Umi no Hi (Marine Day)

April Dykes
2025年7月21日
読了時間: 3分

Umi no Hi, also known as Marine Day, is celebrated annually on the third Monday of July. As a maritime country, Japan has a deep connection with the ocean, and although the holiday itself has only been officially recognized for 20 years, its history dates back much further.

Umi no Hi, a day to express gratitude for the ocean and pray for Japan’s maritime activities, is connected to Emperor Meiji and a voyage he took in 1876. “On July 20, 1876, after safely completing a cruise around the Tohoku region, Emperor Meiji boarded the lighthouse patrol ship "Meiji Maru" and returned to Yokohama from Aomori. The success of the cruise proved the safety of ships, and sea travel and maritime trade flourished in Japan” (Miura, 2025). To commemorate the emperor’s safe return and the significance of that day, July 20th was designated as Umi no Kinenbi, Sea Memorial Day, in 1941. From the 1960s, campaigns were made to make Sea Memorial Day a national holiday. Narine-related groups began creating campaigns and making little changes along the way to show the significance of the day.

In 1978, the ship the emperor used, the Meiji Maru, was designated as an Important Cultural Property, restored, and is on display at Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology. By the 1990s, the campaigns finally had enough traction, and in 1995, the bill making Umi no Hi an official holiday was passed. This bill designated July 20th, the anniversary of the emperor’s voyage, as Umi no Hi.

To commemorate the creation of Umi no Hi, a flag was created. According to the Japan Maritime Public Relations Center, the flag is a symbol of Japan’s gratitude for the ocean and its desire to cherish it. “The flag's mark was chosen as the best design from a public competition in 1995, and is an origami sailing ship design. The three primary colors of light, red, blue, and green, are used for the color, with yellow symbolizing the sunlight, creating a beautiful image of a romantic ocean” (Japan Maritime Public Relations Center).

July 20th remained as Umi no Hi until the Act to Partially Amend the National Holidays Act was enacted. While this bill has many amendments, the one we are most familiar with is the Happy Monday System. This is an amendment that changed the date of a holiday to a Monday, making it a 3-day weekend. This was done to encourage rest and to combat stress and overwork. Umi no Hi is among the 4 national holidays that were affected by the system. This change took place in 2003, and Umi no Hi was changed to the third Monday of July. Umi no Hi remained unchanged until 2021, when the Tokyo Olympics were hosted on July 23rd. “By making the period before and after the opening ceremony a holiday, the aim was to reduce congestion in central Tokyo” (Domani).

If you’re unsure of how to celebrate Umi no Hi, check out the suggestions below:

Beach trip
Go to an aquarium
Go to a fireworks festival
Enjoy seafood
Attend a maritime event

Did you know that before swimming became a recreational activity, it was viewed as a means to cure sickness? Miura states that in the Heian period, swimming for your health or medical reasons was called shiotouji or shioyuami. “Touji” means to treat an illness by soaking in a hot spring. “Shio-touji is a treatment in which you cure illnesses by immersing yourself in 'tide,' or seawater, rather than in hot springs” (Dyson, 2020). Dyson goes on to say that it was originally called yuyomi, bathing in hot springs. It wasn’t something widespread and varied person to person, but in time, the concept spread and became known as shiotouji. During the Meiji period, people began swimming recreationally, and the idea of sea bathing started to decline. Shiyuami is another sea bathing practice. Though the names are different, they were both created with the same purpose in mind.

If you’re like me and were unfamiliar with Umi no Hi and its origins, you’ve probably never been to a maritime event. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.

*Please be sure to check out the deadlines for registration and follow the official accounts for updates or news of cancellations.

Regardless of how you choose to celebrate Umi ni Hi, don’t forget to be thankful for the sea and all the blessings it brings to our lives: food, a means to travel, and a way to relax.

Did you know that Japan is the only country where people have a day off on Marine Day?