Send salt to your enemy

Today, and January 11th annually, is Salt Day 塩の日 in Japan. Pretty self explanatory right; a day for salt! But what is truly fascinating is the reason behind the choice of date for this anniversary. It comes from a historic event...

Have you ever heard the saying 敵に塩を送る (teki ni shio wo okuru) in Japan? In English it means "send salt to your enemy".  I had heard it before, but until today never knew the full meaning behind it. Apparently on this day, January 11th, in 1569 warlord Uesugi Kenshin sent salt to his rival Takeda Shingen, whose territory was suffering because another clan had cut off their salt supply. The saying arose from this event, to mean helping even those you’re in conflict with when their suffering isn’t part of the true fight.

For this reason, January 11th was chosen as the date for "Salt Day". But we now know its not just about seasoning, but also a reminder to act with generosity, even toward rivals. A poignant reminder in the current global political landscape.