What Day is July 29th?

I have summarized what July 29th is in Japan.

Amateur Radio Day

July 29th is Amateur Radio Day. Just by turning the frequency dial, the voice of a stranger reaches your ears. That primitive joy resides in this day. In an era where you can connect with the whole world using just a smartphone, the tactile nature of this hobby, which involves facing radio waves themselves, retains a unique charm.

Behind this anniversary lies the heavy history of the Pacific War. The Telegraph Act, the first law concerning radio in Japan, was promulgated in 1900, and initially, private radio facilities—that is, those established by corporations or individuals—were not permitted. Under Article 2, Paragraph 5 of the Wireless Telegraph Act enacted in 1915, it became possible to establish private radio experimental facilities with the permission of the Minister of Communications, which became the prototype for amateur radio in Japan. In the Private Wireless Telegraph and Telephone Regulations enacted in 1934, these facilities were given the name "Experimental Private Wireless Telegraph and Telephone." By 1941, the number of facilities had grown to over 300, but with the outbreak of the Pacific War on December 8 of the same year, they were all banned on the grounds that radio waves could lead to the leakage of military information.

Eleven years later, on July 29, 1952, under the Radio Act enacted in 1950, preliminary licenses for amateur radio stations were issued to 30 people nationwide, and radio communication as a hobby finally breathed again. To commemorate this day, the Japan Amateur Radio League established this day as "Amateur Radio Day" in 1973. The fact that a single event, the issuance of preliminary licenses, took shape as an anniversary after more than 20 years makes one feel the strength of the attachment that has been passed down among those who love radio. Amateur radio is communication for self-training and technical research conducted not for financial gain but out of personal interest in radio technology, and in Japan, it is characterized by the requirement of both a radio operator license and a radio station license based on the Radio Act.

After the war, the amateur radio population continued to grow steadily, and it is said that there was a time in the 1980s when Japan boasted the largest amateur radio population in the world. The mechanism of communicating with distant partners by relaying through base stations one after another is also a prototype of communication that existed long before the advent of mobile phone networks. There is an anecdote from the 1912 Titanic disaster where radio communication became a lifeline for rescue requests, and it is no exaggeration to say that the passion for technology of amateur radio operators has built part of the foundation for today's communication infrastructure. The culture of exchanging postcards called QSL cards as proof of contact after finishing a conversation has also long been enjoyed as a unique way to enjoy amateur radio. By the way, April 18th is "World Amateur Radio Day," commemorating the establishment of the International Amateur Radio Union in 1925.

The fact that amateur radio was lifted just seven years after the end of the war is thought to have had a meaning beyond the mere resumption of a hobby. During the war, radio technology was directly linked to the military and managed by the state, but the moment it was returned to individuals was also a scene in the process of civil society regaining its peacetime life. Thinking that it was a restart from only 30 people nationwide, one is surprised again at the size of the base that has expanded over the decades since then.

Amateur radio as a means of communication has attracted attention not only as a hobby in peacetime but also as an auxiliary means of communication when telephones and the Internet cannot be used during disasters. The simplicity of being able to communicate as long as you have batteries and the unit, even if power outages or line congestion occur, reminds us of the origin of communication that tends to be lost in the shadow of convenience. In recent years, technologies called digital modes and software-defined radio have become widespread, and new ways to enjoy it in combination with personal computers are spreading. The fact that elements of craftsmanship such as building antennas and designing electronic circuits remain strong can be said to be the depth unique to this world that other hobbies do not have. Technology and knowledge passed down across generations are still quietly alive today.

Why not take this opportunity today to listen a little to the hobby of radio? Even if you don't have a license, you can listen to shortwave broadcasts and aviation radio with apps dedicated to reception. If you have family or friends nearby who have a radio operator license, it is also interesting to ask them about the distance radio waves can reach and the fun of communicating. The next anniversary I will introduce also colors a somewhat warm day where wordplay and local food culture intersect.

Shirodashi Day

July 29th is Shirodashi Day. Just thinking about the color of the clear broth with dashi makes the summer dining table feel a little cooler. The clear hue of cold noodle broth and clear soup is also an existence that quietly whets the appetite in the hot season.

