Classics Day (古典の日)
Classics Day, on November 1, refers to an anniversary to publicly honor Japanese classical literature.
Summary
According to the entry of November 1, 1008 (December 7, 1008 in the solar calendar) in the Murasaki Shikibu nikki (Diary of Lady Murasaki Shikibu), Murasaki Shikibu, the author of The Tale of Genji, wrote that FUJIWARA no Kinto said to her, 'Come to think of it, I wonder if Lady Wakamurasaki is around here.'
As 'Wakamurasaki' (Lady Murasaki) is a fictional character appearing in The Tale of Genji, this description is the first historical record of the Tale of Genji, which is the most notable example of Japanese classical literature. The date is based on what was mentioned above.
For that reason, 'the committee of the thousand-year anniversary of the Tale of Genji', which had been established with Kyoto Prefecture as the leading member in January 2007, prior to 2008 when a thousand years would have passed since 1008, proposed to designate November 1 as 'Classics Day'. The committee of the thousand-year anniversary of the Tale of Genji' was inaugurated to conduct 'the thousand-year anniversary of the Tale of Genji project' which was held mainly in 2008. On November 1, 2008, a commemorative ceremony was held at Kyoto International Conference Center with the present emperor and empress in attendance. After the project was completed, 'the committee of the thousand-year anniversary of the Tale of Genji' was reorganized into the present 'committee for promoting Classics Day' in March 2009. The board of 'the committee for promoting Classics Day' has almost the same composition as 'the committee of the thousand-year anniversary of the Tale of Genji', and the president Murata succeeded as its president. The president of the foundation 'Kyoto Convention Bureau,' Junichi MURATA works as the president, and there are some promoters such as the novelist Jakucho SETOUCHI, and the former head of the Urasenke school of the tea ceremony, Genshitsu SEN (the representative). Tamotsu AOKI, the Director General of the Agency for Cultural Affairs, has taken office as a special advisor. Cooperating with the Kansai Economic Federation and other organizations, the committee is to make approaches to the government and members of the Diet, aiming at setting up 'Classics Day' as a nationally-enacted commemoration day by three years from now. It is also considering making Classics Day a national holiday in the future.