August 8th, Beard Day, is a day both to enjoy your beard and to reconsider your grooming. Whether you grow it or shave it, use it as a chance to find a style that's truly your own.