This anniversary was established by Shichifuku Jozo Co., Ltd., headquartered in Anjo City, Aichi Prefecture. The company is a long-established store that has been manufacturing and selling "Shirodashi," a seasoning that combines dashi with white soy sauce, since 1978, and the date was chosen from the wordplay "hichi (7) fu (2) ku (9)" related to the company name. The anniversary is certified and registered by the Japan Anniversary Association. Anjo City, Aichi Prefecture, is known as a land where agriculture is so prosperous that it is called "Japan's Denmark," and the brewing industry has also accumulated a long history as a local industry. The attitude of manufacturing rooted in such a land is also expressed in the product called Shirodashi. The history of a local brewery creating a nationwide seasoning is sometimes talked about as a success story of regional industry.

Unlike general soy sauce dashi with a dark color, Shirodashi has the advantage of being able to bring out the color and aroma of the ingredients. It is valued for dishes where the transparency of the appearance affects the finish, such as chawanmushi, clear soup, and simmered dishes, and because it can be easily used by diluting it with water like concentrated noodle soup, it also plays a role in saving time in home cooking. While saving the trouble of making dashi from scratch, it has naturally permeated the dining tables of dual-income households and people living alone in that a finish that does not spoil the original flavor of the ingredients can be obtained. Events called "Shirodashi Day Festival" are also held around July 29th, and efforts are being made to convey the breadth of its usage through proposals for recipes using Shirodashi and tastings.

It is often misunderstood that the taste is thin just because the color of the dashi is light, but in reality, it is finished by condensing the umami of kelp and bonito flakes, so you can get sufficient satisfaction even with a small amount. Summer is a season when appetite tends to drop, but since dishes with clear hues create coolness in appearance, it can be said that Shirodashi is a seasoning whose field of activity expands precisely in this season.

The concept of dashi itself has supported the foundation of Japanese food culture. It is said that the umami components contained in kelp and bonito flakes were scientifically elucidated in 1908, triggered by the discovery of glutamic acid by chemist Kikunae Ikeda. There is a history in which the technology of dashi, which had been passed down as an empirical rule since before that, was scientifically backed in modern times and developed into various processed seasonings today. It can be said that Shirodashi is also a relatively new generation of dashi seasoning born on the extension of such long accumulation.

Dishes using Shirodashi are not limited to Japanese food. It is sometimes introduced that adding a small amount to Western or Chinese menus, such as a secret ingredient for pasta, sauce for egg-on-rice, or preparation for light pickles, creates depth in taste. The fact that the options for the menu expand if you have one bottle is probably one of the reasons why Shirodashi has been supported for a long time. There must be many households that add it to their refrigerator staples as a reliable ally when they want one more dish on a busy weekday evening. The sense of security that the taste is decided with one bottle is a reassuring help even for people who are not confident in cooking.

For tonight's dinner, please replace your usual noodle soup with Shirodashi and add one egg dish or clear soup. Just by the aroma of dashi rising softly, the impression of the dining table changes considerably. The lingering sound of the transparent taste surprisingly goes well with the vivid colors of the Fukujinzuke I will introduce next.

Fukujinzuke Day

July 29th is also Fukujinzuke Day. Many people will think of that reddish-brown pickle served on the side of curry rice. It tends to be hidden in the shadow of the roux, which is the main character, but there must be many people who feel that that plate cannot be completed without Fukujinzuke.

This anniversary was established by the pickle manufacturer Shinshin Co., Ltd. The date is based on the wordplay read as "shichi (7) fu (2) ku (9)," which overlaps with the origin of the name Fukujinzuke itself. It is a strong theory that Fukujinzuke is named after the Seven Lucky Gods by likening the seven ingredients, which are often used such as radish, eggplant, cucumber, lotus root, sword bean, shiso, and ginger, to the Seven Lucky Gods. The anniversary was certified and registered by the Japan Anniversary Association. While it is a food that has been loved for a long time, the fact that it has been highlighted again in the form of an official anniversary has become an opportunity to re-evaluate the presence of a supporting actor that was too taken for granted to be conscious of.

There are various theories as to why Fukujinzuke (sliced vegetable pickles) became established as the perfect sidekick for curry, but it is said that the practice began when curry and Fukujinzuke were served together on ocean voyages. When you think about it, it is a strange combination: a Western-derived dish like curry meeting a pickle named after the Seven Lucky Gods, a Japanese symbol of good fortune, on the same plate. Yet, the reason this combination has lasted for so long without feeling out of place is likely because the sharp, sweet-and-sour flavor perfectly neutralizes the heaviness of the spiced roux.

