Gratitude for Winter Cucumbers

Today, and November 9th annually, is Winter Cucumber Day 冬きゅうりの日 in Japan. It is a new Japanese commemorative day established by JA Zen-noh Gifu this year, 2026. They created the anniversary to recognize the hard work of cucumber growers who continue producing fresh cucumbers throughout the colder months.

November 9th, 9/11, was chosen for the anniversary because it can be read as "ii (11) kyu (9) ri", meaning "good cucumber". There are also a couple of other cucumber anniversaries in the Japanese calendar. For example, April 19th is "Good Cucumber Day" and the 19th of every month (except for April) is a separate "Good Cucumber" commemoration.

While many people associate cucumbers with summer, greenhouse cultivation allows farmers to harvest crisp, high-quality cucumbers even during winter. The anniversary aims to raise awareness of these efforts and encourage people to enjoy locally grown produce during the colder season.

I for one am grateful for the availability of cucumbers all year round. They are a convenient and versatile vegetable which make a great quick bento add on. Moreover, they are nutritional too. Do you use cucumber in winter too?