Respect for the Aged Day (敬老の日, Keirō no Hi) is a public holiday in Japan celebrated annually to honor elderly citizens.
This national holiday traces its origins to 1947, when Nomadani-mura (later Yachiyo-cho, currently Taka-cho), Hyōgo Prefecture, proclaimed September 15 Old Folks' Day (Toshiyori no Hi).
Annually, Japanese media take the opportunity to feature the elderly, reporting on the population and highlighting the oldest people in the country.
[3] In 2017, Japan honored 32,097 people (27,461 women and 4,636 men) who turned 100 years old; they each received congratulatory letter and souvenir sake cup from the Prime Minister.
Some people volunteer in neighborhoods by making and distributing free lunch boxes to older citizens.