Midsummer Day of the Ox The Midsummer Day of the Ox is the day that the Japanese people eat eel. The day of the ox means the “ox” in the Chinese zodiac. The most famous theory is the idea originated with Gennai Hiraga. He was an inventor and a rangaku scholar in the Edo period. He got advice from an eel restaurant's owner, so he put a sign in front of the restaurant that said the following contents: "It's the day of the ox, so eat an eel today. You can prevent exhaustion from the summer heat if you eat an eel." His idea was successful, and the eel restaurant prospered. Other eel restaurants owners copied it too. I put a Japanese omelet on the cut of eels 😋 土用の丑の日 日本では、土用の丑の日にうなぎを食べます。 丑の日は十二支の「丑」を意味します。 最も有名な諸説は、江戸時代に発明家・蘭学者の平賀源内の発案による説です。 鰻屋から相談を受けた平賀源内が、店先に 「本日丑の日、土用の丑の日うなぎの日。食すれば夏負けすることなし」 と書いた看板を立てたら大繁盛したそうです。それで他の鰻屋も真似たそうです。