今日6月26日は、語呂合わせで生まれた「露天風呂の日」と、平安時代の落雷事件にまつわる「雷記念日」が重なる一日です。
梅雨のじめじめした季節にこそ、温泉でリフレッシュしたくなりますよね。今日はそんな話題を中心に、面白い豆知識をお届けします！
♨️ 露天風呂の日の由来
「露天風呂の日」は、岡山県の湯原温泉の旅館組合と観光協会が1987年に制定した記念日です。
由来はシンプル。「ろ（6）てん（・）ぶ（2）ろ（6）」の語呂合わせ。湯原温泉は「日本の三大露天風呂」のひとつとも称される名湯で、旭川沿いの川べりに湧き出す砂湯が特に有名です。なんと入浴料無料・24時間いつでも入れるという太っ腹な露天風呂！
梅雨明けを待ちわびながら、温泉旅行の計画を立ててみるのも良いですね。
⚡ 雷記念日と菅原道真の怨霊伝説
930年6月26日、平安京の清涼殿に落雷があり、朝廷の要人・藤原清貫が亡くなりました。これが「雷記念日」の由来です。
この落雷、実は単なる自然現象ではなく「菅原道真の祟り」だと信じられました。道真は政敵の策略によって大宰府（現在の福岡県）に左遷され、そこで無念のまま亡くなった平安時代の学者・政治家。亡くなった後、京の都では次々と不吉な出来事が続いたため、道真の怨霊が原因だと人々は恐れたのです。
その後、道真の名誉を回復するために神として祀られ、やがて「天神様＝学問の神様」として全国の天満宮で信仰されるようになりました。受験シーズンに天神様にお参りする習慣は、この怨霊伝説がルーツなんですね。
ちなみに「くわばら、くわばら」という雷除けのまじないも、道真の領地・桑原には雷が落ちなかったことから生まれたとされています。
🥊 猪木vsアリ！伝説の一戦もこの日
1976年6月26日には、プロレス・格闘技史に残るアントニオ猪木 vs モハメド・アリによる「格闘技世界一決定戦」が行われました。
当時は「世紀の対決」として世界中が注目した一戦。試合は15ラウンドの末に引き分けという結果でしたが、猪木が終始寝転がって足でアリを攻め続けるスタイルは賛否両論を呼びました。しかし後に、この試合こそが総合格闘技（MMA）の原点だったと評価されています。
✍️ 今日のまとめ
怨霊が学問の神になり、型破りな格闘が新しいスポーツを生み、川べりの温泉が無料で開放される——今日は「常識を超えたところに本物がある」と感じさせてくれる日ですね。
梅雨の蒸し暑い一日、どうか体に気をつけてお過ごしください。温泉、行きたいですね。
本日も良い一日をお過ごしください。
See you soon.
Today, June 26th, brings together two memorable occasions: “Open-Air Bath Day” — born from a clever play on words — and “Thunder Memorial Day”, rooted in a dramatic lightning strike from the Heian period.
On a sticky, humid rainy-season day like this, nothing sounds more appealing than soaking in a hot spring to refresh body and soul. Today’s post is packed with fun facts around exactly that!
The Origin of Open-Air Bath Day ♨️
“Open-Air Bath Day” was established in 1987 by the inn association and tourism board of Yubara Onsen in Okayama Prefecture.
The origin is delightfully simple: it’s a wordplay reading of “ro (6) – ten (·) – bu (2) – ro (6)” — the Japanese pronunciation of “rotenburo” (open-air bath). Yubara Onsen is celebrated as one of Japan’s “Three Great Open-Air Baths,” and its famous Sunabyu — a riverside hot spring that bubbles up along the banks of the Asahi River — is especially beloved. And here’s the impressive part: entry is completely free, open 24 hours a day.
While waiting for the rainy season to finally lift, why not start planning a hot spring getaway?
Thunder Memorial Day and the Vengeful Spirit of Sugawara no Michizane ⚡
On June 26, 930, a bolt of lightning struck the Seiryōden (the Emperor’s residential hall) in the imperial palace in Kyoto, killing the court noble Fujiwara no Kiyotsura. This is the origin of “Thunder Memorial Day.”
But this was no ordinary thunderstorm, at least not in the eyes of the people at the time. It was widely believed to be the curse of Sugawara no Michizane — a scholar and statesman of the Heian period who had been exiled to Dazaifu (in present-day Fukuoka Prefecture) through the political scheming of his rivals, and died there with deep grievances unresolved. In the years following his death, a string of misfortunes struck the capital, and people grew increasingly convinced that his vengeful spirit was to blame.
To appease his spirit and restore his honor, Michizane was enshrined as a deity — and eventually came to be revered across Japan as “Tenjin-sama,” the god of learning, worshipped at Tenmangu shrines nationwide. The tradition of visiting Tenjin-sama shrines during exam season actually traces its roots all the way back to this ghost story.
And as a side note: the Japanese charm against lightning — “Kuwabara, kuwabara” — is said to have originated from the fact that lightning never struck Kuwabara, the lands Michizane had governed in life.
Inoki vs. Ali — A Legendary Bout on This Very Day 🥊
On June 26, 1976, one of the most talked-about bouts in the history of professional wrestling and combat sports took place: Antonio Inoki vs. Muhammad Ali in the “Martial Arts World Championship.”
Billed at the time as the “Match of the Century,” the fight ended in a draw after 15 rounds. Inoki’s strategy of lying on the mat and repeatedly kicking at Ali’s legs from below was met with both bewilderment and criticism. Yet in hindsight, this unconventional approach has come to be recognized as one of the founding inspirations of mixed martial arts (MMA).
Today’s Takeaway ✍️
A vengeful spirit becomes the god of learning. An unorthodox fighting style gives birth to a new sport. A riverside hot spring opens its doors to anyone, free of charge, any time of day or night. Today feels like a reminder that the real thing often lies just beyond the edges of conventional thinking.
On this muggy, rainy-season day, please take good care of yourselves. And honestly — a hot spring sounds really good right now.
Have a wonderful day today.
See you soon.
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