November 23 is a national holiday in Japan called “Labor Thanksgiving Day (勤労感謝きんろうかんしゃの日ひ).” This is a day to express gratitude for the efforts of working people and to respect each other’s work.
The origin of this holiday comes from a Shinto ritual called “新嘗祭にいなめさい,” a ceremony to give thanks for the year’s harvest. In ancient times, the emperor offered newly harvested rice to the gods on this day and also ate the rice himself to celebrate the year’s bounty.
Today, it has become a national holiday known as Labor Thanksgiving Day, preserving the meaning of giving thanks for “work” and “harvest.” In schools, children sometimes participate in activities where they express thanks by saying “thank you” to their family members or people in their community.