Day of Culture

Culture Day
Official name	Bunka-no-hi (文化の日)
Observed by	Japan
Type	National
Significance	Promotes culture, the arts, and academic endeavour
Date	November 3

Culture Day (文化の日, Bunka no Hi) is a national holiday held annually in Japan on November 3 for the purpose of promoting culture, the arts, and academic endeavor. Festivities typically include art exhibitions, parades, and award ceremonies for distinguished artists and scholars.

Culture Day was first held in 1948, to commemorate the announcement of the post-war Japanese constitution on November 3, 1946.

November 3 was first celebrated as a national holiday in 1868, when it was called Tenchō-setsu (天長節), a holiday held in honor of the birthday of the reigning Emperor — at that time, Emperor Meiji (see also The Emperor's Birthday). Following Meiji's death in 1912, November 3 ceased to be a holiday until 1927, when his birthday was given its own specific holiday, known as Meiji-setsu (明治節). This was subsequently discontinued with the announcement of Culture Day in 1948.

As Culture Day exists to promote the arts and various fields of academic endeavor, local and prefectural governments typically choose this day to hold art exhibits, culture festivals, and parades. For example, Hakone in Kanagawa Prefecture holds the annual Feudal Lord's Parade (箱根大名行列, Hakone Daimyō Gyōretsu) to exhibit Edo Period clothing and costumes. It is common for universities to present new research and projects on Culture Day. Primary and secondary schools often have a "culture festival" on or near this day.

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