Rekindling the days of yore

Today, September 16th, is Match Day. As in the instrument you use to light a fire. In current day Japan, matches are nowhere near as prevalent as they once used to be. But once upon a time, they were an important household item, in Japan, my home country and many countries around the world. I have to say, I always have a box of matches in the house. But I think I am the exception rather than the rule. 

The reason behind the anniversary is quite poignant. It was decided that September 16th would be "Match Day", because on this day in 1948, matches became readily available, for the first time in years, when rations were lifted in Japan. As such, it was a significant milestone in the reconstruction of life after World War II. 

The anniversary was established by the Japan Match Industry Association, which has since been dissolved. But nowadays the Japan Phosphorus Manufacturers Association is responsible for maintaining the history and culture of matches in Japan. To this day some pubs, bars and 'snacks' in Japan, still use match boxes as promotional materials, with the number of the bar written on the back of the matches. They are not as common as they once were and have become somewhat of a collectors item. 

I keep some in my home and also in my emergency kit, because apart from being useful for lighting candles and kindle, they are also good for temporary relief from bad smells. Lighting a match produces sulfur dioxide, a gas that can neutralize certain odors in the air as well as breakdown odor-causing particles. Do you have matches in your home and / or emergency bag?