Appetites tend to drop during the summer, but pickles like Fukujinzuke are expected to help boost appetite, making them a dish you want to incorporate into your meals during the hot season. By promoting Fukujinzuke, the hope is not only to protect its position as the perfect sidekick to curry but also to add color to modern diets, which often lack vegetables. Fukujinzuke, made by pickling chopped vegetables in soy sauce, sugar, and mirin, is sometimes made at home, and many people enjoy their own homemade recipes that differ from store-bought versions.

It is said that a long-established pickle shop in Ueno, Tokyo, during the Meiji era was involved in the birth of Fukujinzuke. A new type of pickle made by soaking several types of vegetables in soy sauce gained a reputation, and it is said that it spread rapidly among the common people after being given an auspicious name based on the Seven Lucky Gods. The method of combining multiple vegetables, which was rare at the time, was novel in itself, and it likely attracted people in terms of both taste and appearance. Since then, for over a century, manufacturers across Japan have continued to make Fukujinzuke with their own unique blends, and it has taken root as a taste of home. Some regions finish it on the sweeter side, while others emphasize the saltiness, and comparing the regional preferences is sure to be a fun discovery.

The food culture of pickles itself has long supported the Japanese dining table. Born as a wisdom for preservation, pickles have strengthened their aspect as a luxury item over time, and many, like Fukujinzuke, have established unique roles by being linked to specific dishes. The history of how a dish that spread after the Meiji era, curry, combined with a pickle culture originating from the Edo period to become a standard meal, can be said to be an example of how Japanese food culture has flexibly incorporated elements from different eras.

Why not add a little more Fukujinzuke than usual to your curry tonight? The texture of the chopped vegetables and the sweet-and-sour flavor will provide a nice accent on the plate. Let's also look at another anniversary born from the same wordplay.

Seven Lucky Gods Day

July 29 is Seven Lucky Gods Day. This anniversary, born from the same wordplay as Fukujinzuke, teaches us about Japanese food culture related to the character for 'luck' from a different perspective. The very fact that the same date gave birth to two different lucky charms speaks to the depth of the playfulness of wordplay.

It was established by Kousenbei Co., Ltd., which manufactures and sells products such as Seven Lucky Gods senbei (rice crackers). The date is based on the wordplay 'shichi (7) fu (2) ku (9).' This anniversary was established with the goal of having more people taste the long-selling products that the company has protected for many years, such as 'Seven Lucky Gods Senbei,' 'Seven Lucky Gods Arare,' and 'Ginza Seven Lucky Gods,' and it has also been certified and registered by the Japan Anniversary Association. The fact that a long-established confectionery shop turned its attachment to its own products into an anniversary while linking it to the local culture of lucky charms can be said to be an initiative unique to a long-lived company.

The Seven Lucky Gods are a collection of seven gods and buddhas of different origins—Ebisu, Daikokuten, Bishamonten, Benzaiten, Fukurokuju, Jurojin, and Hotei—who have been united into a single faith, a unique Japanese group of gods of fortune. It is also characterized by a mixture of gods from Indian Buddhism, Chinese Taoism, and ancient Japanese Shinto, and the fact that gods with different cultural backgrounds have been cherished as a single group reveals the flexible religious views of the Japanese people. In the Edo period, visiting the Seven Lucky Gods spread as a form of entertainment for the common people, and the custom of visiting seven shrines and temples at New Year's to pray for happiness for the year took root in various places.

This auspiciousness is often incorporated into the design of confectionery, and like Seven Lucky Gods senbei, ingenuity is used to try to invite good fortune not only through taste but also through shape and name. The reason why confectionery related to the Seven Lucky Gods is easily chosen as gifts and souvenirs is likely because the meaning as a lucky charm is valued. The fact that two anniversaries sharing the same origin, Fukujinzuke Day and Seven Lucky Gods Day, are lined up on the same day is an interesting coincidence born from the playfulness unique to the Japanese language, which is wordplay.

It is believed that the Seven Lucky Gods faith took its current form after the Muromachi period, and it is thought that the gods and buddhas, which were initially worshipped separately, gradually came to be spoken of as a single group. Entering the Edo period, visiting the Seven Lucky Gods, which also served as an excursion for the common people, became popular at shrines and temples in various places and became established as a New Year's tradition. The ease characteristic of Edo commoner culture can be seen in the fact that faith and entertainment were naturally linked. The lack of rigid manners or restrictions in the desire to seek good fortune may be the reason why the Seven Lucky Gods faith has been loved by the common people for so long. The breadth of heart that allows anyone to easily put their hands together still attracts many people today. It is likely because there is a universality that transcends time in the feeling of wishing for good fortune.

Visiting the Seven Lucky Gods is still practiced all over the country today, and pilgrimage courses with various themes are set up in each region, including Yanaka and Asakusa in Tokyo. There are many regions where you can visit not only at New Year's but throughout the year, and the form of faith known as the Seven Lucky Gods is still alive in daily life. The background to why confectionery manufacturers have continued to make products with the Seven Lucky Gods as a motif for a long time is likely the soil unique to Japan where such faith and food culture are connected.

Today, it would be nice to pick up a Japanese sweet or rice cracker related to the Seven Lucky Gods and savor it slowly. Stopping by a local Japanese confectionery shop to look for items decorated with Seven Lucky Gods designs is also a small way to find good fortune. Now that the wonders of wordplay have continued, next I will introduce an anniversary related to cup noodle ingredients that is completely different in nature.

Mystery Meat Day

July 29 is Mystery Meat Day. It is an anniversary that puts that unidentified minced meat-like ingredient, which you find yourself looking for every time you open a Cup Noodle, right in the spotlight. The rise of an ingredient that has been cherished as a sidekick for many years to finally have an anniversary bearing its own name is also an interesting aspect unique to this day.

It was established by Nissin Food Products Co., Ltd., which manufactures and sells processed foods such as Cup Noodle. The date is derived from the wordplay read as 'na (7) zo ni ku (29),' and the anniversary was certified and registered by the Japan Anniversary Association on July 10, 2023. The flow of a long-loved ingredient finally getting an official anniversary more than half a century after its release also shows the aspect that fan culture has supported the company's decision-making. The very idea of daring to name an anniversary with the word 'mystery' for something as familiar as cup noodles feels like the playfulness typical of this company.

'Mystery Meat' is a popular ingredient that is irregularly added to the Cup Noodle series, and it has been a topic of conversation among fans for many years regarding its true identity. Officially, it is said to be a processed food with minced meat as the main ingredient, but the stance of daring not to reveal the details functions as a mechanism to stir the fans' imagination. The irregularity of there being days when it is included and days when it is not is likely a factor that increases the expectation of not knowing until you open it.

In 2023, 'Cup Noodle Mystery Meat Mamire,' packed with about four times the usual amount of mystery meat, was released, and in 2024, 'Cup Noodle Mystery Meat Hodai,' where you can enjoy only mystery meat, was released, and product development centered on this one ingredient continues. The process by which an ingredient that was originally a sidekick was pushed to a leading role by the enthusiasm of fans can be said to be one of the cases that symbolizes the fun of food development. As related anniversaries, there is 'Momofuku Ando Day' on March 5, which is based on the birthday of Momofuku Ando, the creator of Cup Noodle, and 'Instant Ramen Anniversary' on August 25, which is based on the release of Chicken Ramen.

Cup Noodle itself was released in 1971, and for more than half a century since then, it has taken root in Japanese food culture. Although mystery meat is an ingredient that has appeared irregularly throughout that history, it continues to maintain a mysterious presence, including the fact that the clear start date of its release is not widely talked about. The uncertainty of not knowing when it is included, despite being a standard ingredient, adds a small sense of expectation to the daily act of opening it. As a small entertainment in a busy daily life, mystery meat has blended into many people's lives before they knew it. The fact that a casual lunch can become a bit of a conversation starter is also a charm unique to this ingredient.

On social media, there are many posts from fans reporting the days when there was a lot of mystery meat, or showing off ways to enjoy eating only the mystery meat. By the company officially recognizing it as an anniversary, this grassroots excitement has been given an official stamp of approval, and a relationship where the fan community and the company have nurtured one ingredient together can be seen.

For lunch today, why not dare to choose a Cup Noodle with 'mystery meat' and savor the small thrill of the moment you open the lid? Counting how many pieces are inside can also be a surprisingly fun way to spend your time. We have had a series of anniversaries related to wordplay and food, but finally, I would like to shift the topic to the memorial day of an author who lived in the world of literature.

Sonoki (Memorial Day of Kunio Tsuji)

July 29 is Sonoki. In contrast to the liveliness of the wordplay-based anniversaries we have seen so far, this day, which commemorates the novelist Kunio Tsuji, gives us time to quietly reflect on the life of a single author. Perhaps the depth of July 29 lies in the fact that such quietude, where one faces literature, awaits at the end of a day filled with lively food-related anniversaries.

Kunio Tsuji was born on September 24, 1925, in Nishikata-machi, Komagome, Hongo-ku, Tokyo. It is said that his father was Yasutaka Tsuji, a journalist and Satsuma biwa accompanist, and his mother came from a family of doctors in Kagoshima Prefecture; he was named 'Kunio' because he was born on September 24. At the former Matsumoto Higher School in Nagano Prefecture, he met Morio Kita, who would later become a writer, and this friendship lasted a lifetime. He went on to the Department of French Literature at the University of Tokyo, studied under French literature scholar Kazuo Watanabe, and continued to graduate school after graduating in 1952. He became a lecturer at Gakushuin University in 1956 and studied in France the following year; it is said that during his stay in Paris, he often visited the philosopher Arimasa Mori. His experiences and studies in France would be deeply reflected in his subsequent body of work.

As a writer, he made his literary debut with the novel 'Kairo' (The Corridor), which won the 4th Modern Literature Prize. He went on to leave behind many profound works based on history and art, such as 'Azuchi Oukanki' (Chronicle of Azuchi), which won the Art Encouragement Prize for New Artists, 'Haikyousha Yurianusu' (Julian the Apostate), which won the Mainichi Art Prize, and 'Saigyou Kaden' (The Flower Legend of Saigyo), which won the Tanizaki Junichiro Prize. Other works include the novels 'Natsu no Toride' (Summer Fortress) and 'Sagano Meigetsuki' (Sagano Moon Chronicle), and the play 'Poseidon Kamen-sai' (Poseidon Mask Festival), and he also energetically worked on criticism concerning art, theater, and film. In 1996, he was elected as a member of the Japan Art Academy. His style, which drew on Western history and classics while allowing his aesthetic sense as a Japanese person to seep through, occupied a unique position among his contemporary writers.

The name of his memorial day, 'Sonoki,' is derived from the short story 'Tooi Sonoi' (Distant Garden) that Kunio Tsuji wrote during his high school years. On July 29, 1999, he passed away suddenly due to heart failure caused by a myocardial infarction while staying at his villa in Karuizawa. He was 73 years old. Since 2004, after his death, the 20-volume 'Complete Works of Kunio Tsuji' has been published, allowing us to still look back at the entirety of his work. The fact that his collected work was left to the world in the form of a complete collection has become a valuable clue for future readers to carefully retrace the trajectory of thought accumulated by a single author. Although he was a writer who continued to write long novels, it seems like a fitting coincidence for a person who spent his life spinning stories that the origin of his memorial day's name lies in a single short story from his high school days.

One of his representative works, 'Azuchi Oukanki,' depicts the figure of Oda Nobunaga through the eyes of a foreigner visiting Japan during the Sengoku period, and the structure characteristic of Kunio Tsuji, which approaches the human inner self while interweaving historical fact and fiction, can be seen throughout. While using historical figures and events as subject matter, his writing style, which does not stop at mere reproduction of historical facts but carefully scoops up the movements of the hearts of the people who lived there, has captured the hearts of many readers.

During his time, writers who colored postwar Japanese literature, such as Morio Kita and Kenzaburo Oe, stood alongside him, but Kunio Tsuji walked his own path of weaving his spirituality as a Japanese person into his works while deeply studying Western history and art. His friendship with his long-time friend Morio Kita is also known to have lasted a lifetime, transcending the differences in their respective styles. His method of carefully depicting the inner lives of characters while remaining faithful to historical facts is said to have influenced later historical novelists. Rather than a flashy popular writer, he continues to quietly gather support even now as a writer who is read and passed down over time. The fact that his name is remembered every year in the form of a memorial day can be said to be proof that his work continues to remain in the hearts of readers across generations.

Today, let's pick up one of Kunio Tsuji's works from the bookshelf. If a long novel is too difficult, it might be good to start with a book like 'Natsu no Toride.' If you have the opportunity to visit Karuizawa, a place associated with him, spending a quiet afternoon turning the pages and immersing yourself in his elegant prose for a while might be a fitting way to spend this day.

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