A Day Promoting Gluten-free Life

One of the surprising anniversaries of September 10th in Japan that I came across is Gluten Free Life Day グルテンフリーライフの日. It surprises me because you don't really hear much about "Gluten-free" in Japan. To the point that when I saw the store sign below with "Gluten-free" written in English on it, I took a photo of it because it is so rare to see a sign like this.

But it turns out there is a Gluten-Free Life Association in Japan. It is relatively new though - established in 2013. They are behind the September 10th anniversary. They chose the date because 9/10 can be read as "glu (9) ten (10)".  The association works to reduce inequality in food access by promoting gluten-free options, sharing reliable information and supporting people who either need or choose a gluten-free lifestyle.

Gluten-free eating means avoiding gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. In many countries, it’s widely adopted not only by people with allergies or celiac disease but also by those who feel better avoiding gluten. In Japan, awareness has grown steadily , reportedly reaching over 75% by 2021, yet only a small portion of people actively follow a gluten-free diet.