Handwashing day

Today, and January 15th annually, is handwashing day 手洗いの日 (Tearai no Hi) in Japan. The commemorative day was established by P&G, the global company known for household and hygiene products. The date is wordplay on January 15, written as 1/15 in short in Japan; 1‑1‑5 can be read as “ii te” (いい手), meaning “good hands.”

The choice of January is fitting as the kids have just gone back to the last term in school and with the cold weather, it is a time when viruses spread easily. Also, the important school entrance exams are coming up and students want to avoid catching a cold or flu. All combined, people are more conscious of handwashing at this time of year.

Handwashing is something that is easy to do when out and about. Not only do most of the public parks have toilets with handbasins, they also usually have taps separately, at water fountains. The top part is a water fountain, dispensing drinking water, and the bottom part has a tap for washing hands or feet. These particular taps don't usually provide soap, but most of the toilets in parks and train stations etc often have a soap dispenser too. 

The photo in this post is just of a sink in a restaurant, a really cool restaurant though , in a converted railway carriage in Saitama.