Tile Day: a name that shapes our spaces

Today, and April 12th annually, is Tile Day タイルの日 in Japan. As in the tiles we use on floors, walls, counters and - as in the photo in this post - even as public paving. 

The reason the anniversary is April 12th is because on that date in 1922 tile manufacturers from across Japan gathered in Ueno to try and unify the many existing terms at the time under a single name: "tile". This simple decision helped standardized the industry and paved, if you'll pardon the pun, the way for modern materials we see today.

The commemoration was established by the National Tile Industry Association in Nagoya, and in 2021 it was officially registered with the Japan Anniversary Association.