[December 20] Yellowtail Day & Japan's First Department Store Opens & Coelacanth Academic Research Begins & Foghorn Memorial Day & International Human Solidarity Day & The Last Day of the Year

[Yellowtail Day]

Yellowtail is written as '鰤' in kanji, and this anniversary is set for December 20th because it evokes 'Shiwasu' (the lunar month for December) and is a pun on 'Bu(2)ri(≒rin=wa0)'.

There are various theories about the origin of the name 'buri' (yellowtail), such as it being a fish with a lot of oil ('abura'), where 'bura' turned into 'buri'; that it was often grilled ('aburi') in the past; and other regional theories.

<<Aside>>
Yellowtail is also a 'shusse-uo' (fish whose name changes as it grows), but the names differ by region:
[Kanto]
Step 1: Wakashi, Step 2: Inada, Step 3: Warasa, Step 4: Buri
[Kansai]
Step 1: Tsubasu, Step 2: Hamachi, Step 3: Mejiro, Step 4: Buri
As shown above, the names for each stage of growth vary by region.

[Japan's First Department Store Opens]

On December 20, 1904 (Meiji 37), the 'Mitsukoshi Gofukuten' (dry goods store) was founded in Nihonbashi (Tokyo), marking the start of operations in Japan's first department store format.

Department store format = A format where a wide variety of products from different genres are sold in a single store.

Originally, Mitsukoshi was a company formed by separating from the wealthy merchant Mitsui family of the Edo period and merging with the lineage of Echigoya, which had also been in business since the Edo period, and had been operating as a dry goods store under the 'Mitsukoshi' name since the late 1870s.

In order to adopt the department store sales method that was mainstream in the West, Mitsui and Mitsukoshi jointly founded the new 'Mitsukoshi Gofukuten,' issued a 'Department Store Declaration' to take on the role of a general department store, and began operations.

At a time when selling one type of product per store was the norm, the convenience of being able to buy a wide variety of goods in one place, as well as the large, sturdy construction of the store itself required to handle so many products, became a major topic of conversation, and it was a huge success day after day.

And so, this day is established as 'Department Store Opening Day'.

[Coelacanth Academic Research Begins]

On December 20, 1952 (Showa 27), the world's first academic research on the coelacanth was conducted following its capture off the coast of Madagascar (Africa).

Going back about 14 years to December 22, 1938 (Showa 13), a coelacanth had been captured in South Africa, but it died shortly after capture, making academic research impossible at that time.

Until its discovery in 1938 (Showa 13), it was generally believed by experts that the coelacanth had gone extinct about 75 million years ago.

However, when a living coelacanth was discovered and academic research was conducted, it was found that there were very few signs of evolution, and its form was almost unchanged from the ancient coelacanths found as fossils.

For this reason, it is called a 'living fossil,' and research into its actual state continues to this day.

And so, this day is established as 'Coelacanth Day'.

[Foghorn Memorial Day]

This memorial day was established to commemorate the installation of Japan's first 'foghorn' at the 'Shiriya-zaki Lighthouse' on the east coast of the Honshu side of the Tsugaru Strait (Aomori Prefecture) on December 20, 1879 (Meiji 12).

Foghorns are used to ensure the safety of ships at sea during fog, and at the time of installation, they were sounded for 4 seconds every 20 seconds.

Shiriya-zaki Lighthouse is currently registered as a 'Tangible Cultural Property' and is counted as one of Japan's important structures.

[International Human Solidarity Day]

This day was established as an international day on December 20 at the United Nations General Assembly held in 2005 (Heisei 17).

International notation: International Human Solidarity Day

It is advocated to celebrate the solidarity of diverse humanity and to remind the world of the importance of uniting to achieve the 'Millennium Development Goals,' which define the eradication of poverty.

In light of the trend where inequality accompanying accelerating globalization is expanding depending on the country or region, activities are being continued to raise awareness, as solidarity across cultures, the promotion of connections, and the spirit of sharing are all very important for fighting poverty.

[The Final Twentieth Day]

In many parts of Japan, there are ancient traditions that December 20 is an 'imi-bi' (taboo day) for exercising caution and avoiding misfortune.

Particularly in the Kinki region, there are remnants of customs where 'executions of criminals' were carried out on December 20, and in western parts of Japan, it was considered an 'imi-bi deeply related to the mountain god,' where people avoided entering the mountains; unique customs are still passed down today depending on the region.

(The above is from an internet search)