How to Read “You can’t eat rice cakes every first day of the month”
Tsuitachi goto ni mochi wa kuenu
Meaning of “You can’t eat rice cakes every first day of the month”
“You can’t eat rice cakes every first day of the month” means you can’t do special things every single day. Like rice cakes eaten at the beginning of each month, doing something meant for special occasions on a daily basis is impossible both financially and physically.
This proverb is used for people who frequently seek luxury or special events. It can also be used as a reminder to yourself. If every day is special, then nothing feels special anymore. The proverb expresses this reality clearly through the concrete example of rice cakes.
This teaching still applies today. Dining at fancy restaurants, traveling, or buying luxury items every day would not only bankrupt you but also diminish the joy these things bring.
Special things have value precisely because they’re special. This proverb conveys a simple yet profound truth.
Origin and Etymology
No clear written records explain the origin of this proverb. However, its components reveal an interesting background.
“Tsuitachi” means the first day of the month. In the old calendar system, this day was considered special. People made offerings to gods and Buddha and shared special meals with family. Rice cakes were among the most prestigious foods in Japanese tradition.
Making rice cakes required steaming and pounding rice, a labor-intensive process. They weren’t something people could eat casually every day.
Eating rice cakes once a month on the first day was a joy for people back then. It gave rhythm and variety to their lives. But doing this every day was unrealistic. Beyond the financial burden, making something special into a daily routine would strip away its specialness.
This proverb likely emerged from the common people’s lifestyle during the Edo period. With limited resources, how could they bring richness to their lives? The Japanese value of distinguishing between “hare” (special occasions) and “ke” (ordinary days) is condensed into these few words.
Interesting Facts
Rice cakes have been considered sacred food since ancient times. They were essential for New Year celebrations and other festive occasions. For common people in the Edo period, rice cakes made from steamed and pounded white rice were luxury items far above everyday meals.
One “sho” (about 1.8 liters) of glutinous rice produces a limited amount of mochi. Getting enough for the whole family to enjoy required considerable expense.
What’s interesting is that this proverb isn’t just about economic constraints. Even wealthy families who could afford daily rice cakes would intentionally save them for special days to preserve the joy. This reflects a Japanese sensibility connected to “mottainai” (waste not), a value system beyond mere material wealth.
Usage Examples
- If you buy every new game that comes out, you’ll go broke. You can’t eat rice cakes every first day of the month, remember?
- I’d love to eat out every weekend, but you can’t eat rice cakes every first day of the month, so I make it a once-a-month treat.
Universal Wisdom
“You can’t eat rice cakes every first day of the month” teaches us wisdom about balancing human desires with reality. We instinctively want to continue enjoyable and comfortable things forever. We want to eat delicious food every day and spend all our time having fun. Everyone has these desires.
But our ancestors understood something important. They recognized the danger of making special things ordinary. This isn’t just about money. Psychologically, when we receive the same stimulus repeatedly, the excitement always fades.
An experience that once thrilled us becomes routine with daily repetition, and eventually we grow bored. This is the flip side of human adaptability.
This proverb has been passed down through generations because it teaches the importance of life’s rhythm. Where there are mountains, there are valleys. Special days exist because ordinary days exist. Through this contrast, we can truly feel joy as joy.
Constraints aren’t limitations but rather conditions for feeling happiness. In a world where you can have anything, people may feel less happy than in a world where special things occasionally arrive. This proverb quietly yet clearly conveys this essential truth about human nature.
When AI Hears This
The human brain makes the judgment “just for today is special” with surprising frequency. Behavioral economics experiments show people choose 90 yen today over 100 yen in one week. Yet they choose 100 yen in eight weeks over 90 yen in seven weeks.
This contradictory behavior shows we suddenly lose self-control when “now” is involved. This is called hyperbolic discounting.
What’s fascinating about this proverb is how it recognizes this trap. With reasons like “it’s the first of the month,” “it’s payday,” or “it’s my birthday,” every day can become “special.” Your brain thinks “just today” each time, but objectively, it’s a continuous pattern of overspending.
Modern research shows people create about 50 “special days” per year.
What’s interesting is that this proverb itself functions as a commitment device. It’s a pre-made promise that binds your future self. In modern terms, it’s like setting withdrawal limits on a savings app. Edo period people discovered this cognitive bias through experience alone, without scientific evidence.
They created a system using words as social pressure to control their impulses. Verbalizing the brain’s weakness to counter it was an extremely sophisticated strategy.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches modern people about “richness through subtraction.” Modern society overflows with “addition values” of more, more often, and more luxurious. But true richness may lie in the courage to keep special things special.
Look at your own life. Do you eat out almost every day? Do you rush to do something special every weekend? Do you feel pressured to match the glamorous daily lives you see on social media?
But think about it. A special meal once a month gives you something to look forward to. A trip once a year lets you enjoy the planning time too. Special moments shine because they have the foundation of ordinary days.
This isn’t a teaching about forcing yourself to endure. Rather, it’s wisdom about achieving maximum happiness with limited resources. By treating special things carefully, your life becomes richer.
Instead of trying to make every day a holiday, scatter small special moments throughout your ordinary days. This way of living is the path to sustainable happiness.
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