[August 7th is Banana Day in Japan]
August 7th is "Banana Day" in Japan every year.
This commemorative day was established by the Japan Banana Importers Association based on a wordplay where "ba" sounds like 8 and "nana" sounds like 7. It was created with the wish that people replenish their nutrition by eating bananas during the hot summer. Today, coinciding with "Banana Day," fruit shops, bakeries, and juice stands across Japan offer sales on bananas and banana juice, as well as limited-edition desserts, adding a special touch to this familiar fruit's big day.
While bananas are now a commonplace sight on the dining table, it was only about 100 years ago that they became established in the daily lives of Japanese people.
Full-scale banana imports to Japan are said to have begun in 1903. At that time, bananas shipped from Keelung Port in Taiwan were transported to Japan. Bananas ripen quickly and damage easily, but the voyage from Keelung Port in Taipei to Moji Port in Kitakyushu took about three days—shorter than the trip to Kobe Port in the Kansai region. Because of this, Moji Port became a vital gateway for bananas entering Japan and developed into one of the largest distribution hubs.
In those days, bananas were harvested and transported while still green. After arriving in Japan, they were ripened in dedicated ripening warehouses and shipped across the country once they turned yellow. However, some bananas inevitably ripened or suffered damage during transit, making them impossible to sell at standard prices. Merchants at the wharf created a sales technique where they called out in lively, energetic voices and gradually lowered the price until everything was sold out, attracting large crowds. This selling style, accompanied by a unique performance, came to be called "Banana no Tatakiuri" (bargain sale of bananas), becoming an iconic seasonal sight symbolizing Moji Port at the time.
Later, as the popularity of bananas grew, import and distribution systems improved, making them accessible to even more households. Meanwhile, with advancements in logistics, cold chains (refrigerated logistics), and freshness preservation technology, the street auctions at the port completed their role and gradually faded away.
However, this unique port town culture did not disappear. In 1963, the "Moji Port Banana no Tatakiuri Preservation Society" was established at Moji Port, organizing and preserving the tradition's barker speeches and performances. Today, visitors can still enjoy live demonstrations of traditional banana auctions amid the retro streetscapes of Moji Port in Kitakyushu. In 2017, this culture with over 100 years of history was officially recognized as a constituent cultural property of Japan Heritage.
From a small initial shipment to becoming one of Japan's most consumed fruits today, the journey of the banana not only transformed Japanese dietary habits, but also illustrates the evolution of Japan's port trade, logistics, and food culture.
If you happen to be in Japan on Banana Day, August 7th, why not look for seasonal sale items at local bakeries or juice stands? If you have the chance to visit Moji Port in Kitakyushu, please experience the enduring tradition of "Banana no Tatakiuri" in person and feel the 100-year story behind a single banana. Along with exploring the port town culture, we invite you to stop by Shokunin.com's Wakamatsu Showroom to discover the warmth and charm of Japanese craftsmanship.
Wakamatsu Showroom
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/wakamatsu.html
References
https://zatsuneta.com/archives/108075.html
https://www.banana.co.jp/basic-knowledge/history/
https://sites.google.com/view/brnj/japanese/バナナという作物/バナナの歴史
https://note.com/yurinakanishi/n/n8377b5f5e060
https://note.com/onoda1924/n/nc84f1b0902cd
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/バナナの叩き売り
