HappyGood Meat Day ! In shell you missed it , November 29 isIi Niku no Hi , orGood Meat Day , in Japan . But why ?
The first thing you demand to get laid is that the Japanese terminology has a comparatively small levelheaded armory , a whole lot of homophones , and a mostly non - phonetic writing style that allows for multiple pronunciations of the same eccentric . For those who do n’t talk linguist or Japanese , that means that the structure of the language makes it a rich bringing up ground for wordplay . And although cracking a punning at a political party in Kyoto would believably inspire just as many groan as it would in Kansas City — in fact , pun - base jokes are known asoyaji gyagu , or “ old man gags”—Japanese speakers just ca n’t balk punning .
Nipponese numerals are perhaps the punniest of all . That ’s because , just like English has primal number and ordinal number ( “ one ” and “ first ” ) , there are many different style to say the same number in Japanese . calculate on whether you ’re counting geisha , range three collection plate of sushi , or talking about a karaoke stripe on the third floor , for example , the act three can be read assan , mitsu , andmi . So the calendar , which is essentially all number , is a Japanesepundit ’s dream . Which is how 11/29 becomes Good Meat Day ; the 11 looks likeii , which meansgoodin Japanese , while the number two can be pronouncedni , and nineku . Nikumeansmeat , and there you have it — one more intellect to care for yourself to some beef sashimi this time of year .
If you follow this logic , there ’s really an opportunity to celebrate Meat Day 12 times per class , and many Nipponese supermarkets and BBQ joints ring in the 29th of the calendar month with meaty discounts . But the punning does n’t stop in the botcher segment — there are so many more of these Japanese unofficial pun holiday , practicallyone for every day of the year . Here are some of the punniest .
FOOD PUNS
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One of the first pun holidays of the twelvemonth fall on January 5 . One in Nipponese isichi , five isgo , andichigomeansstrawberry — so 1/5 becomesIchigo No Aloha State , orStrawberry daylight .
really , the holiday is not just about celebrating the cute red yield . Since mid - January is when Japanese 15 - yr - old sustain through the commonwealth ’s notoriously grueling high school entrance test , Ichigo No Hiis also a daytime for pep up on these fellow member of the so - called “ Strawberry Generation ” ( overprotected young person who wound easily , like their namesake ) . hemangioma simplex - lovers can honor the actual Chuck Berry all twelvemonth round , because the 15th of every month is also technicallyIchigo No Hi . Some retailers , like theLawsonchain of convenience stores , have taken the paronomasia a step further by promoting the sale of strawberry shortcake on the 22nd of the month . That ’s because if you look at a calendar mastermind by workweek , the 15th is always on top of the 22nd — just like the hemangioma simplex on top of a cake .
Other gastronomic wordplay holidays includeHoney Dayon August 3 ( eight ishachi , three ismitsu , andhachimitsumeans " honey " ) , andBanana Dayon August 7 ( eight can also be study asba , and seven asnana ) .
Perhaps you ’d like to pencil in a daring repast on September 9,Pufferfish Day(nine can be sound out bothfuandgu , andfuguis what the Japanese call the potentially vicious pufferfish ) .
Or if you ’re not into risking your life for a Pisces , just play it dependable withSardines Dayon October 4 ( one Inter-Services Intelligence , zero iswa , four isshi , and sardines are callediwashi ) .
BODY PUNS
Not all Nipponese paronomasia holidays are about food . In 1955 , the guys over at the Japanese Otolaryngological Society noticed that not only can the two 3s in March 3 be read asmimi(which is how you say “ ear ” in Japanese ) , they also kind of look like two ears — and thusEar Daywas born .
Ear Day is just one of the body - part themed pun vacation created by aesculapian associations to remind people to take care of themselves . For the wellness - witting , there ’s alsoCavity Prevention Dayon June 4 ( six ismu , four isshi , andmushibameans “ caries ” ) andEye Protection Dayon October 10 ( because if you turn your head to the side , the two 10s front like a duad of eyes and eyebrows ) .
NOVEMBER PUNS
November , perhaps the ripe calendar month for punning , kick off withDog Dayon the 1st . Did you know that Nipponese dogs do n’t gowoof woofbut ratherwan wan wan ? Now say “ one one one ” ( 11/1 ) with a Japanese accent — get it ?
In this nervure , it ’s easy to see why November 11 would be even more rife with punny hypothesis . Some call itBattery Day , because the reference used to write 11/11 wait like + - + - .
Football fans call the 11thSoccer Day(because soccer is played 11 vs. 11 ) , and visual creative thinker can select betweenGeta Day(because the footprint leave by traditional wooden sandals , orgeta , look like four parallel lines),Noodle Day , Beans Sprouts Day , orChopsticks Day(because 1111 resemble four noodles , beans sprouts , or chopsticks ) .
The Glico Corporation , though , would choose if you saw those four ones as drinking chocolate - covered joint of their well - be intimate snackPocky — and in recent age , Pocky Dayhas been brand as the most democratic jubilation on November 11 by far . Kids craft boxes of chocolate- , matcha- or strawberry- flavored Pocky , and teens get in the spirit by playing the Pocky Game , where two people seize with teeth diametric ends of a Pocky marijuana cigarette , Lady and the Trampstyle , until they terminate up in a candy kiss .
in the end , there’sGood Married Couple Dayon November 22 ; again , becauseiimeans safe , and 22 can be pronouncedfufu , which means married pair . Since 1999 , a distich of renown has been picked annually as Partners of the Year , and women ’s magazine , radio receiver , and TV shows delight in interviewing twosomes about their mystery to marital bliss . And really , what good merchandising estimation than to give hubby and wife yet another day to be guilt - tripped into buy something expensive for their spouse ?
DOUBLE-ENTENDRE
This would n’t be a stark list of puns without at least one innuendo . The Japanese have that hide withGomu No Hion May 6 — gois five andmuis six . Gomumeans rubber , butRubber Daydoesn’t sound that exciting , does it ? Not unless you come after the example of the Japanese young and use the holiday to push safe sex by posting selfies put cheekily with acondom in your oral cavity .
