Marine Day (Japan)

Marine Day is a Japanese national holiday observed on the third Monday of July to give thanks for the blessings of the ocean and wish for the prosperity of Japan as a maritime nation. It originates from Marine Memorial Day, which commemorated July 20th, 1876, when Emperor Meiji returned to Yokohama aboard the steamship Meiji Maru after a tour of the Tohoku region. It became a national holiday in 1996 and moved to the third Monday of July in 2003 under the Happy Monday system. Beaches across Japan open for the swimming season around this time, making the holiday a herald of full summer.