Labor Thanksgiving Day Coloring Pages

A Day to Say "Thank You" to People Who Work

Labor Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday every year on November 23.
"Labor" means working.
It is a day to value work, be happy for the things that are made, and say "thank you" to each other.
It was set as a holiday in 1948.

It Was Originally a Day to Give Thanks for the Rice Harvest

November 23 is a day when an event called "Niinamesai" has been held since long ago.
Niinamesai is a very old event where people offer new rice harvested that year to the gods and give thanks for the harvest.
Autumn is a season when a lot of rice, vegetables, and fruits are harvested.
The feeling of saying "thank you" to the people who grow food and for nature's gifts is the origin of this holiday.

There Are Many Different Jobs in Town

On the second coloring page, 6 working people are lined up.
From the left, there is a firefighter, a doctor, a baker, a mail carrier, a farmer, and a carpenter.
Look at their helmets, hats, and the tools in their hands, and you can tell what kind of jobs they do.
What other jobs do people around you have?

Let's Peek at the Shopping Street in the Morning

The third page shows people working on a morning shopping street.
There is a baker lining up bread, a greengrocer carrying boxes of vegetables, and a florist watering flowers.
On the street, a mail carrier pushes a bicycle, and a police officer watches over the children.
Look for the person sweeping the street with a broom and the person unloading boxes from a truck in the back, too.
Elementary school kids on their way to school are waving cheerfully at the working people.

Let's Say "Thank You"

The first page shows a flower bouquet, a card, and a present.
On Labor Thanksgiving Day, try saying "thank you" to your family and the people who always take care of you.
It is also wonderful to write your own message on the card part of the coloring page you colored and give it as a present.
Making meals, cleaning, and doing laundry are also important jobs.

A Holiday at the End of Autumn

November 23 is around the end of autumn.
In the third picture too, the leaves of the ginkgo tree have turned color and are fluttering down onto the street.
If you color it together with the playing with fallen leaves and harvesting rice coloring pages, you can make an autumn album.

Use Bright Colors for the Bouquet

The first bouquet has big gerbera daisies and fluffy carnations.
We recommend orange or yellow for the gerberas, and pink or red for the carnations.
If you color the ribbon and gift box in different colors from the flowers, it will look super pretty.
Leave the card white so you can write a message on it later!

Look Up the Colors for Work Clothes

For the six people in the second page, their clothes tell you what their jobs are.
Firefighter outfits are often navy blue or orange. Doctor coats and baker clothes are white.
Postal workers often wear navy blue, farmer straw hats are light yellow, and carpenter helmets are yellow.
For white clothes, you can leave them uncolored and just color the collars and buttons!

Use Different Colors for Each Shop in the Shopping Street

The third page has lots of small details.
Color the baker's bread a toasty brown, the green grocer's vegetables green, red, and orange, and the florist's flowers in your favorite colors.
If you color the shop awnings in red and white or green and white stripes, it will look like a lively street!

Make It Feel Like Autumn with Ginkgo Leaves

The leaves fluttering along the street are ginkgo leaves.
Color them yellow and mix in some yellow-green here and there to show them changing colors.
If you color the street tiles softly with light gray or light brown, the people and shops will really stand out!

The Backpack and the Elementary School Kid

Try coloring the backpack of the waving school kid in your favorite color.
If you color the hat and clothes yellow or light blue, it will give the feeling of a bright morning!

A Holiday with a Changed Name

November 23rd used to be a holiday called "Niinamesai".
In 1948, it became a holiday called "Labor Thanksgiving Day".
It became a day to give thanks for all kinds of work, not just the rice harvest!

Niinamesai Still Continues Today

Niinamesai is still held every year on November 23rd at the Imperial Palace and shrines across Japan.
People offer newly harvested rice to the gods to give thanks for the harvest.
It is an event with a very long history.

America Has a Harvest Thanksgiving Day, Too

In America, there is a holiday called "Thanksgiving".
On the fourth Thursday of November, families get together to enjoy a feast and give thanks for the harvest.
Feeling thankful for the autumn harvest is the same, no matter what country you are in!

Helping Out is Great Work, Too

Try helping out around the house on Labor Thanksgiving Day!
If you clean the bathtub or wash the dishes, you will see how hard the person who usually does it works.