Greenery Day 2022: An ode to Mother Nature
Greenery Day is observed on May 4 every year to show respect toward nature and be grateful for all its blessings. The day is observed as a national holiday in Japan and was initially celebrated on April 29 to mark the birth anniversary of Emperor Showa Hirohito. After the emperor's death, the date was changed to May 4 and April 29 became Showa Day.
The first Greenery Day was celebrated on April 29, 1989, in Japan. In the past, April 29 was celebrated as Tenno Tanjoubi, a public holiday dedicated to the current emperor's birthday. After Emperor Akihito ascended to Chrysanthemum Throne and succeeded Emperor Showa, Tenno Tanjoubi shifted to his birthday. In 2007, the government renamed May 4 as Greenery Day and April 29 as Showa Day.
Greenery Day is part of the Golden Week in Japan during which four major holidays are celebrated within one week space. It is the perfect holiday season as May marks the arrival of warm weather in Japan. Japan's present emperor Naruhito gives a Greenery Day speech annually on this day and urges people to go out and plant trees and engage in gardening.
Emperor Showa's immense love for plants led to the development of Greenery Day. However, the day also signifies the close relationship between land and water which are symbols of Mother Nature, and therefore Greenery day is represented by the colors green and blue. Green gained its color status during the Heian period and prior to this, it belonged to the range of color blue.
If you wish to celebrate Greenery Day, plant some trees in your neighborhood. The first crop of green tea is harvested during this time. So, visit your local tea shop, and buy some fresh green tea for yourself. Go green and eat a vegetarian meal loaded with healthy leafy greens. You can also enjoy gardening or visit a local park.
