The Day of the Ox: 土用の丑の日

土用の丑の日 (Doyou no Ushi no Hi), is a traditional Japanese celebration that coincides with the Chinese zodiac's midsummer day of the Ox. What does this mean, and what traditions are associated with it? The Day of the Ox: 土用の丑の日

Meaning of 土用の丑の日 The Day of the Ox: 土用の丑の日

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土用 (doyou) is the period between two seasons and serves as the transition between them (such as spring to summer). 丑の日 (ushi no hi) means the day of the Ox. So what is the combined meaning of these two events? 土用の丑の日 takes place during the hottest days of the summer. In 2024, this was on July 24th, so hopefully you were able to stay cool!

Food Traditions

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Eating foods starting with う on 土用の丑の日 is supposed to bring you good health! Some examples are udon (うどん), umeboshi (梅干し), and unagi (うなぎ). Eating unagi (eel) is especially popular on this day, as it is believed to provide stamina and energy to combat the summer heat.

Why eel? Historically, it was considered to be a nutritious and energy-boosting food. This is because during the Edo period, Hiraga Gennai, a playwright and natural scientist, popularised this idea by advising a struggling unagi restaurant to promote the benefits of eel as a cure for beating summer lethargy. To this day, the tradition of eating unagi on Doyo no Ushi no Hi has continued!

Did you eat eel this week?

Yes
No
I ate a different "う" dish (Tell us below in the comments!)
I didn’t know about this tradition.

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While the Day of the Ox may be over, it's important to keep in contact with your local community during heatwaves and the hot midsummer season! Not everyone has air conditioning or access to resources to stay cool. Here are a few small gestures that can make a big difference: