2015.1.15

It was cloudy and became rainy and very cold.

Today is my father's 80th birthday.
80 years old is also known as sanju （傘寿).
It is the second coming of age day because being 60 is called "kanreki(還暦)" meaning return to
0 year old.

I celebrated his birthday by red bean rice called  sekihan （赤飯) at breakfast.
I hope he will live longer.

2014.10.20

It was rather cool today.

Today is Empress Michiko's (皇后美智子：kogo michiko) birthday.  She became 80 years old.  80 years' celebration is called sanju (傘寿).  She is the first commoner who married into Japanese imperial family.  It's been more than 55 years since she married.  She has three children, and four grandchildren.

For Japanese being 20 means to be adult and we have a big celebration called seijin no hi (成人の日), Coming of Age Day.  Next big celebration is 60 years old, so called kanreki (還暦), and then 70 years, koki (古稀), 77 years old, kiju (喜寿), 80 years old, sanju, 88 years old , beiju (米寿), 90 years old, sotsuju (卒寿), and 99 years old, hakuju (白寿).