A day dedicated to the importance of words

Today, and May 18th annually, is Word Day ことばの日 in Japan. It is a commemorative day in Japan dedicated to appreciating the power, history, and beauty of words. The date of the anniversary comes from "goroawase", which is a type of wordplay on how numbers can be read in Japanese: “ko” (5), “to” (10), and “ba” (8), forming "kotoba" the Japanese for "word".

Although the day did not originate from a formal institution, it later gained official recognition in 2019 when the Japan Anniversary Association registered it as an annual observance. The purpose of "Kotoba no Hi" is to encourage people to think more deeply about language and to use words with care, intention, and respect. The creators of the modern celebration wanted to highlight not only spoken and written language but also the broader idea of “kotoba,” which includes gestures, sign language, and other forms of human expression.

The term “kotoba” itself has a long history. Traditionally written with characters meaning “word” and “leaf,” 言葉, it reflects the idea that words grow from the human heart, much like leaves grow from a tree. Over time, the meaning expanded to include language as a whole, emphasizing how words connect people, convey emotion, and enrich everyday life.