Wikipedia

Good Spouses Day

Good Spouses Day (いい夫婦の日, ii fūfu no hi) is a celebration held in Japan every year on November 22nd.[1] There is currently no official English name for the day and it has alternatively been called "Good Couples Day" or "Good Husband and Wife Day" in English.

Overview

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Good Spouses Day was first proposed by the Leisure Development Center (currently the Japan Productivity Center) in 1988. A committee was established in 1998 to promote Good Spouses Day. Beginning in 2000, public voting is conducted each year to elect the Couple of the Year, a couple who is considered the most ideal.[Note 1]

The day reached widespread recognition in the 2000s, and more celebrities now submit their marriage registrations on November 22nd. In 2007, the organization leading the celebrations began conducting yearly surveys regarding married relationships.[2]

Origin

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November was brought up in a 1985 economic countermeasure meeting as a month with space open for such a day. Additionally, the date is an instance of goroawase because 11/22 (DD/MM) can be read “ii fufu” in Japanese, which sounds like the words “good husband and wife” (ii fūfu).[3]

Public Reception

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A 2015 survey by the advertising and marketing company Creative Survey found that, while approximately 80% of respondents were aware of the day, only 4% celebrated it.[4] In contrast, a 2023 survey by En-Musubi University, a dating-information website operated by web and marketing services corporation Next Level, found approximately 50% of respondents planned to do something for Good Spouses Day.[5]

2011 Activities

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With the occurrence of the Tōhoku earthquake that year, the 2011 Good Spouses Day saw many emotional reports in the media of couples impacted by the disaster, resulting in the selection of the theme “Bonds” for the celebrations.

  1. Preparations were put in place for “Good Spouses Day Bonds Weddings,” where an open call was held for couples whose weddings had to be canceled or postponed due to the earthquake, with the new weddings held on November 8th.
  2. Other events from past years were held again including the Partner of the Year elections, the Good Spouses Senryū Competition, the Good Spouses Walkathon, and the Good Spouses Reading Event.
  3. 2011 also saw the start of a two-week long Good Spouses Weeks period prior to Good Spouses Day where several companies ran a variety of campaigns.

2012 Activities

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In response to surveys, organizers acknowledged the need for spouses to strengthen the bonds between them, and so, in 2012, posted tips on how to be a good spouse on Twitter. These tips were also posted on their homepage where they provide information on strengthening the bonds with your spouse.

2013 Activities

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The Senryū Contest and call for Couple of the Year candidates opened on August 1st, the Jewelry Writing Contest opened on August 10th, and the official website was redesigned.

Couple of the Year Winners

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Past winners of the Couple of the Year vote.[6]

Celebrities who registered marriages on Good Spouses Day

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Good Spouses Day has become a popular day for submitting a marriage registration as it is believed doing so will result in a healthy and long-lasting relationship.[7]

Notes

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  1. ^ The Couple of the Year is, in effect, selected from celebrity couples, though the organization's website makes no mention of the candidates being celebrities only.
  2. ^ a b c The English rendering of this name could not be confirmed at the time of translation.

References

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  1. ^ "いい夫婦の日って何？". 11月22日は「いい夫婦の日」公式ウェブサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  2. ^ "夫婦に関するアンケート". 11月22日は「いい夫婦の日」公式ウェブサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  3. ^ Perez, Ai Faithy (2021-03-08). "A Guide to Japan's Faux Holidays". Savvy Tokyo. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  4. ^ "【「いい夫婦の日」に関する意識調査】「いい夫婦の日」の認知率81％にもかかわらず、毎年お祝いしているのはわずか4％～お祝いしない理由は、準備が面倒・お金がかかるから～". プレスリリース・ニュースリリース配信シェアNo.1｜PR TIMES (in Japanese). 2015-11-19. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  5. ^ "【最新】「いい夫婦の日」に何かする人の割合は?". マイナビニュース (in Japanese). 2023-11-19. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  6. ^ "パートナー・オブ・ザ・イヤー歴代受賞者". 11月22日は「いい夫婦の日」公式ウェブサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  7. ^ Tamura, Yuko (2023-11-22). "A few small expressions can go a long way in your relationship". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
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