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Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Children’s Day—Japan has a number of special observances devoted to the family like most other countries, and one of them is on November 22nd, “Good Couple Day.” In Japanese, the numbers “11-22” can be read phonetically as “ii fuufu” (which means “good married couple”). It was this play of words that first led a foundation affiliated with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to designate the day as a special time for “married people to express gratitude to their spouses” in 1988. Soon thereafter, department stores began campaigns to sell items related to the event, while restaurants also responded with special dinners. Yet, many married couples shy away from expressing gratitude to their spouses in explicit language or with overt actions such as exchanging presents. In addition, many couples hesitate to go out while leaving their children at home, since baby-sitting services are not common. November 22nd might provide some opportunities to change all this. Whether or not the day finds an established place in Japanese society depends on the efforts of businesses and the shifting Japanese view of marriage.
