Labor Thanksgiving Day in Japan Date in the current year: November 23, 2024

Labor Thanksgiving Day is modern name for the ancient cereals festival Niiname-sai. It's believed, that the rituals of Niiname-sai were developed during the rule of Emperor Jimmu in 660-585 BC. The more formalized celebration of harvest appeared during the reign of Emperor Seinei in 480-484 AD and historians were able to trace the written mentions about the festival only to the time of Emperor Temmu, ruling in 667-686 AD. Traditional ceremony of the festival included Emperor dedicating the year's harvest to spirits and tasting rice for the first time.

After the end of World War II many Japanese holidays and traditional festivals were changed. Since then the festival of Niiname-sai is held exclusively by the Imperial House of Japan, while Japanese celebrate only Labor Thanksgiving Day. During the event people are encouraged to think about the environment, human rights and peace. Children often draw pictures and give them to the local police stations.